AFS Essential Cinema: LIGHTS IN THE DUSK

Austin Film Society presents: The Chilly Humorist of Finland: Aki Kaurismaki

The Kaurismaki brothers, Aki and Mika, are Finland's best known filmmakers. Although they both began their film careers in the early 80s and have often worked on each other's films, Aki somehow has become the more celebrated of the two at world film festivals. Aki claims that he has made half of his films while drunk, but insists on not being drunk while writing or editing - a questionable claim since his films seem so carefully directed and constructed. Even though he believes he has made "decent" films but never a "masterpiece," he has obviously created a fascinating body of work that bears his signature stylistics, working class characters, and story lines involving social gracelessness and accidents that change a life. There are certainly touches reminiscent of Jim Jarmusch, Fassbinder, Mamet, and a bit of David Lynch, but Aki Kaurismaki is his own man and can stand up to the best of them. His down-and-out, marginalized characters, though often a source of humor for their lack of social skills and wisdom, persevere and get something good out of life, even if just for a while. Many of them love American blues and rock, especially rockabilly as interpreted by Finnish bands, and Argentinean tangos and Mexican romantic ballads. His men are usually off-beat near-handsome, while the women are often the wallflowers ignored by others rushing to get onto the dance floor or into bed. Crime is nothing his protagonists seem to relish but often stumble into because of poor friendships. However, they sometimes run into people truly on the fringes - amoral, unfeeling criminals. As if they have wandered out of a David Mamet rehearsal, Kaurismaki's characters spend a lot of time staring at other people, saying little, and revealing even less about their motivations and desires. And yet, because of Kaurismaki's brilliant use of color and composition and his ever-surprising -what will they do next- storylines, we can't take our eyes off of his characters.
-- Chale Nafus, Director of Programming, Austin Film Society

About LIGHTS IN THE DUSK (Laitakaupungin valot)
Koistinen is a loner, ignored by his fellow security guards except when they want to taunt him. When an attractive blonde inexplicably befriends him in a cafe, Koistinen is initially confused but then intrigued. He finally begins hoping for a relationship, before realizing that Mirja has something else in mind. With gorgeously saturated colors and striking compositions, LIGHTS IN THE DUSK creates an intriguing tension between unreadable characters living in an environment wrongly assumed to be bare and desolate. Nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes Film Festival (2006).

Tickets available at www.austinfilm.org - Free for members of AFS or $6 at the door.

Austin Asian American Film Festival

The Austin Asian American Film Festival 2009 starts November 12 and goes through November 15, 2009, at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.

Find out more, see the schedule, get your badge or purchase tickets to individual shows @ www.aaaff.org

AAAFF is an Asian/Asian-American film festival committed to celebrating the best in independent Asian cinema from across the globe. For five years, the festival has highlighted the complexity and vitality of Asian/Asian-American communities through cutting-edge narrative, documentary and experimental films. The festival programmers aim at bringing awareness to important global issues like saving the environment and supporting other causes through the strong impact of media.

Alamo South Lamar Events

AFS Essential Cinema: LIGHTS IN THE DUSK

Austin Asian American Film Festival