THE BEST FILMS OF 2023 BY THE GREEK FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

While filming absent civil servants, a documentary crew stumbles upon Haroula, a desperate, overprotective Greek mother in search of her son. But when he is accused of fraud, Haroula sets out with her other, disabled son and a Greek-African taxi driver to bring him back home where he belongs. Even if this means discovering who her son really is.

A tragic incident on Greece's northern border strikes a local family of three, pushing them to face their own personal impasses, while having to deeply consider the price for their actions.

Fallen Leaves is a heartwarming tale of love, hope, mutual respect, and solidarity, stemming from the tender and unconventional world of the renowned cinematic humanist, Aki Kaurismäki. One night in Helsinki, two solitary individuals serendipitously cross paths and discover the magic of being “together,” while pursuing their first, ultimate, and singular love. With a romantic touch yet deeply rooted in reality, Fallen Leaves envelops you like a soft blanket in the autumn chill and reminds you of the value of humanity, empathy, and the beauty of simplicity. Aki Kaurismäki's cinema, with its urban nightscapes and “offbeat” music, its idiosyncratic Scandinavian humor, delightful self-deprecation, and quirky heroes fumbling awkwardly in search of human warmth and connection, serves as the ideal refuge when harsh reality feels insurmountable.