ALFF Program - Le Havre

Saturday, February 11 at 5:15pm

Dir. Aki Kaurismäki
Finland/France/Germany, 2011, 93 minutes

In this warmhearted portrait of the French harbour city that gives the film its name, fate throws young African refugee Idrissa (Blondin Miguel) into the path of Marcel Marx (André Wilms), a well-spoken bohemian who works as a shoeshiner. With innate optimism and the unwavering support of his community, Marcel stands up to officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation. A political fairy tale that exists somewhere between the reality of contemporary France and the classic cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville and Marcel Carné, Le Havre is a charming, deadpan delight.

Finland’s official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 84th Academy Awards.

Screening sponsor: Association franco-yukonnaise