Fallen Leaves comes from Aki Kaurismäki, a frequent feature here in Cannes, and tells the story of Ansa - and I have to read straight from the synopsis here because it's great: Ansa, a supermarket shelf-stocker on a zero-hour contract, later a recyclable plastic sorter, and Holappa, a sandblaster, an alcoholic, later an ex-alcoholic, whose paths have accidentally crossed and who, despite adversity and misunderstandings, try to build some kind of relationship on the harsher side of the welfare state.

Intrigued? Well, you should be because Kaurismäki tells these small-scale beautiful stories about everyday people that end up feeling like fairy tales.

There’s a ton of compassion for every character on screen that oozes through the screen. Each setback or miscommunication feels frustrating in the sense that you want them to succeed. Which is Kaurismäki's strong suit to make a heartwarming, funny, and narratively simple film.

Additionally, this film gets the runner-up award for best dog in a Cannes film in 2023, although the main prize still going to Snoop from Anatomy of a Fall.

Both leads do a great job as well, and even if the camera is rather bland in it (which somehow feels like another Kaurismäki trade) the movie pulls you along even in the slower moments.

Charming, lots of laughs, and with a good heart at its core