La Vie de Bohème

A tender and infinitely sad film where the funny and beautiful coexist with the tragic organically, as in life.

Artist and illegal immigrant Rodolfo, poet Marcel, and composer Schonard lead a poor but quite happy creative life in Paris. In the best traditions of tragedy, only love and fate manage to disrupt its predictable course.

The film was entirely shot in French, even though neither the author nor the performers of the two main roles, Finns Matti Pellonpää and Kari Väänänen, know the language.

From an interview with Kaurismäki:

- Your film is magnificent. And most importantly, it's very funny...

- No, it's a tragedy.

- Why a tragedy?

- Because I'm insignificant.

- Why are you insignificant?

- Because I'm sad.

- Why are you sad?

- I don't know. I've been like this since birth.

- Is that the only reason?

- No, also because I'm Finnish.

Well, if it's true that Kaurismäki was indeed sad from birth, then his sadness is bright.

The film won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, and thanks to it, Kaurismäki became a Knight of the French Legion of Honor.