Fallen Leaves wins FIPRESCI Grand Prix

Aki Kaurismäki takes annual international critics' prize for a second time

by Amber Wilkinson

Fallen Leaves
Fallen Leaves Photo: Courtesy of San Sebastian Film Festival

FIPRESCI has announced that Aki Kaurismäki's Fallen Leaves will receive the Grand Prix for the Best Film of the Year. The film follows the story of two lonely people who run into one another by chance one night in Helsinki and try to find the first, only and ultimate love of their lives.

This is the second time the Finnish director will have won the award given annually by the International Federation of Film Critics, which was voted on by 669 members.

The other two finalists were The Banshees Of Inisherin, by Martin McDonagh, and Tár, by Todd Field, which both premiered at the 2022 Venice Festival, where they respectively bagged the Volpi Cup for Best Actor going to Colin Farrell and the Volpi Cup for Best Actress going to Cate Blanchett.

Fallen Leaves premiered at Cannes this spring, where it carried off the Jury Prize. Kaurismäki previously won the award in 2017 for The Other Side Of Hope.

The FIPRESCI Grand Prix will be presented on September 22 at the opening gala of San Sebastian’s 71st Festival.

Share this with others on...
News

Somewhere over the rainbow Arco director on how he managed to follow his dream with help from Natalie Portman

A place to belong Liam O Mochain on anthology filmmaking, hidden stories and making Abode

Bear necessities Jack Weisman and Gabriel Osio Vanden on working together and making naivety work for them in Nuisance Bear

In ascension Isaac 'Drift' Wright and Deon Taylor on climbing, spiritual development and Drift

Looking back Kei Ishikawa on memory, ambiguity and A Pale View Of Hills

Bearing witness Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman on balance and perspectives in Nuisance Bear

More news and features

We're currently bringing you news, reviews and more direct from BFI Flare and SXSW.



We're looking forward to Fantaspoa.



We've recently brought you coverage of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, the NY Rendezvous with French Cinema, the Glasgow Film Festival, the Berlinale, Sundance and Palm Springs.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.

It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest from the spring events:

GSFF 19th edition opens in Glasgow with Downriver A Tiger

Cannes Barbra Streisand to receive honorary Palme d'Or

Thessaloniki Golden Alexanders announced

Cannes Honorary Palme d'Or to be presented to Peter Jackson

Cannes Park Chan-Wook named as Jury head