Returning to the Festival after a six-year absence the wry Finnish master Aki Kaurismäki, harkens back further with Fallen Leaves, jokingly pitched as a lost work from his early 90s heyday. A critical favourite at Cannes, where it picked up the Jury Prize and topped Screen Daily’s influential Cannes critic’s poll, Kaurismäki’s latest delivers an endearing romantic tale in his trademark deadpan style, cleverly incorporating some biting political commentary as well as plenty of cinematic in-jokes.

View the full NZIFF 2023 programme at nziff.co.nz.