Best of Aki Kaurismäki

Aki Kaurismäki (4 April 1957 - present) is a Finnish screenwriter and film director. He has been called an auteur, since he writes, directs, produces and usually edits the films himself, and thus introduces his personal "drollery and deadpan" style. The dialogue is famously laconic: the articulation is usually extremely unadorned, direct and in strict standard language, without showing much emotion or drama. Characters usually stand still and recite the dialogue like it consisted of eternal truths. His characters rarely smile, nod sadly and usually expect the worst, and often smoke constantly. The camera is usually still. Events are shown in a plain manner and characters are usually left alone facing the consequences.