A moving film by Aki Kaurismäki (Fallen Leaves) in which two seemingly different lives intersect in a story about asylum, solidarity and human dignity. With the legendary Chaplin as the supporting film.

In The Other Side of Hope (2017), Kaurismäki paints a subtle, dryly comical and warm portrait of migration and the search for a new life. When Khaled, a Syrian refugee, arrives in Helsinki, he meets Wikström, a taciturn restaurant owner with his own problems.

The two form an unexpected friendship. Kaurismäki uses his characteristic sober style and dry humour to explore themes such as asylum, solidarity and human dignity, with a hopeful undertone that warms the heart. The Other Side of Hope is a timeless story about the ability to keep believing in the future, even on the margins of society. 
 

Supporting film: The Immigrant (24 min)

Between humour and heartbreak, Chaplin captures in this timeless classic the story of migrants who leave their homes in search of a better life in the promised land, America.

Chaplin's iconic character, the Little Tramp, makes the crossing to America along with countless others. In search of a better life, they are confronted with unpredictable trials and tribulations aboard a ship and in the new world. With his masterful timing, subtle social criticism and warm humanity, Chaplin brings migration close to home without saying a word.

The Immigrant is a timeless classic that shows how humour and hope can survive even in the most difficult times.

No dialogue, English intertitles