The Working Class Trilogy: The Match Factory Girl

by Aki Kaurismäki

The Working Class Trilogy: The Match Factory Girl

Synopsis

Suddenly, last spring, I was running aimlessly round the city, talking too much and twisting and shaking my head in the most ridiculous way. The next day I spent lying silently under my bed and hated myself bitterly. In revenge I decided to make a film that will make Robert Bresson seem like a director of epic action pictures.

Later, I named this piece of junk »The Match Factory Girl«, as the name is long enough to be easily forgotten. (Aki Kaurismäki)

»The Match Factory Girl« is an astonishingly stylish work. It proves that simplicity is best, both morally and stylistically. The narrative style is severely ascetic. Every unnecessary element has been scrapped, as well as all unnecessary dialogue.

Kaurismäki’s narrational ellipses are so crystallised that, besides not showing the normal intermediate stages in the development of the story, he can refrain from showing us the end results (Mikko Piela, 1989)

Director

Aki Kaurismäki, writer, director, editor and producer. Born in Finland 4.4.1957, but...

Films as a director:

1981
»The Saimaa Gesture«
(Co-Dir. with Mika Kaurismäki)

1983
»Crime And Punishment«

1985
»Calamari Union«

1986
»Shadows In Paradise«
»Rocky VI« (Short)

1987
»Hamlet Goes Business«
»Thru The Wire« (Short)
»L.A.Woman« (Short)
»Rich Little Bitch« (Short)

1988
»Ariel«

1989
»Leningrad Cowboys Go America«
»Dirty Hands« (TV Film)

1990
»The Match Factory Girl«
»I Hired A Contract Killer«

1991
»Those Were The Days« (Short)
»These Boots« (Short)

1992
»La Vie De Boheme«

1993
»Total Balalaika Show - Helsinki Concert« (Documentary)

1994
»Take Care Of Your Scarf - Tatjana«
»Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses«

1996
»Drifting Clouds«

1998
»Juha«

2002
»The Man Without A Past«, »Dogs Have No Hell« (Short)

2004
»Bico« (Short)

2006
»Lights In The Dusk«

Cast

Kati Outinen
Elina Salo
Esko Nikkari
Vesa Vierikko

Crew

Producer: Aki Kaurismäki, Klas Olofson, Katinka Faragó
Script: Aki Kaurismäki
Camera: Timo Salminen
Sound: Jouko Lumme
Editing: Aki Kaurismäki
A production of Villealfa Productions Oy

Technical Data

Format: 35 mm / colour
Length: 70 min.
Original version: Finnish

The Working Class Trilogy: The Match Factory Girl
The Working Class Trilogy: The Match Factory Girl

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