The Match Factory Girl

Name: The Match Factory Girl
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 2022-04-29
Cast: Kati Outinen, Elina Salo, Esko Nikkari, Vesa Vierikko, Reijo Taipale

A girl longing for love and a fate that does not favour romantic dreams. Aki Kaurismäki's reticent tragicomedy of almost ancient proportions.

Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö

Aki Kaurismäki

Finland 1990

Finnish

Czech

68 min.

Accessible

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About

In the 1980s it was often said in Finland that the problem with Finnish film was the lack of good subjects. The director Aki Kaurismäki thought at the time that a good subject could be, for example, an ordinary match: where are matches made? – Probably in a factory. – And who makes them there? – Perhaps a girl. – And where does the girl go after work? – Maybe home. – What's waiting for him at home? – Maybe a creepy father. The unfolding of this elementary plot chain results in a drama of almost ancient proportions. Yet the film contains, even for Kaurismäki's work, remarkably few lines. The first is not heard until nine minutes into the film: ‚One small beer.‘

Credits

Director: Aki Kaurismäki

Screenplay: Aki Kaurismäki

Cinematography: Timo Salminen

Music: Badding Rockers, Reijo Taipale

Sound: Tom Forsström, Jouko Lumme

Editing: Aki Kaurismäki

Producer: Aki Kaurismäki, Klas Olofsson, Katinka Faragó

Cast: Kati Outinen, Elina Salo, Esko Nikkari, Vesa Vierikko, Reijo Taipale, Silu Seppälä, Outi Mäenpää, Marja Packalén, Richard Reitinger, Helka Viljanen

Awards