The ever-poker-faced Ilona loses her job as a restaurant hostess, as her tram driver husband, Lauri, also finds himself out of work. Together they must hit the streets of Helsinki, facing up to hardship and humiliation in their quest for survival, guided through the gloom by a ray of hope.

One of Aki Kaurismäki’s most poignant and compassionate works, this droll situational comedy charts the struggles and misfortunes of a couple on the breadline. Formally rigorous, and vibrantly art directed, Drifting Clouds is prime Kaurismäki all the way up to its final, majestic crane shot.