Arriving in Helsinki, a nameless man is beaten within an inch of his life by thugs, miraculously recovering only to find that he has completely lost his memory. Back on the streets, he attempts to begin again from zero, befriending a moody dog and becoming besotted with a Salvation Army volunteer.
Aki Kaurismäki scored one of his biggest hits with this winsome ode to community and kindness. Earning an Oscar® nod for foreign picture alongside its armful of prizes from Cannes, The Man Without a Past harmonises compassion and rarefied stylistic poise into a swoonworthy serenade to humanity.