From Finland, with love, Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen bring ‘Fallen Leaves’ to Hollywood

By LINDSEY BAHR
AP Film Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, the Finnish stars of Aki Kaurismäki’s tragicomic romance “Fallen Leaves,” have found themselves in the flurry of Hollywood’s awards season, attending the Golden Globe Awards, the Governors Awards as well as many, many screenings as they wait to find out if theirs is one of the five films selected for best international feature at the Oscars. The actors don’t want to jinx anything. They’re just happy to talk about the film, finding Kaurismäki fans in unexpected places and how excited they are that this deadpan romantic comedy has left so many people feeling entertained and hopeful.