Shadows in Paradise (1986)
Shadows in Paradise (1986), directed by Aki Kaurismäki, starring Matti Pellonpää and Kati Outinen.
score
Synopsis
Nikander, a rubbish collector and would-be entrepreneur, finds his plans for success dashed when his business associate dies. One evening, he meets Ilona, a down-on-her-luck cashier, in a local supermarket. Falteringly, a bond begins to develop between them.
- Timo SalminenCinematography
- Aki KaurismäkiDirector, Writer
- Raija TalvioEditing
- Mika KaurismäkiProducer
About the film
Shadows in Paradise (Finnish: Varjoja paratiisissa) is a 1986 Finnish comedy-drama art film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki. The film stars Kati Outinen as Ilona and Matti Pellonpää as Nikander.
Shadows in Paradise was awarded the Best Film award at the 1987 Jussi Awards.
This is the first film in Kaurismäki's Proletariat Trilogy (Shadows in Paradise, Ariel, and The Match Factory Girl). The trilogy has been released on Region One DVD by Criterion, in their Eclipse box-sets, and on region-free Blu-rays by Future Film in the Nordic area.
Read the full article (1k characters)
Shadows in Paradise (Finnish: Varjoja paratiisissa) is a 1986 Finnish comedy-drama art film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki. The film stars Kati Outinen as Ilona and Matti Pellonpää as Nikander.
Shadows in Paradise was awarded the Best Film award at the 1987 Jussi Awards.
This is the first film in Kaurismäki's Proletariat Trilogy (Shadows in Paradise, Ariel, and The Match Factory Girl). The trilogy has been released on Region One DVD by Criterion, in their Eclipse box-sets, and on region-free Blu-rays by Future Film in the Nordic area.
Plot
Ilona is a supermarket check-out clerk who meets Nikander, a lonely garbage man, and they develop romantic feelings towards each other.
Cast
References
External links
Shadows in Paradise at IMDb
Shadows in Paradise at the British Board of Film Classification
Shadows in Paradise at the British Film Institute
Shadows in Paradise at Elonet (in Finnish)
Shadows in Paradise at Rotten Tomatoes
Shadows in Paradise at the Swedish Film Institute Database
Text from Shadows in Paradise (1986 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadows_in_Paradise_(1986_film)
Trivia
- It premiered on October 17, 1986, a Friday.
- It runs 1h14 — short for a feature film.
- Its original title is "Varjoja paratiisissa".
- This film's quiz has 9 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosVillealfa Filmproductions
- CountriesFinland
- LanguagesSwedish, Finnish, English
- StatusReleased
Photos
Cast
-
Matti Pellonpää
Nikander -
Kati Outinen
Ilona -
Sakari Kuosmanen
Melartin -
Esko Nikkari
Nikander's Co-Worker -
Kylli Köngäs
Ilona's Friend -
Pekka Laiho
Store Manager -
Jukka-Pekka Palo
Third Man - Svante Korkiakoski Police Officer
-
Mari Rantasila
Nikander's Sister - Safka Pekkonen Pianist
- Antti Ortamo 2nd Pianist
-
Mato Valtonen
Pelle -
Sakke Järvenpää
Staffan - Ulla Kuosmanen Melartin's Wife
- Neka Haapanen Cook
- Pentti Koski Singer
- Ari Korhonen Man in Restaurant
- Teuvo Rissanen Police Officer
- Erkki Rissanen Porter
- Sirkka Silin Woman in Restaurant
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
-
Ponto de Decisão
6.3
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O Homem sem Passado Same director: Aki Kaurismäki
7.4
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Questão de Vida
6.1
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Amor Eterno
7.4
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Salomé
5.8
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Um Conto do Destino
6.3
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O Melhor de Mim
7.5
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Olá, Adeus e Tudo Mais
6.1
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A Partida
6.3
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Antes Que Eu Vá
7.0
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Uma Razão para Viver
7.4
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A Escolha
7.2
Tags
Crew
- Timo Salminen Cinematography
- Aki Kaurismäki Director
- Raija Talvio Editing
- Mika Kaurismäki Producer
- Aki Kaurismäki Writer
Questions about this film
What is Shadows in Paradise about?
Shadows in Paradise: Nikander, a rubbish collector and would-be entrepreneur, finds his plans for success dashed when his business associate dies. One evening, he meets Ilona, a down-on-her-luck cashier, in a local supermarket. Falteringly, a bond begins to develop between them.
Who directed Shadows in Paradise?
Shadows in Paradise was directed by Aki Kaurismäki in 1986.
Who stars in Shadows in Paradise?
The cast of Shadows in Paradise includes Matti Pellonpää, Kati Outinen, Sakari Kuosmanen, Esko Nikkari and Kylli Köngäs.
How long is Shadows in Paradise?
Shadows in Paradise runs for 74 minutes, or 1h14.
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Page updated on 09/15/2026.
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