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.

Kati Outinen
as Ilona

Kari Väänänen
as Lauri

Elina Salo
as Mrs. Sjöholm

Sakari Kuosmanen
as Melartin

Markku Peltola
as Lajunen

Matti Onnismaa
as Forsström

Shelley Fisher
as Pianist

Markus Allan
as Orchestra Member

Pauli Granfelt
as Orchestra Member

Kari Lindqvist
as Orchestra Member
CRCulver
The Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki has made several films about the "little people" in society, hardworking folk who have a spot of bad luck and risk being overlooked by the state bureaucracy and business development schemes that are ostensibly there to help them. KAUAS PILVET KARKAAVAT from 1996 (...