Since 1981, Aki Kaurismäki has produced, written and directed twenty-two films and in a way, he has revived the Finnish cinema. At 43, he has a considerable oeuvre to his credit. He is one of the fastest-working filmmakers in the world. Kaurismäki is a cinematic craftsman. He works within an economic framework which he strictly administers and where nothing must be wasted. This is the price he pays for remaining independent. Most of the time, he makes his films with the materials at hand. Everything he observes, the sets, the people he meets and loves, sooner or later end up in one of his films. That's why a walk through Kaurismäki's universe resembles a walk in Kaurismäki's films.