Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö (1990)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki (writer)

Release Date:

6 November 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Plot:

Iris has a dead-end job in a match-factory, lives with her dour and forbidding parents, and her social life is a disaster...

Plot Keywords:

One Night Stand | Revenge | Rat Poison | Slap In The Face | Letter Writing

Awards:

6 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Kati Outinen	...	Iiris
Elina Salo	...	Mother
Esko Nikkari	...	Stepfather
Vesa Vierikko	...	Aarne
Reijo Taipale	...	The singer
Silu Seppälä	...	Iiris' brother
Outi Mäenpää	...	Iiris' co-worker
Marja Packalén	...	The doctor
Richard Reitinger	...	Man in the bar
Helka Viljanen	...	Office employee (as Helga Viljanen)
Kurt Siilas	...	Policeman
Ismo Keinänen	...	Policeman
Klaus Heydemann	...	Worker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Erkki Friman	...	Member of dance band
Tapani Ikonen	...	Member of dance band
Jari Lappalainen	...	Member of dance band
Lasse Luoto	...	Member of dance band

Directed by
Aki Kaurismäki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Aki Kaurismäki		writer

Produced by
Katinka Faragó	....	producer (as Katinka Farago)
Aki Kaurismäki	....	producer
Klas Olofsson	....	producer

Cinematography by
Timo Salminen

Film Editing by
Aki Kaurismäki

Art Direction by
Risto Karhula

Set Decoration by
Kari Laine

Production Management
Klaus Heydemann	....	production manager
Jaakko Talaskivi	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pauli Pentti	....	assistant director

Art Department
Heikki Ukkonen	....	property master

Sound Department
Tom Forsström	....	sound mixer
Juuso Hirvikangas	....	assistant sound recordist
Nina Jansson	....	sound synchronisation
Jouko Lumme	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Marja-Leena Helin	....	still photographer
Börje Hellen	....	assistant camera (as Börje Hellén)
Olavi Tuomi	....	lighting technician
Pekka Uotila	....	assistant camera
Olli Varja	....	lighting technician

Editorial Department
Eila Karkkunen	....	negative cutter (as Eila Karttunen)

Music Department
Erkki Friman	....	musician
Tapani Ikonen	....	musician
Jari Lappalainen	....	musician
Lasse Luoto	....	musician

Other crew
Haije Alanoja	....	production secretary
Erkki Astala	....	publicist
Marja-Leena Helin	....	script supervisor
M. Laaksonen	....	title designer
Pirjo Laivuori	....	color definitions
Jan-Eric Nyström	....	title designer (as J-E Nyström)
Jaana Puhakka	....	production assistant
Sinikka Usvamaa	....	accountant (as Sinikka Telaranta)

Thanks
Willmar Andersson	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Esselte Video
• Finnkino
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
• Villealfa Filmproduction Oy

Distributors

• Al!ve AG (2007) (Germany) (DVD) (Aki Kaurismäki Collection I)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Eclipse from the Criterion Collection (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Finnkino (Finland) (theatrical)
• Kino International (1992) (USA) (subtitled)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Finn-Match Oy  thanks
• Oy Sinebrychoff AB  thanks
• SES Film Sound Oy  sound mixing

Also Known As:

Flickan från tändsticksfabriken (Sweden)
The Match Factory Girl (USA)
Das Mädchen aus der Streichholzfabrik (West Germany) [de]
I gynaika me ta spirta (Greece) [el]
La chica de la fábrica de cerillas (Spain) [es]
La chica de la fábrica de fósforos (Argentina) [es]
La fiammiferaia (Italy) [it]
La fille aux allumettes (France) [fr]
Oi gynaikes me ta spirta (Greece) (TV title) [el]
Pigen fra tændstikfabrikken (Denmark) [da]

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

Finland | Sweden

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Esselte Video

Quotes:

[first lines]
Iiris: Half pint, please!

Movie Connections:

Features Room Service (1938)

Soundtrack:

Wittgenstein

Not a good ad for the Finnish tourism bureau

But a masterful minimalist portrait of a woman taking one of the few options open to her. "Iiris" is a Dickensian heroine: beset with a brute of a step father, loving a wealthy cad who turns cold when she expects warmth, and reaching out to a distant brother who loves her but cannot provide the family she seeks. Overall her world is so bleak, cold and mean that the universal comment I heard after the movie screened was "Thank God I'm not Finnish!". This is a 20th century telling of the tale of the Little Match Girl so the end fits modern sensabilities.

The humor of this comedy is easy to miss as you watch it play out, but on retrospect it comes through loud and strong.

My personal highlight of the movie was the use of song and music to propel the action. Not having a clue about Finnish pop music, I'm sure I'm missing some elements, but the subtle themes come across quite well.