The Other Side of Hope(Toivon tuolla puolen)

Back to his hometown for another coolly comicand sympathetic take on the refugee crisis, Akibrings together two men from different worlds– a sour Helsinki restaurateur and a fleeingSyrian asylum seeker – who forge an unlikelybut mutually enriching friendship, navigatingthe hardship and heartbreak to begin life anew.Covering a serious refugee story with anunworldly absurdity, the Berlinale Best Directornever fails to combine poignancy with torrentsof laughter – not unlike the taste of the saltedherring sushi loaded with wasabi – to speak ofselfless compassion without sentimentality, andbeliefs of hope in an unforgiving world.

Berlin International Film Festival: Silver Bear for Best Director