Aki Kaurismäki’s fable manages to find not only hope but strength and eventual triumph in a story about one couple’s struggle to find work.

Baltic Cinema: Drifting Clouds (PG)

Thursday 4 February | 18:30

£6/£4.50* per person

A joy from start to finish, Aki Kaurismäki’s fable manages to find not only hope but strength and eventual triumph in a story about one couple’s struggle to find work in a recession.

Drifting Clouds

Dir. Aki Kaurismäki Finland 1996 1hr 37mins

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.

Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes, Drifting Clouds is classic Kaurismäki, mixing together bleak humour with brilliantly straight performances, the film captures the harshness of a recession with a real bite, however is never quite as cynical as it makes out. Hilarious and surprisingly hopeful, Drifting Clouds is Kaurismaki at his best.

Watch Trailer (https://mubi.com/en/films/drifting-clouds/trailer)

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Doors open 18:00; Film starts 18:30. Pop-up cinema bar open from 18:00 for drinks.

Please note we cannot offer refunds on this event.

*Concessions: under 18s, unwaged & 65+

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Together! Solidarity and Community on Screen

November 2026 – March 2027

What makes a community? What brings people together and gives them common purpose? And just what is possible when that common purpose yields strength and resolve — to resist, to maintain, to survive?

In response to our exhibition Close to Home, the films in this season all circle ideas of community and solidarity and ask key questions about the limits of each. They are rooted in stories of working-class lives, from across different countries and times, from Gateshead to Prague via Helsinki. They explore the most basic conditions of life – labour and housing – and the determination, integrity and compassion to fight the erosion of those conditions.

View full film schedule for Together! (https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/baltic-cinema-together-solidarity-and-community-4884739?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=odclsxcollection&utm-source=cp&aff=odclsxcollection)

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Baltic Cinema

Baltic Cinema is a new year-round cinema programme at Baltic, lighting up our Level 1 Cinema with the best new and archive films. Bringing otherwise rarely-screened work to the North East, Baltic Cinema also expands our exhibitions, offering a chance to explore further some of the themes they raise.

Supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network.

Accessibility

We want our events to be inclusive and accessible. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email myexperience@balticmill.com (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/baltic-shop-creates-a-mini-banner-tickets-1254428863499?aff=oddtdtcreator). Ahead of your visit, you can find out about Baltic's facilities and accessibility here (https://baltic.art/plan-your-visit/supporting-your-access-needs/).

Description supplied by the event organiser.