f A constellation of heterotopias? Qualifying the concept of heterotopia in Aki Kaurismäki’s films

Aki Kaurismäki is often considered as an auteur delivering a structured filmic discourse about modern society. This article aims to better understand his work by proposing an interpretation of his filmic representation of marginal spaces as corresponding to the Foucauldian concept of heterotopia. After providing a definition of heterotopia as it manifests itself in Kaurismäki’s work, the article analyses examples of liminal spaces that illustrate the concept and help the spectator better come to grips with the structure of Kaurismäki’s filmic discourse on social struggles and his point of view on the contemporary world.