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A certain amount of confusion initially surrounded director Aki Kaurismäki’s request that his film Laitakaupungin valot (Lights in the Dusk), the final film in his ‘losers’ trilogy, be withdrawn from consideration by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the best foreign language film Academy Award.   According to a report in the industry paper Variety, he withdrew his film because ‘he doesn’t like film competitions.’   The German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported that Kaurismäki had informed Raija Nurio, the president of the Finnish Film Institute, he wished the film to be withdrawn without providing an explanation, leaving the country without an entry.   It then came to light that the film was submitted by the Finnish selection committee without first consulting the director.

Finally, the Agence France Presse reported that Kaurismäki’s decision to withdraw the film was because of his opposition to the American government's foreign policy.   This was also the reason for his decision not to attend the 2003 Academy Award ceremony when Mies vailla menneisyyttä (The Man Without a Past), the second film in the trilogy, was nominated for the best foreign language film award.   Kaurismäki was reported to have asked the Academy to allow Finland to submit another film, but the Foreign Committee Chairman Mark Johnson preferred instead to initiate a dialogue with the director in an attempt to persuade him to change his mind.

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