Trivia

Aki Kaurismäki wrote the script over a weekend. Kaurismäki has called Ariel his best movie.

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die," edited by Steven Schneider.

This is the second film in Kaurismäki's Proletariat Trilogy (Shadows in Paradise, Ariel, and The Match Factory Girl). The trilogy has been released on Region One DVD by Criterion in its Eclipse box-sets. The film is included in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list. The film was entered into the 16th Moscow International Film Festival, where Turo Pajala won the Bronze St. George for Best Actor.

In 2015, Aki Kaurismäki called the film his best in his career.