Issue 2 • 2017

Ravens Jens Assur’s feature debut is set deep in rural ALSO IN CANNES Borg/McEnroe Push It by Julia Thelin and faces Shia LaBeouf The Burden by in Janus Metz’s feature about Niki Lindroth the greatest tennis match ever played von Bahr

RuThe masterb of discomforten hits Cannes r withu The lesSquare

A magazine from the • sfi.se DiscoverDiscover thethe talentstalents ofof ScandinaviaScandinavia ExploreExplore ourour selectionselection ofof 400400 filmsfilms fromfrom 8080 countries. countries. Watch Watch the the Nordic Nordic films films competingcompeting forfor thethe world’sworld’s largestlargest cashcash prize.prize. VisitVisit thethe leadingleading marketplacemarketplace forfor NordicNordic filmfilm andand TVTV drama.drama.

4141stst GöteborgGöteborg FilmFilm FestivalFestival JanuaryJanuary 2626 -- FebruaryFebruary 5,5, 20182018 TVTV DramaDrama Vision,Vision, JanuaryJanuary 3131 -- FebruaryFebruary 1,1, 20182018 NordicNordic FilmFilm Market,Market, FebruaryFebruary 11 -- 4,4, 20182018 Nostradamus,Nostradamus, FebruaryFebruary 1,1, 20182018

LeadLead SponsorSponsor andand PresentingPresenting PartnerPartner DragonDragon AwardAward BestBest NordicNordic FilmFilm 2 3 Welcome Film i Väst congratulates Head of International Pia Lundberg its Co-Productions in Cannes! Phone: +46 70 692 79 80 [email protected]

IN COMPETITION: THE SQUARE Ruben Östlund Festivals, features Ruben returns Petter Mattsson Phone +46 70 607 11 34 That a small nation like Sweden has a film Beauty and the Dogs is a Swedish co- [email protected] competing for a Palme d’Or in Cannes is production with Tunisia and France and quite a feat in itself. But to have two films will screen in Un Certain Regard. Kaoth- doing just that, like Sweden has this year, er is one of many female directors getting Festivals, documentaries is just unbelievably fantastic. support from Sweden in international co- Sara Rüster Ruben Östlund is back after three years. productions and I think it’s thanks to our Phone: +46 76 117 26 78 Last time, Force Majeure participated in work in the field of gender equality that [email protected] Un Certain Regard. This time, The Square we get these projects off the ground. Just competes for the Palme d’Or. Ruben is a like our own Swedish female directors headstrong person with a highly individu- these filmmakers make topical, innova- Festivals, shorts and features Theo Tsappos al voice, a fitting combination when aim- tive and interesting cinema. Phone: +46 76 779 11 33 ing to become one of the very few chosen Those wanting to know more about [email protected] ones. We all know the importance, both our equality work and what it actually for the filmmaker and the represented can amount to is warmly welcome to our country, of “getting there” – it takes deter- seminar “50/50 by 2020 – Global Reach” Special projects mination and talent. It also, unquestion- in Cannes. We will talk to directors Josefina Mothander ably, demands a breadth as far as national Agnieszka Holland (whose 2017 Phone +46 70 972 93 52 production. Our other competing director, Berlinale­-awarded Spoor is yet another [email protected] Julia Thelin, participates in the official Swedish co-production) and Jessica short film competition withPush It. Julia Hausner about filmmaking, quality and Coordinator has already been granted production fund- gate­keepers. Additionally, representa- Ömer Bulduk ing for yet another short subject; we await tives from , Canada and Ireland Phone +46 76 501 20 71 her forthcoming artistic development with will present ways in which they work for [email protected] great anticipation. equality in the film industry. Hope to see UN CERTAIN REGARD: DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT: Apart from these main competition you around, amidst the madding crowd. BEAUTY AND THE DOGS Kaouther Ben Hania A CIAMBRA Jonas Carpignano entries, Sweden has yet another short film, Head of Communications The Burden, in this year’s Directors’ Fort- & Public Relations night. Director Niki Lindroth von Bahr is Rebecka Ioannidis Lindberg Phone: +46 76 501 20 73 a respected and highly interesting anima- [email protected] tor, and many of us have been looking for- ward to her new film following the suc- Press Officer cesses of Tord and Tord (2010) and Bath Jan Göransson House (2014), both presented in the com- Phone: +46 70 603 03 62 petition sections at both Annecy and Sun- [email protected] dance. Animation is time-consuming and costly; it demands a sizeable apparatus in order to deliver. Niki, too, presents an artistic will of steel when accomplishing DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT SHORT FILMS: Your Scandinavian Partner yet another high-class animation project in Swedish Film Institute THE BURDEN Niki Lindroth von Bahr in Co-Productions little Sweden. International Department And there’s even more in this year’s Anna Serner P.O. Box 27126 Since 1992 Film i Väst has co-produced more than official programme. Kaother Ben Hania’s CEO, Swedish Film Institute SE-102 52 , Sweden 1 000 feature films, TV-dramas, shorts & documentaries. Phone: +46 8 665 11 00 Fax: +46 8 661 18 20 sfi.se Film i Väst is one of Europe’s leading regional film funds, www.twitter.com/swedishfilm located on the Swedish west coast www.instagram.com/swedishfilm in Västra Götaland. Film Väst is Issued by Swedish Film Institute Publisher Pia Lundberg Editors Jon Asp, Bo Madestrand active as co-producer and investor Art Director Markus Edin Contributing Editors Emma Gray Munthe, Josefina Mothander Contributors Jenny Damberg, The Swedish Film Institute works to promote film across the Marit Kapla, Camilla Larsson, Sebastian Lindvall, Jan Lumholdt, Per Nyström, Niklas Wahllöf board – from idea to finished product, during launch in Sweden in international and Swedish film Photography Karin Alfredsson, Emelie Asplund, Johan Bergmark, Frans Hällqvist, Sara Mac Key, and around the world, and by preserving films for posterity in our archives. Leif-Erik Nygårds, Ylva Sundgren Cover photo Frans Hällqvist Translation Jan Lumholdt and TV-drama. ISSN 1654-0050 Print Lenanders GrafiskaAdvertising Fredrik Johnsson [email protected] www.filmivast.com

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Annons Swedish FIlm Cannes 2017.indd 1 2017-05-02 11:32:00 ContentContentsNews CANNES News

Fight the power 18 There’s a good tradition of Swedish short films in Cannes. After two entries in 2016, yet another Swedish short competes for this year’s Palme d’Or. Among close to 5 000 hopefuls Julia Thelin’s Push It has ended up among the nine in the final line-up. The film takes place during a high school physical education 26 class. Here, we get to witness a showdown between Hedda and Adam, the class favourite. Despite putting all her strength and ingenuity into action, Hedda soon realises that it’s not easy to tamper with hierarchies and fixed social group structures. 34 “It deals with physical rage and frustration. It’s important to be able to let your emotions loose without inhibition, when you’re young,” says 25-year-old director Julia Thelin. “As a young girl you’re told to hold your own and I’ve often thought about what happens after you’ve got there and then get challenged. Either it’s yourself or others who will do the challenging, which will make things very contradictory.” What inspires your filmmaking? “Femininity and how it deals 30 8 JULIE VRABELOVA ALFREDSSON, KARIN SUNDGREN, YLVA SUNDGREN, YLVA HÄLLQVIST, FRANS BERGMARK, JOHAN LEFT: TOP FROM CLOCKWISE with the world around us. Human bodies and narrative structures. 24 Emotions. And literature – to read is to see the universe open up.” What’s your first association 7. News 20. In the summertime 30. Game, set, match when you hear the word Swedish shorts continue to make waves as Julia Thelin’s Göran Hugo Olsson continues to make use of existing Screenwriter Ronnie Sandahl and director Janus Cannes? Push It and Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s The Burden have material in That Summer, a remix of original documentary Metz recreate ”the best tennis match ever played” at been selected for Cannes. Two Swedish minors are also footage that was shot by ”photographer, artist, playboy” Wimbledon 1980 between Björn Borg and hot-tem- “Lars von Trier scandals plus playing at the French riviera festival: Jonas Carpigna- Peter Beard in the early 70’s. Featuring appearances by pered John McEnroe. Starring Sverrir Gudnason, movie stars. My grandmother said no’s A Ciambra and Kaouther Ben Hania’s Beauty and celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Bianca Jagger and Shia LaBeouf and Stellan Skarsgård. ’posh’ when she heard I was the Dogs. Rojda Sekersöz and Katja Wik have made ”The Edies” of Grey Gardens fame. going. It’s a bit true, there are dress their first features. 34. Reverse perspective codes and expenses to tend to. 23. New talents Jesper Ganslandt turns the camera on himself and his 14. A square deal With a little luck there’ll be some Debutants Sophie Vuković and Olof Spaak draw on four-year-old son in Jimmie, an equally personal and good mingling. I’m quite at my Ruben Östlund competes in Cannes with The Square, a their own background, in immigration documentary well-researched story about today’s refugee crisis. forte at festivals.” satirical exploration of social mechanisms and rituals set Shapeshifters and addiction drama Garden Lane Text Jon Asp in the hierarchical international art world. respectively. Maria Eriksson shows her way with kids in 36. New films poetic short Schoolyard Blues, selected for Karlovy Vary. Everything you need to know about 37 feature-length Photo Johan Bergmark 18. Bird watching Swedish films… Jens Assur goes deep into the Swedish countryside in 28. Surreal estate his adaptation of the novel The Ravens – which is also his Måns Månsson and Axel Petersén blur the lines 49. New shorts feature debut after a string of successful shorts. between fact and fiction in their absurd depiction of the …followed by no less than 21 shorts. housing bubble crisis in Stockholm, their first co-directed project despite being childhood friends.

Push It RAGNA JORMING RAGNA 6 7 News News

Beauty and the Dogs CANNES LAIKA FILMS Swedish ”Beauty” in Cannes Beauty and the Dogs, an interna- tional co-production between Tunisia, France and Sweden, has been picked for Un Certain Regard at Cannes. Kaouther Ben Hania’s third feature deals with a young girl’s struggle for resurrec- tion in a corrupt Tunisia. This is the first full-length feature to be co-produced by Swedish Beyond Dreams production company Laika. OSCAR LOVNÉR OSCAR “Kaouther Ben Hania’s script was excellent, as are her directing skills,” says Laika producer Andreas Rocksén. “We also feel that we contributed to some A class act important aspects through DoP Johan Holmqvist and Steadicam Rojda Sekersöz offers We meet her straight after a working class area, has taken operator Nestor Salazar – who new perspectives on served prison sentence, where inspiration from both her own life shot the entire film in a little more her hoodlum mates await her and from her mother, who at one Swedish society. than ten setups.” with a new plan for a last great point worked as a room maid Beauty and the Dogs was CANNES break-in. But Mirja, whose mother herself. granted development support at Stories of the working class from suffers from a severe degree of “I’m proud of what this film the Malmö Arab Film Festival in the perspective of the working Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary depicts, and that it has a clear 2015 and later production class itself are scarce in Swedish Disease (COPD), decides to get class perspective. In Sweden, funding from the Swedish Film cinema, but this is exactly what Dancing in the supermarket a hold of herself and applies for a where we’re quite well off, we Institute. Film i Väst and Chimney we find in Beyond Dreams (Dröm real, honest job. She finds a job as tend to think that the class gaps Group are additional Swedish vidare), 27-year-old Rojda times feel more real than realism House (Simhall, 2014). Her a dishwasher at a hotel and is disappear as the middle class partners in the project. Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s Sekersöz’ first feature after a award-winning short itself,” was the motivation when biography also includes wardrobe quickly promoted into a room keeps on growing. In reality, Jon Asp The Burden (Min börda) won the and make-up work for music number of shorts. Not only does maid. Keeping in touch with the they’re still there, the gaps, and The Burden is an animated Startsladden (best Swedish videos with artists such as Fever this well-received film have a old gang now proves a bit larger than in a long time.” musical about poorly paid short) award at Göteborg Film Ray and David Bowie. working class protagonist, but complicated. As the title suggests, the film is Over the moon work and the downfall of Festival, where it also got the From where does one get the also a female one, and of a Sekersöz, raised in a similar about dreams, realistic and audience award. idea to create a musical that minority background at that. unrealistic ones. The Swedish Hungarian director humanity. The Burden “It’s really nice that there’s such Kornél Mundruczó’s

The dancing animal puppets MALADE takes place at a big shopping title can also be interpreted in two Jupiter’s Moon has been CANNES are filmed using stop motion center? a great interest in this perspec- ways: as the somewhat conde- The nude mice engage in a tap tive and that people want to selected for competition technique, a time-consuming itself. My animator Eirik Grønmo “I wanted to pay attention to a scending “dream on” or the more at Cannes. The film, a discuss it. At the same time it’s a dance while they clean the process with two years in the Bjørnsen struggled for eight type of ‘invisible’ labour that can be optimistic “don’t let go of your co-production with burger joint. Two gloomy spikes making, explains director Niki weeks in order to get one minute found in places like this. Sorting bit sad that stories like this are dreams”. Swedish Chimney Group, is a have checked into a long-term Lindroth von Bahr. of tap dancing to fall into place.” foods in a supermarket, doing the seen as somewhat exotic,” “We mustn’t let go of our story about a young immigrant stay at the hotel. A group of “We’re talking lengthy and very Lindroth von Bahr was nightshift cleaning the burger Sekersöz reflects. LOVNÉR OSCAR dreams; it’s what makes us who is shot down while illegally insurance-selling rhesus physical work. Manufacturing educated at The Royal Institute of place. If these individuals suddenly Beyond Dreams tells the story survive. The only thing, really. We crossing the border and suddenly receives mysterious powers while macaque apes burst into a hearty of Mirja, a petty criminal who has are our dreams, and without them these models, with their high level Art in Stockholm and has found themselves in a musical, recovering in a refugee camp. gospel tune. grown up in one of Stockholm’s of individual detail, took an insane previously directed the award- what would they sing about?” we could just as well put a gun to Kornél Mundruczó’s last film White “In a time when reality tends to concrete ghettos with a chain- amount of time. Animating the winning shorts Tord and Tord Text Jenny Damberg Rojda our heads.” God won the Prix Un Certain feel absurd, the absurd can some- dance moves was a challenge in (Tord och Tord, 2010) and Bath Photo Ylva Sundgren smoking mother and no father. Sekersöz Per Nyström Regard at Cannes in 2014.

8 9 News Liv Ullman SARABAND On the Amalimbo An Ingmar Bergman Film red carpet Originally, artist-filmmaker Axel Petersén had no intention of releasing his short documentary 6 Degrees of Mustafa Arhan officially; it was meant as an entirely private affair, spawned by Petersén’s interest in oriental

carpets. FASAD ”I’ve been interested in aesthetic movements, how Shorts to compete at Annecy Sweden during the nationalist The reputable film animation festival in Annecy, this year features no 1930’s added a fascination for less than two Swedish films in the short competition, Juan Pablo ‘The Orient’ into the mix.” Libossart’s Venice premiered Amalimbo and Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s Petersén had other incentives apocalyptic episode film The Burden (Min börda), previously a winner apart from this interest. As a child, at Göteborg and also selected to compete at Cannes sidebar he would leaf through his Directors’ Fortnight. Moreover, Swedish Film Institute CEO Anna mother’s celebrity magazines, Serner will take part in the jury for feature films. Sweden will also be where he would spot a fascinat- represented at MIFA (Annecy’s market place) at the Nordic Animation ing gentleman among the rich stand. Annecy is the world’s leading film festival on animated film and and famous depicted at exhibi- takes place June 12–17. tions and premieres. The man was Mustafa Arhan, local carpet Room 213 A Ciambra svtsales.com dealer and honorary consul of contact: [email protected] The Ex-Wife Turkey. In the film, Petersén DANIEL TAKACS DANIEL approaches Mr Arhan in order to obtain material for his documen- tary, which is eventually trans-

formed into a meta-documentary. FOLKETS BIO FILM I VÄST CANNES “My actual motivation was really STOCKHOLM Breaking up about forming a relationship with Big Swedish Carpignano Mustafa Arhan. At first it was damn ACADEMY OF The Ex-Wife is Katja She has a background as “Many relationships emanate hard; he was terribly suspicious line-up at Zlín at Cannes and thought I was some con artist DRAMATIC casting director with Roy from gender-coded norms, for Around 25 titles make up a Jonas Carpignano’s Italian- Wik’s first feature. Three trying to get my hands on his Andersson and Ruben Östlund, instance the notion that women special Swedish focus at the Swedish-American co-pro- women in different stages carpets. To be fair, he has had ARTS and a degree in directing from the should have the caring, sacrific- important youth festival in the duction A Ciambra has been several incidents like this; someone of a relationship are Valand Academy Film in Göte- ing, attractive, capable, under- Czech town of Zlín. Among the selected for Directors’ even presented himself as his son portrayed with sharpness borg. In 2012, she directed the standing role. Many wind up in selected titles: landmark debuts Fortnight in Cannes. The Stockholm Academy of and as such tried to sell cheap, prize-winning Victim-Mentality this corner of things without as Roy Andersson’s A Swedish Swedish co-producers are Dramatic Arts (SADA) and empathy. subpar bootleg copies of his Rhetoric (Offerrollsretorik). The realising it, which leads to Love Story (En kärlekshistoria, Film i Väst and Filmgate. provides education and carpets to an unsuspecting public.” Ex-Wife is her first feature and frustration. It’s very limiting and 1970) and Lukas Moodysson’s A Ciambra, a feature length conducts research in the A reconstructed scene in the In The Ex-Wife (Exfrun) we get to also the first feature film from with no forward movement Show Me Love (Fucking Åmål, spin-off of his short film of the fields of film, radio, tele- film shows how Arhan uncovers vision, theatre and other meet three women: Klara, the Kjellson & Wik, the production whatsoever. My aim has been to 1998) but also 2017’s Berlinale same name, tells the story of a the imposter (played by Petersén performing arts. freshly smitten new girlfriend, company she has started with portray this problem. As far as I’m Generation films: Petter Romani community in himself). As the scene moves on, Anna, the dissatisfied wife, and producer Marie Kjellson. concerned, being able to recog- Lennstrand’s Up in the Sky (Upp i Calabria, Italy, where the borders between documentary, Vera, the dwelling, disappointed nise it is the first step in breaking det blå) and Annika and Jessica 14-year-old boy Pio is in a art film and fictive reconstruction ex-wife. The object has been to a pattern and moving on.” Karlsson’s Loving Lorna, as well hurry to grow up and follow his are blurred. depict a woman’s journey through What are you doing next? as Emelie Lindblom’s horror older brother Casimo. Per Nyström an entire relationship. “I’ve already started developing drama Room 213 (Rum 213), a Carpignano’s acclaimed “I’ve really just looked around, my next film, Serving a Purpose recent Swedish box-office debut feature Mediterranea at myself and my surroundings. At (Att fylla en funktion). It’s at a very 6 Degrees of Mustafa Arhan success. Zlín Film Festival, also won a Discovery Award at the what happens when the needs of early stage, although I’ve already known as the International Film Critics’ Week in Cannes 2015. your partner become more GERLACHFELIX started out with some outlines Festival for Children and Youth, is The film, about two Burkina important than your own needs, and some test footage. I also among the oldest and largest Faso refugees struggling to when you lose your joi de vivre work alongside director Anna events of its kind worldwide. The survive in Italy, opened and disappointment takes over,” Odell, preparing her next project.” 57th edition takes place May Stockholm International Film Wik explains. Katja Wik Jenny Damberg PRODUKTION PETERSÉN AXEL 26–June 2. Festival later the same year.

10 News Cannes

BY RUBEN ÖSTLUND, ©PLATTFORM PRODUKTION ©PLATTFORM ÖSTLUND, BY RUBEN SQUARE THE Compétition The Square by Ruben Östlund

Courts Métrages Compétition Push It by Julia Thelin

Quinzaine des Réalisateurs The Burden by Niki Lindroth von Bahr Silvana MANTARAY FILM MANTARAY Being Silvana Imam In the spring of 2014, the three artist goes from being relatively The directors stress that “In many ways it’s a film about friends and filmmakers Mika unknown to becoming a big this is not your typical classic being human, not having to Gustafson, Christina Tsiobane- star. music documentary. Ins tead, wear a special label, being able lis and Olivia Kastebring “It’s a situation-based account. the aim has been to paint a to be a little of everything. To be decided to make a documenta- Both Silvana herself and her lifelike portrait of a multi­ allowed to be complex is ry about Swedish rapper undertakings are in a transition- faceted artist. That said, it’s something I think everyone can Silvana Imam. During the two al phase during the period we’re Silvana the person rather relate to,” says Christina years of filming Silvana (Silvana following her,” explains Mika than the artist who is scruti- Tsiobanelis. SWEDISH CO-PRODUCTIONS – väck mig när ni vaknat), the Gustafson. nised. Per Nyström Marché du Film Compétition Becker – Small Time Gangster Jupiter’s Moon by Martin Larsson Watching the adults play by Kornél Mundruczó [HU/DE/SE] Beyond Dreams In the evocative short film perspective. What’s normal to an movements the dancers convey Un Certain Regard by Rojda Sekersöz Shadow Animals (Skuggdjur) we adult can be quite surreal to a an impression of flock animals Oh Deer! get to meet Marall, a young girl kid. It’s through this particular rather than human party partici- Beauty and the Dogs by Peter Pontikis who goes with her two dads to a gaze that we experience the pants. by Kaouther Ben Hania [TU/FR/SE] party where she experiences party,” says director Jerry “Where, exactly, can we draw a The Square assorted grown-up rituals Carlsson. line between dancing and Quinzaine des Réalisateurs by Ruben Östlund through her wide-eyed view. A Apart from investigating this Shadow Animals acting? We tried to merge the GARAGEFILM INTERNATIONAL GARAGEFILM shadow hovers over the party, but human behaviour Carlsson also dance and the acting with the A Ciambra only Marall seems to notice it. wanted to take a look at the regular actors as well as dancers aim of finding a new form of film by Jonas Carpignano [IT/FR/US/SE] “We wanted to do a study of relationship between acting and from the opera in Göteborg. language.” adult behaviour through a child’s dance. The cast consists of Through choreographed Per Nyström

12 sfi.se THE SQUARE Stepping Ruben Östlund’s new film­ The Square is competing for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. up

Text Marit Kapla t the start of The Square, “My work consists director Christian tries to create Photo Frans Hällqvist a journalist interviews attention around a new exhibition of ideas that slowly Production info p. 47 Athe director of an art on the theme of equality, and in a museum. The journalist (Elisa- take shape” distracted moment he gives the beth Moss) asks, ever so inno- Ruben Östlund PR agency a carte blanche when it cently, what a cryptic statement comes to the marketing cam- on the museum’s website really paign. Later, the result literally means. The director (Claes Bang) explodes in his face. listens to the thoroughly incom- The contradictive behaviour of On a private level he is strug- prehensible quote, phrased by his human beings has been in focus in gling to practice what he preaches own organisation. Awkwardly, all of his previous films: inThe when it comes to his high moral but to the best of his ability, he Guitar Mongoloid (Gitarrmongot, standards and how he treats the tries to oblige the journalist – 2004), in Involuntary (De ofrivil­ beggars in the streets, and other hopefully without losing face. liga, 2008), in Play (2011) and in people who are obviously less It’s a rich scene in all its sim- Force Majeure (Turist, 2014). Peer privileged than him. plicity. We have two people, both ­pressure, social games, façades – “We enjoy looking at portray- adhering to unwritten rules, play- the latter especially in Force als of people where we can easily ing the parts of journalist and Majeure, the story about the father distinguish good acts from bad. museum director. Simultaneous- who is busy saving his phone over But a film like that doesn’t ly, entirely different things occur his wife and kids when facing an enlighten or bring any deeper under the surface, ranging from avalanche in the Alps. The film knowledge, it will merely main- primitive impulses to calculation gained sizeable international rec- tain a value scale where I’m of objectives and goals. It’s ognition and was nominated for a already at ease. With my films revealing, it’s entertaining and it’s Golden Globe award. I want to point certain things out: very Ruben Östlund. In The Square the museum things aren’t supposed to be like

1414 15

THE SQUARE

Claes Bang, Ruben Östlund and Erik Hemmendorff. YOUR PARTNER IN COMPLETIONYOUR PARTNER BONDS IN COMPLETION BONDS

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The Square

PLATTFORM PRODUKTION PLATTFORM Meet usus inin CannesCannes LEIF-ERIK NYGÅRDS LEIF-ERIK

this, they’re supposed to be like “Of course houses the art museum that Chris- that. Before arriving at this point, tian is heading. Plattform, “Something there’s really no need for a movie you have to be ­Östlund’s production company, at all, in my opinion.” careful not to tried to get permission to shoot at organic took over” The main theme in The Square the actual royal palace, but was is the distribution of world contribute to the rejected. Danish actor Claes Bang head of Stockholm’s Modern resources, but the film also man- worsening Ruben sits in front of the com- has had parts in successful Museum, Daniel Birnbaum.” ages to give a hilarious and at of things” puter at Plattform’s Göteborg TV series like The Bridge How did the shoot pro- times merciless satire on the inter- office and finds an article about (Bron) and Borgen. He now ceed? national art world. Ruben Östlund the rejection in one of Sweden’s plays the lead in The “We only did one scene per “In every area certain rituals 70 th largest dailies, Aftonbladet. The Square. day. Everyday we started out 70 th are born, and that goes for the headline was just what he and pro- with hours of rehearsal and world of cinema and art too. We involved – not because we are ducer Erik Hemmendorff had Who is your character improvisation and then we did are very afraid of losing control emotionally cold, but because we wished for: “Who does the king Christian and why did you up to 50 different takes. over these rituals. But when we get paralysed and can’t think any- think he is?” Östlund laughs and want to play him? Around take 20–25 the scene FESTIVAL do, something substantial can thing else than ‘don’t pick me, admits that he and Hemmendorff, “Working on The Square, started taking on a life of its FESTIVAL come out of it.” don’t pick me!’” not unlike the PR agency in The we only discussed the various own and I started to feel that it In one scene a piece of perfor- “My work consists of ideas that Square, are rather skilful when it situations that the film is built was out of my hands. Some- mance art goes overboard. Ameri- slowly take shape. What’s inter- comes to creating media attention. around, never how or why thing organic took over. It was can actor Terry Notary, known for esting with GG Allin is that he “Of course you have to be care- Christian is like this or like that. very exhausting, but even more DE CANNESCANNES his work in movement choreogra- breaks the agreement with the ful not to contribute to the worsen- It’s important to sympathise exciting.” Ruben Östlund phy on films likePlanet of the audience. A layer is added, then ing of things. But if you work with with him, though. His heart is Many of the scenes have a Age 43 Apes, plays an artist who attacks another layer, and suddenly I ideas and concepts, what else can really in the right place, humorous undertone. How Background After his feature the guests at a gala dinner. Öst- know how to execute a certain you do than trying to handle your although he’s not entirely in did you achieve that? debut The Guitar Mongoloid lund got some of his inspiration scene. It’s one of my strengths as a arena of choice? In The Square, touch with what goes on ”It’s not screwball comedy, (Gitarrmongot, 2004), all Ruben from the YouTube clips of Ameri- director: I have full trust in a basic the PR agency manages to raise around him.” rather a kind of humour that Östlund’s films have been can artist GG Allin. concept.” attention to human values by “In order to turn him into a comes out of an embarrassing selected for Cannes: Involuntary believable museum director, I situation. What’s quite painful (De ofrivilliga, 2008), Play (2011) “There’s something called the The Square takes place in a using a brutal and cynical You- did quite a lot of research. I about it is that it will remind you and Force Majeure (Turist, 2014). ‘bystander effect’ and it happens parallel reality where Sweden has Tube clip. There’s a contradiction www.filmfinances.se The Square is Östlund’s first film when we see something dramatic abolished monarchy. The former there that I think pinpoints our memorised, for instance, a long of certain things from your own www.filmfinances.se competing for the Palme d’Or. on the streets without getting royal palace in Stockholm now times really well.” ● interview I found online with the life.”

16 RAVENS Enraptured by ravens

Text Jan Lumholdt A 70’s coming of age marks multi-awarded short Photo Johan Bergmark film-makerJens Assur’s first feature filmRavens . Production info p. 44

ens Assur has had a fresh I showed it around, people could setting may be, Assur does not approach as to what would see the pictures come to life. I felt see it as a typically Swedish film. Jbecome his first full-length I was on to something.” On the contrary. feature film. In 2006, Jens Assur made his “I rather find it classically “I called a publisher friend and directorial debut with the short European, in the sense of a ‘for- asked him what, in his opinion, subject The Last Dog in Rwanda eign’ Europe, outside of Swe- would be the best novel right now (Den sista hunden i Rwanda), den,” deducts Assur, who cites that was not adapted into a film. based on his own experiences as Ravens Michael Haneke’s The White Rib­ His immediate reply was The a photojournalist covering the AFFAIRS ART AND FILM bon, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s The Ravens (Korparna) by Tomas 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The Return and Bela Tarr’s The Turin Bannerhed. I picked it up.” film won numerous awards, “My object has been to Horse as inspirations for the film. A few pages later, Assur was including Best Short Narrative at unsettle the audience, “The Turin Horse on speed,” smitten. Tribeca and the Grand Prix at ever so slightly. And, he smiles. “There is clearly a “Damn, this is already like a Clermont-Ferrand. Killing the classic, conventional if you will, movie, I thought. An exciting Chickens to Scare the Monkeys hopefully, to challenge, storyline in there, but it’s been universe, interesting characters, (2011), set in the People’s Repub- excite and ultimately important to me to avoid a con- intellectual, multi-layered. lic of China, screened at the ventional dramaturgy. It has, I’d I started to sketch a script. When Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes reward” like to think, a tone of its own in and from there went on to win Jens Assur its dramatic development. My more awards, as did A Society object has been to unsettle the (2013), featuring Asian and Afri- audience, ever so slightly. And, can protagonists. hopefully, to challenge, excite Jens Assur “There’s a lot of Africa and and ultimately reward them.” Age 46 China on my resume, not least parents and his younger brother. Solitude and a never-ending Background Award-winning through my work trips. From Klas has a natural relationship workload are key elements. reporter/photographer.­ Has there to a little farm in deepest with the local wildlife, especially “It’s a world without mercy. produced photo essays from rural Sweden is a big jump. But to the birds, and would clearly make The fence blows down, you have Somalia, Rwanda, South Africa me this is exotic right now, more for a fine ornithologist. His no choice but to get out there, in and former Yugoslavia. Formed Studio Jens Assur in 1997, than anything else.” father, however, demands that he minus two degrees centigrade, devoted to art and film projects. Bannerhed’s novel was prepares himself to take over the your hands freeze and get red… Filmography The Last Dog in released in 2011 to rave acco- farm, a truly discouraging pros- There’s no countryside romanti- Rwanda (Den sista hunden i lades, won the national August pect to say the least. cism here, no green grass. It’s Rwanda, 2006), Killing the prize for best fiction, and got its “The big question is an old black and damp – and rock hard.” Chickens to Scare the Monkeys English-language release in 2014, one: Who, or what, shapes my A new auteur on the block is (2011), A Society (2013), Hot again receiving splendid reviews life? I decided to make the father, ready for the world, if it will have Nasty Teen (2014) (it will soon see the light of day in Agne, the main character, him. Which it well may. Current project Ravens some ten other languages). It’s a because his life is about social “Several festivals out there (Korparna), his first feature, is based on Tomas Bannerhed’s claustrophobic look into a small heritage, a heritage he now have recently given me my own novel The Ravens, and stars family farm at the end of the strives to carry on to his son, retrospectives. Given that I’ve Reine Brynolfsson, Jacob Nord- 1970’s through the eyes of Klas, directly and indirectly.” made just four short films, it’s ström and . who lives at the farm with his As profoundly Swedish as this kind of cool.” ●

18 19 THAT SUMMER That summer feeling JONAS MEKAS BEARD PETER Andy Warhol. Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale and Lee Bouvier Radziwill.

Göran Hugo Olsson revisits the glorious 70’s in a documentary about filmmaker and photographer Peter Beard and his ­relationship with the wonderfully weird mother and daughter duo Little and Big Edie Beale in The Hamptons. Also starring: Text Bo Madestrand Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger. Production info p. 48 JONAS MEKAS JONAS MEKAS Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol, Peter Beard and Lee Bouvier Radziwill. Peter Beard.

n online description of “When the police Maysles film, Beard and his then garde icon Jonas Mekas. In short, called That Summer (Den som­ You have to hand it to him, he “Nostalgia is an Peter Beard uses the epi- partner Lee Radziwill worked on New York’s finest. To Göran maren), starts out with Peter was also one of the first to notice essential element in Athets “Photographer. ­raided Studio 54 in a film project of their own about Hugo Olsson, who is partial to Beard today, leafing through one an ecological imbalance in Afri- Artist. Playboy.” Appropriate 1979 it was a great loss the two women. Through Radzi- this very corner of the world dur- of his coffee-table editions with ca. He speaks of how the big ani- life, and here we have words indeed; he has documented will, sister of Jackie Kennedy and ing the 70’s, it’s stuff that dreams shaky, old-man hands. Naked mals face extinction and he col- some in its purest animal life and shot nude models – to our entire cousin of Little Edie, there was a are made of. women fill the screen; posing in laborated with environmentalist in the middle of the savannah as civilisation”­ special VIP entry into their “That era was the pinnacle of the company of assorted wild ani- Karen Blixen in Kenya during form” well as followed The Rolling Göran Hugo Olsson world. Beard got to follow them Western civilisation,” he exclaims mals. What does Göran Hugo the 60’s. First and foremost, his Göran Hugo Olsson Stones on tour. Today he’s 79 and during an entire summer. from the editing room of produc- Olsson, director of accounts of works deal with death and lives in New York. During the Alas, it was never completed. tion company Story’s office in the Black Panther movement (The decay.” 1970’s, his Montauk beach house, Beard went on tour with The Stockholm. “I grew up in the punk Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975, That said, there’s clearly a situated in the most exclusive part and Little Edie, or simply The Rolling Stones and shelved the era, thus I’m too young to have 2011) and of anti-colonial revolu- dreamy, even melancholy keynote of Long Island, served as a meet- Edies. This eccentric duo can be reels. They’ve been lying around experienced these years myself, tionary Frantz Fanon (Concerning to That Summer. Through faded ing place of the most splendid of seen in the 1975 documentary until recently, when Peter Beard when people from all walks of life Violence, Om våld, 2014), make of Polaroid colours, a relaxed War- artists, writers and politicians of Grey Gardens, directed by anoth- suddenly presented the material would get together in galleries and these ­images? hol fools around on the beach that particular zeitgeist. Andy er legendary twosome, Albert to Göran Hugo Olsson, Swedish discos and the gay movement real- “Granted, his gaze is one hun- while the Bouvier Beale duo do Warhol hung out on the beach and David Maysles. Grey Gar­ documentary filmmaker. Beard ly took off. AIDS eradicated dred percent colonial,” Olsson their best to shut out the outside with Jackie Kennedy and Bianca dens, a bona fide cult classic, eventually green-lighted Olsson’s everything, not least some of the concludes without making any world from within their flea-rid- Jagger; Beard brought his camera inspired a 2006 Broadway musi- script ideas and, to make matters most fun people. When the police fine point about it. “Kind of den, 28-room mansion. and immortalised them. cal and a 2009 HBO film, star- even better, helped him to get his raided Studio 54 in 1979 it was a Helmut Newton goes to Africa. “Yes, the keynote is awfully Among his neighbours was ring Jessica Lange and Drew Bar- hands on some additional mate- great loss – to our entire civilisa- But he is a highly complex per- romantic,” confesses Olsson. one Edith Bouvier Beale and her rymore. rial, courtesy of the archives of tion.” son, a social genius, best friends “Nostalgia is an essential element daughter Edith (!), aka Big Edie However, already before the Andy Warhol as well as avant- Olsson’s version, incidentally with Warhol and Francis Bacon. in life, and here we have some in

20 21 THAT SUMMER New talent its purest form. It deals with the wanted to present the raw mate- “I think YouTube has Some might argue against Edies, but just as much with the rial as the main work. I think that. loving relationship of Peter and YouTube has changed the way we changed the way we “Then they’re wrong! Being Lee. She is tremendously like- perceive cinema: we no longer perceive cinema: we European and filming Africa is able, a perfect human being, who have to present all the facts, as nothing less than maintaining sings with the kids, who chews long as we stimulate the viewer.” no longer have to imperialistic values. The fact the fat with the handymen, who He has also put his own cam- present all the facts, that Concerning Violence main- shows all her warm ways with the era to rest – for good, he claims. ly contains a colonial gaze lies in Edies. I’m in love with everyone His recent filmography entirely as long as we stimu- the available footage; this is how in this film.” relies on archive footage, footage late the viewer” it was told back then because The creative process has tak- that he embellishes, samples, not Göran Hugo Olsson there were no other perspectives. en one and a half year, from Ols- unlike a hip-hop artist. I can easily juxtapose existing son’s epiphany to the finished “I have no interest in filming material and get it to an audi- work. He describes it as a labour with my own two hands. I find no ence; this is what documentary of lust. reason in doing it anymore. I film yet another documentary film- filmmaking will be in the future, “We can’t have epic tales all my family at times, things that maker travelling around the when everything that happens the time. I wanted to make some- are of no public interest. The one world showing us what life is like all the time is documented thing clear and simple and I thing the world does not need is in other countries.” through mobile phones.” ●

Göran Hugo Olsson­ Age 51 Background Göran Hugo Olsson was born in the university town of Lund. He got his directorial breakthrough with the documentary Fuck You, Fuck You Very Much (1998) about controversial rap artist Leila K. In 2009, he released a documentary about soul artist Billy Paul with the title Am I Black Enough for You. Themes of race and segrega- tion were further explored in The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975 (2011) and Concerning Violence (Om våld, 2014). easily we idolize and turn these Name Sophie Vuković Current project Hot on the heels of Sophie Vukovi . Versatile debutant persons into the heroes we Age 28 ć Background Social anthropology at the Fonko (2016), about music as a vehicle ­explores immigration­ and belonging in Shapeshifters. constantly strive to become.” university of Edinburgh, assorted work in for social and political change in Sophie Vuković was born in theatre and journalism, educated in doc- today’s Africa, Olsson has just finished former Yugoslavia in 1988. umentary filmmaking at Nordic Folk High editing That Summer (Den sommaren), School on Biskops Arnö. Debuted with the Is it possible to search for your an identity of its own; a kind of Before the war broke out, her about photographer and filmmaker short 09:55-11:05 Ingrid Ekman Bergs- roots when you don’t really have documentary essay, playing with gatan 4B (2015). Peter Beard. family moved to Australia when a starting point? In Shapeshift- fiction, shifting in shape and Making waves with her first full-length she was only a few months ­feature Shapeshifters. JOSLYN BARNES BARNES JOSLYN ers, her first full-length feature, expression when needed. young, and then on to China and Peter Beard and Göran Hugo Olsson. Sophie Vuković investigates Vuković mixes archive footage eventually to Sweden. The title what she calls “transithood”, a with interviews with her parents, Shapeshifters refer to young, certain state that appears within adding personal reflections, female Japanese manga immigrant children searching dream sequences and docu- characters with the ability to turn both an identity and a natural mentary material into the into boys, wolves or big dragons, sense of belonging. process. She frames it all with a who could steal other peoples’ “I yearned to see a film about voiceover, her own, in a conver- traits, including shape, voice and Shapeshifters IGA MIKLER IGA this topic. I wanted to convey the sation with a youth friend she got language. These young super- feeling of this ’transithood’ where to know when she arrived in heroines, of whom Vuković and you find yourself in a gap, and I Sweden at the age of ten. her friends were great fans, are things we will carry around wanted to get under the surface. “I’m interested in this type of able to live in several worlds at throughout our lives,” she notes. To illustrate the condition, rather symbiotic relations, the ones that the same time. “But I do believe in raising than tell a story where we follow enter our lives when we are still “In a way, the film offers a questions, visualizing and the destinies of some main moldable. Relations that live on closure. At the same time, sparking discussions.” protagonists.” inside us even when we may Text Camilla Larsson PETER BEARD PETER

GÖRAN HUGO OLSSON HUGO GÖRAN however, I don’t believe in Edith “Big Edie” Bouvier Beale and Lee Bouvier Radziwill. Peter Beard. The result is a film in search of have outgrown each other. How absolute solutions. There are Photo Johan Bergmark

22 23 New talent

Maria Eriksson. Stockholm graduate and acclaimed short film-maker has found her own way of directing children. Now in Schoolyard Blues.

Two marginalized brothers live between play, reality and acting. apart for reasons not explained. Plus, of course, some tricks and But on John’s first school day the lessons in patience and seizing eleven-year-old Mika still shows the moment. There are some up to guide his little brother, similarities when it comes to providing instructions and working with adults, but also admonitions on everything from differences; these actors are, self-defense to laundry and after all, amateurs. But the main lunch packing tips. He even difference lies in the preparatio­ brings a mobile phone contain- nal process – you simply need ing some useful instructional more time to get it right.” films. Eriksson, already with several Schoolyard Blues (Skol- shorts to her resume, worked as startssorg), Eriksson’s gradua- first assistant director on Sanna tion film from Stockholm Lenken’s 2015 Berlin winner My Academy of Dramatic Arts, has Skinny Sister (Min lilla syster) been picked for participation at and is already in preparation for the Karlovy Vary International her next short subject. Film Festival this summer. The “I look forward to developing Swedish title, meaning roughly my forthcoming projects with the “The first day of school and the same people who made grief it brings,” is inspired by a Schoolyard Blues: scriptwriter short story by a teenager. Pelle Rådström and producer “It describes the state of a Farima Karimi. We form a good child having to become the trio. I believe in long-term adult,” says Eriksson. “Specifi- relationships and would like to cally, when a child is confronted form my own little film family.” with the great emotional Text Jon Asp responsibility of having to be a Photo Karin Alfredsson parent. I’m fascinated with how quickly a child can accept and adapt to difficult life situations Name Maria Eriksson and find strategies of their own in Age 30 Making waves Schoolyard Blues (Skol- order to survive.” startssorg), Eriksson’s graduation film from What were the greatest chal- Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts, was lenges working with the selected best film at Aspen Shortsfest in April and has been selected for European children in Schoolyard Blues? Film Promotion’s ”Future­ Frames” at Karlovy “Showing them the difference Vary Film Festival in July.

Schoolyard Blues KARIMI FILM

24 25 New talent Olof Spaak. A sister, a brother and two ­drug-abusing parents in the Swedish countryside. How memories can differ is the theme in Garden Lane.

Garden Lane (Trädgårdsgatan) is title, Trädgårdsgatan in Ystad. Malmö-based Olof Spaak’s “My own parents were drug directorial debut. That said, he is abusers,” she says. “They got hardly new in the business. After clean when I was three, so I don’t a two-year education at the remember it. But I have older Fridhem Folk High School siblings who do, and who regard outside Svalöv in southernmost our parents in a different way Sweden, he has worked as video than I do.” assistant, clapper loader, first So, although the film is fiction, assistant director, location it resonates in real-life experi- manager, production manager ences. and line producer. He knows his “The fact that we remember ways around, so to speak. A very things differently is one of those good advantage now that he’s at occurrences that really hap- the helm. pened, and happens to all of us. The film scene in southern It’s evident when you look at Sweden seems quite healthy police records. Testimonials can these days, he’s happy to report. differ greatly, and each testimo- “Some really interesting films nial will claim this particular are made; (Äta version being the definite one,” sova dö, 2012), The Yard says Palage. (Yarden, 2016), My Aunt in Olof Spaak, too, has experi- Sarajevo (Min faster i Sarajevo, enced drug abuse not too far 2016), even Garden Lane – a away. nice little film, they say…” ”But first and foremost we Garden Lane, starring Karin have taken our story from Franz Körlof and Simon J. Berger, research material. We got to hear is written by Gunnar Järvstad and some heartbreaking accounts. produced by Sofie Palage. What we show in the film Together with Spaak, the three amounts to only the tip of the own the production company iceberg.” Primodrom and work closely Text Jenny Damberg together. Palage herself grew up Photo Frans Hällqvist on the very street of the original

Garden Lane KRISTOFFER JÖNSSON KRISTOFFER

Name Olof Spaak Age 40 Background Producer, production manager, scriptwriter and director. Since 2011, he co-owns the Malmö-based production company Primodrom together­ with Sofie Palage and Gunnar Järvstad. In 2015, he directed the short film The Beginning of the End. Making waves In connection with the start of Garden Lane (Trädgårdsgatan, 2017), Primodrom launched a crowdfunding campaign, which resulted in 200,000 Swedish kronor (almost 20,000 Euro). This proved valuable in several­ ways. When financiers­ of a more “traditional” ilk became aware of the interest, they quickly turned up with additional monetary support.

26 27 THE REAL ESTATE Surreal estate

Housing problems and the Swedish welfare state made former Text Camilla Larsson kindergarten friends Måns Månsson and Axel Petersén come Photo Sara Mac Key together in their first co-directed projectThe Real Estate. Production info p. 45

fiction non fiction world, full of corruption and hybrid about proper- wheeling and dealing. She turns “Aty, memory and the out to be a tough cookie, howev- Swedish model taking place in er. Ekstrand virtually plays her- the deeply twisted bubble of the self, as do other cast members. real estate business.” This Parts of script and dialogue are description of The Real Estate written while other parts have can be read on Cinando, the film The Real Estate been born in the moment. industry database/network. Co- MÅNSSON MÅNS “We’ve just leaned back and directors Axel Petersén and Måns “Of course we have wanted to enjoyed the ride and watched how Månsson didn’t write it them- do something like this together the lines between fiction and real- selves. As sometimes happens for a long time, but the condition ity have been totally blurred. when two strong-minded, experi- was that we could find something She’s fantastic; in two seconds mentalist filmmakers get togeth- that we were equally fascinated she will turn you into her audi- er, they prefer not to be catego- by. We found it in this very gen- ence. Her performance is out- rised. At all. eral trauma of having to find a standing, she’s like an unsecured “We attempt neither this nor place to live: it’s something we all machine gun. Haywire and truly that, we don’t even consider need. There’s the Stockholm deadly,” Petersén confirms. what’s what,” they state in uni- housing situation and the phe- What qualities do the two of you Axel Petérsen son. ”Let’s at least settle for some nomenon of making a career on see in each other? Age 37 things: it’s exciting, thrilling, this arena –almost a movement in “Axel has a wonderful imagi- Educated FAMU, Prag, The Royal unsettling, amusing…” Sweden these days. There’s a full nation and a vision that he drives Institute of Art, Stockholm The Real Estate takes place in chain of events providing so a long way. Very rewarding.” Selected filmography A Good Stockholm at the height of the many different levels, from the “Måns has patience and an Friend of Mr World (short, 2009), housing bubble crisis. The main almost pornographic concept of ability to balance things. He’s The Tracks of My Tears 2 (short, character, Nojet, inherits a house also a very good cinematogra- 2011), Avalon (2012), Under the home staging to the real and utter Pyramid (Under pyramiden, property and is sucked into a vor- tragedy of homelessness. And pher. He will always be in the 2016), 6 Degrees of Mustafa tex of shady estate agents, law- then we put Nojet in the middle of right spot when it comes to por- Arhan (short, 2017) yers, greedy investors, and also it all,” they smile. traying things the right way. some tenants, some of them rath- Nojet, or Léonore Ekstrand, is When we share a commitment, er shady as well. Axel Petersén’s real life aunt and sparkles can really fly.” Måns Månsson Although Petersén and Måns- an accidental actress courtesy of The sparkling duo is currently Age 35 son have worked together before her nephew, whose instincts in the process of editing the film. Educated The Royal Institute of (the award-winning Avalon was proved not too bad, as she got a A September premiere is the Art, Stockholm directed by Petersén and shot by Guldbagge Award nomination for plan. Selected filmography The Kinch Månsson), and despite the fact her supporting performance in “We’re hoping for a tone where (Kinchen, short, 2005), Mr. that they attended the same kin- Avalon (2012). In The Real you will laugh,” says Månsson. Governor (H:r Landshövding, 2008), Roland Hassel (Hassel – dergarten and have shared an Estate, she is given the opportu- “That same laughter might then Privatspanarna, 2012), Stranded office for ten years now – this is nity for full throttle as the ill-fat- get stuck in your throat and you in Canton (2015), The Yard their first time as side-by-side co- ed heiress, coping, balancing and might ask yourself ‘Was this real- Axel Petersén and Måns Månsson. (Yarden, 2016) helmers. battling a dysfunctional new ly funny?’” ●

28 29 BORG/MCENROE The game

The tennis matches between cool Björn “Iceberg” Borg and hot-tempered John McEnroe are legendary. In the feature Borg/McEnroe, director Janus Metz examines their relationship: “It is like a love story between two men who were appointed rivals in a great duel. Out of this, they have created Text Niklas Wahllöf a life-long friendship,” he says. Production info p. 39 JULIE VRABELOVA JULIE

o athletes talk to approaches, who would meet, or course, and rivalry and all that, called “a matter of life and plus weight training was on Gud- has passed since the shoot, the themselves like ten- rather clash, at some classic but deep down it was really more death”. nason’s schedule for a period of likeness (at times frighteningly “Nnis players. Pitch- showdowns at the turn of the about existential questions. How “The rivalry between Borg six months. uncanny in the actual film) is still ers, golfers, goalkeepers, they 1970’s and 1980’s. Above all it’s do you get to be the person you and McEnroe became a sort of “At first it was incredibly there: the way he moves and talks. mutter to themself, but tennis- the Wimbledon finale of 1980, in are? How do you reach your prison cell for the audience to tough, I felt like an old man and it At least I think it is. We all, after players talk to themselves – and arguably the greatest tennis intrinsic value? Fundamental peek into. This was deeply inter- hurt just about everywhere,” he all, have our own picture of Borg answer. Tennis players looks like match ever played, that is recre- questions about why we’re here, esting to me,” says Metz. “And I remembers. “I worked out, ate very clearly in our heads. lunatics in a public square. In ten- ated and is the centrepiece of the the meaning of it all. Things like discovered a thread, a theme, that right, refrained from any alcohol, “Playing Borg has been like nis you stand face-to-face with film. that.” was related to my earlier work slept well. But what I thought walking around town with a preg- the enemy, trade blows with him, “Of course it’s very special to [e.g. the award-winning Arma­ would be a sacrifice that would nant stomach,” he laughs. “Every- but never touch him or talk to make a feature about two charac- n Borg/McEnroe, existence is dillo (2010), about Danish sol- turn my life into something drab, one has their story, their experi- him, or anyone else. Of all the ters very much alive, and who are pushed into shove. The differ- diers in Afghanistan]. They all really was the opposite – I didn’t ence, their ideas. If I go to pre- games men and women play, ten- also larger than life in their own Iences between the two com- seem to deal with people crossing have a bad thought for eight mieres or industry parties these nis is the closest to solitary con- right,” says director Janus Metz batants were considerable – think lines, pushing themselves very months, didn’t worry about a days I have to leave after one

finement.” over the phone from his home in Alien vs. Predator – as far as cul- far – perhaps too far.” VRABELOVA JULIE thing. Who would have thought hour. There’s one, and one only, The quote is from former . tural and general background, as A good example of crossing it!” he chuckles. subject that comes up, again and world number one player Andre “I first asked myself why I, as a far as personality, as far as play- the line is Sverrir Gudnason who “Playing Borg has been like walking around again and again: Björn Borg.” Agassi. Here’s the film that puts Dane, should take on the task of ing style. Yet, they may have been plays Björn Borg. He had to dis- e meet in Stockholm Gudnason was at first doubtful those words into images: Borg/ directing a film about one of the the only two people in the world regard the usual preparations for town with a pregnant stomach. Everyone has for coffee. Despite the as to whether he should accept the McEnroe. It deals with two other greatest Swedish icons ever. who actually understood each a part – they can be hard work in their story, their experience, their ideas” Wfact that Gudnason’s part. world number ones, Björn and Then I read Ronnie Sandahl’s other. Not least after the Wimble- themselves – and actually long Borg hairstyle is now gone, “I’d never felt any kinship Sverrir Gudnason who plays Björn Borg. John. Two players, with similar script and was very touched. I don match in 1980, the one every- become a super athlete. Two despite the fact that he now wears with, or likeness to, him. And inner storms but very different saw a story about tennis of one would watch, the one they hours of tennis practice per day his own clothes and some time since I knew that everyone knows

30 31 Touchstone Home Entertainment, United Artists, Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Company, AB Svensk Filmindustri - SF, Nordisk Film och Warner Bros. © Universal Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Noble DreamWorks, Colombia Tristar, Sony Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Paramount,

BORG/MCENROE

Providing your movies “Some of the Borg-McEnroe ­differences also exist between me and Shia LaBeouf. He is acting out, much more than me” with new and extended life. Sverrir Gudnason JULIE VRABELOVA JULIE

“Portraying real-life persons, ­living or dead, is always tricky and you can never do them full justice” Stellan Skarsgård who plays Björn Borg’s coach Lennart Bergelin JULIE VRABELOVA JULIE

him, I also knew it would be player himself, though never part ish painter and Wallenberg, the advice is strictly against the rules. tough. On the other hand it’s jobs of the world elite, Bergelin is Swedish diplomat… You get an Bergelin, however, seems to have like these, where you don’t know played by Stellan Skarsgård in idea of your own about the person been in telepathic contact with if you can handle them, that make the actor’s first Swedish produc- and then you work with that – but Borg. Many times, the television you grow, right?” tion in over a decade. you always follow what the script camera would zoom in on the “Another interesting thing was Borg’s patron saint became a dictates.” coach, on his looks, his facial that some of the Borg-McEnroe legend in his own right. As he “Without claiming to know expressions, sitting there on the differences also exist between me passed away in 2008, Skarsgård what actually occurred, I’ve seen stand. Sverrir Gudnason expresses and Shia LaBeouf. He is acting can approach him somewhat dif- their relationship as a Salieri/­ similar thoughts when it comes to D S out, much more than me, and I’ve ferently compared to the other Mozart kind of thing. Salieri was communicating with the director. Gives you the legal right to show Rental service with over 3 000 Our latest feature – digital movies learned tons through working leading men. a fine composer and Bergelin was “That look you get after a take fi lm in Non Theatrical areas movies at your disposal streaming in High Defi nition with him. Just the way he manag- “Besides, I was completely Sweden’s at the time best tennis is important to me. I want that es to compress his energy and uninterested in sports already in player ever. Then they run into look in the eyes. It doesn’t have to just detonate at the right moment. 1980,” Skarsgård laughs over the Mozart, or Borg – who is ten mean how well things went, just I’d like to think that McEnroe phone. “But of course everyone times better. In some ways, this that you’re on to something, that was exactly the same.” knew of Bergelin. He was like a could be very frustrating, but in the director is on your side.” shadow of the most famous man other ways it can be mesmerising. “Borg/McEnroe is like a love fixed entity by Borg’s from Sweden.” Lennart loved tennis and Björn story between two men who were side through the years, “Portraying real-life persons, was the greatest in tennis so he appointed rivals in a great duel,” apart from his wife Mar- living or dead, is always tricky gave his all to be present at all concludes Janus Metz. “Out of Aiana Simionescu (played by Tuva and you can never do them full times.” this, they created a life-long Novotny), was his coach Lennart justice. I’ve been Goya, the Span- The presence, yes. During the friendship. There are things to be Bergelin. Once a top Swedish ish painter and Krøyer, the Dan- match the player is alone. Coach learned there.” ● Swedish Film AB, Box 6014, SE-171 06 Solna, Sweden. Phone: +46 8 445 25 50, fax: +46 8 445 25 60. Contact us through www.swedish lm.se or info@swedish lm.se 32 JIMMIE Reverse perspective

The refugee situation in current Sweden inspired Text Sebastian Lindvall indie director Jesper Ganslandt to turn the camera Photo Ylva Sundgren towards himself and his four-year-old son in Jimmie. Production info p. 42

n late 2006, Jesper Ganslandt A disinterest or a lack of under- Jimmie got his breakthrough with standing of the situation they’re IFalkenberg Farewell (Farväl in. Who is at war here with each Falkenberg), a lyrical small town other? What has happened? You portrait with himself and many of can’t get answers to those ques- his childhood friends in front of tions when you’re four. So nei- the camera. Since then, Gans­ ther, for this very reason, will landt has made a string of films of the audience. Instead, the jour- varying styles and temperaments, ney is experienced in frag- including The Ape (Apan, 2009) ments; mainly those parts that and Blondie (2012). Next year we interest you. It’s not always the will see his international debut, a most dramatic parts. Instead, drug drama called Beast of Bur­ you will be part of an experi- den, starring Daniel Radcliffe. ence – his experience. A child’s Before that, Ganslandt has shot MÅNSSON MÅNS perspective will allow play and Jimmie as part of the Swedish naivety even when things look Film Institute’s Moving Sweden “The perspective of the child gave me exactly very dark.” project, realising features for dif- what I was looking for in the storytelling” “I have never stated that I ferent release windows. Jimmie Jesper Ganslandt know, for a minute, how it really will thus be made into a short fea- is to be on the run. I hope I never ture for television as well as a will. The film tells a story of peo- full-length theatrical version. The main parts are played by research and stories I’ve heard as ple escaping something. Their In the film, Ganslandt gives us the director himself and his son told by people with first-hand means are limited and their hope new perspectives on the current Hunter, a fact that made the shoot experience. Women who have is to find a better place. No more refugee crisis, as he tells his story more personal and more exposed. left men behind, or men without and no less.” ● through the eyes of a four-year- “In order to get him to get it women, those who walked mine- old Swedish boy. right in front of the camera, I had fields to get on a bus, who have “I was, for lack of a better to be around as his father. It felt driven through pitch black dark- word, inspired by the great mass right for this subject and for this ness across borders. Sensitive, Jesper of refugees currently in motion. It project not to hide behind the part contemporary testimonials. I’ve Ganslandt got me thinking that all people of the director, as is so often eas- saved them and paid them for- Age 38 are the same regardless of where ward,” says Ganslandt. ily the case. My son got to be an Background All Jesper you’re born. You want to eat, to actor at the same time as he is my The shoot was complicated Ganslandt’s previous feature drink, and to sleep safely. You child. And I got to act, to direct and had its share of “parallel films, want to express yourself and you and to be a father. Not necessarily realities”, something that result- (2006), The Ape (2009) and want to be heard. You want to be in that order.” ed in a full-blown experience. “It Blondie (2012), have been worth something. You want to be How does one portray the refu- came across well on film,” he selected for both Venice and Toronto. Jimmie marks gee crisis as a Swede who with your family and you want says. Ganslandt’s fourth feature, everyone to be well. Especially knows little about the hell such “The perspective of the child followed by the director’s inter- critical are these needs, I think, a situation provides? gave me exactly what I was national debut Beast of Burden, when you have children.” “My writing is fully based on looking for in the storytelling. starring Daniel Radcliffe.

34 35 Aeterna Aeterna is a globe spanning odyssey, steeped in the tempo of the contemplative traditions. Through the eye of the free-floating witness we observe life, in work and in leisure, in play and through hardships, from the shanty towns of Cape Town, to the Waura tribe by the Xingu river, through the mist of the Atlas mountains to the coloured night skies of Beijing.

Original title Aeterna Directors/screenwriters Fredrik Wenzel, Jesper Kurlandsky Produced by Fasad/Erik Gandini, Jesper Kurlandsky, Malin Huber, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Magdalena Jangard Duration approx. 90 min National New films release Spring, 2018 Sales TBA Fredrik Wenzel (born in 1978) is the co-director of Burrowing, which premiered in No less than 37 new feature-length films Berlin 2010, and the cinematographer on Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure (2014), which won the Jury Prize in Cannes 2014, as well as his The Square, in competition in Cannes 2017. Jesper Kurlandsky (born in 1977) has for instance produced Jesper Ganslandt’s The Ape (2009), and the award-winning Avalon (2012), directed by Axel and 21 shorts are presented in this section. Petersén. Please visit our ­website sfi.se for­ FASAD updated information on Swedish features,­ ­ documentaries and shorts. After Inez Doc Denize and Filip have it all prepared: the crib, the pram, the tiny clothes, even the car seat is ready for the baby they’re expecting any day. But at a routine checkup, the midwife’s face suddenly freezes. There’s no heartbeat to be heard. After Inez is a film about how to survive grief. It explores individual differences in mourning, as well as gender patterns and taboos in our society.

Original title Efter Inez Director/screenwriter Karin Ekberg Participants Denize Löfgren, Filip Nordin Produced by Karin Ekberg, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Cecilia Lidin, Klara Grunning Duration 78 min National release 2017 Sales Karin Ekberg

Karin Ekberg (born in 1979) has a BA in Fine Arts and Photography from the Neth- erlands, and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Stockholm University. She has also studied film and documentary. Her debut feature documentary A Separation, about the divorce process of her own parents, premiered at CPH:DOX in 2013 and was later nom- inated for Prix Europa. Ekberg is chair of Independent Filmmakers Association Sweden. KARIN EKBERG

12 Dares A Hustler’s Diary Fuad (aka Food) just turned 16, an age where nothing matters more to him than his Metin is a young man living in a Stockholm suburb governed by unwritten laws. He is friends. Growing up together in the run-down housing development of southern Ryd, different, he writes a diary of everything he sees. Names and places are documented in they know that the number one rule between buddies is loyalty. But when Fuad breaks great detail. When the diary disappears his life is turned upside down. Humour and this rule he suddenly finds himself alienated by those he holds most dear. Desperate gravity mix in this story about seizing life’s opportunities. and alone, he is willing to do anything to be accepted back. Original title Måste gitt Director Ivica Zubak Screenwriters Can Demirtas, Ivica Original title 12 bragder Director/screenwriter Izer Aliu Principal cast Gorgees Zubak Principal cast Can Demirtas, Jörgen Thorsson, , Toni Prince Khoshaba, John Hanna, Ali Ridha Hussein, Dani Barkho, Elias Majdalany, Gustav Tvrtkovic, Selma Caglar, David Nzinga, Keywan Karem, Shebly Niavarani Produced by Tieleman, Özlem Göghan Produced by Zentropa Sweden/Lizette Jonjic, Madeleine Indian Summer Film/Abbe Hassan Duration 97 min National release January 6, Ekman Duration 100 min National release 2017 Sales TBA 2017 Sales TBA

Izer Aliu (born in 1982) graduated from the Norwegian Film School in 2012. His Ivica Zubak (born in 1978) studied music in high school aiming to become a graduation film To Guard a Mountain (2012) was nominated for the Student Academy conductor, but too much absence from school led him to filmmaking instead. He took Award. His first feature Hunting Flies (2016) had its premiere at Toronto Film Festival in courses in filmmaking at the The Royal Institute of Art and Manuspiloterna. A Hustler’s 2016. Diary is his second feature. ZENTROPA SWEDENZENTROPA VALLSTEN ERIK

36 37 New films

Aniara Becoming Astrid An adaptation of the Nobel Prize-winning author Harry Martinson’s Aniara. Aniara is When the author was very young something happened that affected one of the many spaceships used for transporting Earth’s population to their new home her profoundly, and this combination of both miracle and calamity came to shape her planet Mars. But just as Aniara leaves the ruined Earth, she collides with space junk and entire life. It was an event that transformed her into one of the most inspiring women of is knocked off her course. Aniara’s passengers slowly realise that they’ll never be able to our age and the storyteller a whole world would come to love. This is the story of when a return, that they will continue onwards through an empty and cold universe forever. young Astrid, despite the expectations of her time and religious upbringing, decided to break free from society´s norms and follow her heart. Original title Aniara Directors/screenwriters Pella Kågerman, Hugo Lilja Principal cast Emelie Jonsson, Bianca Cruzeiro, Anneli Martini, Emma Broomé, Arvin Kananian, Original title Unga Astrid Director Pernille Fischer Christensen Screenwriters Peter Carlberg, Dakota Trancher Williams, Jennie Silverhjelm Produced by Meta Film Pernille Fischer Christensen, Kim Fupz Aakeson Principal cast Alba August, Henrik Stockholm/Annika Rogell, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Baker Karim, Rafaelsen, Trine Dyrholm, Maria Bonnevie, , Björn Gustafson, Willy Calle Marthin Duration approx. 100 min National release 2018 Sales TBA Petri Ramnek Produced by Avanti Film/Anna Anthony, Nordisk Film Production Sweden/Lars G. Lindström, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Yaba Holst Pella Kågerman (born in 1982, educated at the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm) and Duration approx. 100 min National release 2018 Sales TrustNordisk Hugo Lilja (born in 1979, educated at the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts) have collaborated since 2009. Together they have written Hugo Lilja’s graduation film The Pernille Fischer Christensen’s (born in 1969) debut film A Soap had its world pre- Unliving (2010), that has won prizes at – amongst other places – Berlinale, Stockholm miere at Berlinale in 2006 where it was awarded The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize – International Film Festival and Clermont-Ferrand. In addition, they have directed the and the Best First Feature Award. Her second feature, the critically acclaimed ­Dancers, short films A Day in the Country (2010) and The Swedish Supporter (2 011) . ­premiered in 2008. In 2011 she once again experienced success in Berlin, when A Family was honoured with the acclaimed FIPRESCI prize. In 2014 Someone You Love premiered at Berlinale. RUTGER SJÖGRIMRUTGER MOLBERGERIK HANSEN

Bamse and the Witch’s Daughter Beyond Dreams Croesus Vole finds gold in the beavers’ dam. To demolish the dam and get the gold he While serving her prison sentence for a failed robbery, Mirja has been away from the tricks the witch’s daughter Lova to enchant Bamse. With Bamse gone, it’s up to the gang and their rules. She returns home and confronts new circumstances: she finds out children to help each other to stop Croesus – but to do that they have to stay friends. that her mother is very ill and suddenly is making demands. Mirja has to find a job or she’ll be thrown out. In her ambition to handle the situation, Mirja begins to lead a double Original title Bamse och häxans dotter Director Christian Ryltenius Voice director life between the family and the gang. Maria Blom Screenwriters Ida Kjellin, Sofie Forsman Voices Peter Haber, , Shebly Niavarani, Leif Andrée, Morgan Alling, Ingela Olsson, Ia Langhammer, Original title Dröm vidare Director Rojda Sekersöz Screenwriter Johanna Produced by SF Studios/Jon Nohrstedt, with support from the Swedish Emanuelsson Principal cast Evin Ahmad, Gizem Erdogan, Malin Persson, Segen Film Institute Duration 65 min National release December 25, 2016 Sales SF Tesfai, Ella Åhman, Outi Mäenpää Produced by 2afilm/Annika Hellström, Agneta Studios Fagerström-Olsson, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Magdalena Jangard Duration 90 min National release March 17, 2017 Sales Pluto Film Christian Ryltenius (born in 1964) started out at the Swedish studio Penn Film, and after classical animation studies he worked in Germany on films like Captain Bluebear Rojda Sekersöz (born in 1989) is a Swedish director with roots from Kurdistan. She (1999) and Momo (2001). He was the creative supervisor on Loranga, Muffin & was educated at the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she was the Dartanjang (2005), and animation director on Tarik Saleh’s Metropia (2008). He also youngest student ever to be accepted. Sekersöz has a background of acting, spoken directed Bamse and the City of Thieves (2014), and is currently working on the third word poetry and writing, and is interested in stories on social issues. installment. ALEXANDRA ARISTOHOV SF STUDIOS SF

Becker – Small Town Gangster Borg/McEnroe Johan Becker, a self-made man and unofficial king in the small town of Tingsryd, walks A film about Björn Borg, one of the greatest in tennis history, and his biggest rival, the through life with the feeling that everything he touches turns to gold. His business is young and talented John McEnroe, and their legendary duel during the 1980 going great, but life on the top is dangerous if you’re not aware of the danger. One day Wimbledon tournament. It’s a story of two men that became legends, and the price they everything changes, and to keep his kingdom, Becker has to fight like never before. had to pay.

Original title Becker – Kungen av Tingsryd Director/screenwriter Martin Larsson Original title Borg Director Janus Metz Screenwriter Ronnie Sandahl Principal cast Principal cast Henrik Lilliér, Peter Lorentzon, Estelle Löfgren, Lars Ranthe, Sonja Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf, Stellan Skarsgård, Tuva Novotny Produced by SF Richter, Torkel Petersson, Helen Sjöholm Produced by Anagram Sverige/Erik Studios Production/Jon Nohrstedt, Fredrik Wikström Nicastro, with support from the Magnusson, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/ Magdalena Jangard Swedish Film Institute/Magdalena Jangard, Yaba Holst Duration 110 min National Duration 87 min National release Autumn, 2017 Sales The Yellow Affair release September 8, 2017 Sales SF Studios

Martin Larsson (born in 1974) was educated at The Swedish School of Television in Janus Metz (born in Denmark 1974) received his Master’s degree in communication Göteborg and Malmö Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts. For TV he has written and and international development studies at Roskilde University. His feature documenta- directed series like My Friend Dudo!, The Family, The Storm and Starke man. He has also ries include Love on Delivery (2008), Ticket to Paradise (2008) and Armadillo (2010). written and directed a number of shorts. Becker – Small Town Gangster is his feature The latter was awarded with the Critics’ Week Grand Prize in Cannes. debut. SF STUDIOS SF MARCO PADOAN MARCO

38 39 New films

The Boyfriend Untitled We follow a young couple, Mika and Tesfay, for 156 weeks — from the first time they Welcome to the small town of Lafors – Home of the Real Swedish Cowboys. meet until long after their relationship has ended. The film centres around the attitudes of sex and love of young adults today, and is a generational tale of intimacy, sexuality, Original title TBA Director Gabriela Pichler Screenwriters Gabriela Pichler, Jonas and inner revolution. Hassen Khemiri Principal cast TBA Produced by Garagefilm International/ Anna-Maria Kantarius, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Magdalena Original title Jag vill inte bli gammal nu Director/screenwriter Fanni Metelius Jangard Duration TBA National release TBA Sales TBA Principal cast Fanni Metelius, Ahmed Berhan, Leona Axelsen, Daniella Mir, , Claes Hartelius, Alexander Salzberger, Mia Ray Produced by Garagefilm Gabriela Pichler’s (born in 1980) first feature Eat Sleep Die had its world premiere at International/Mimmi Spång, Rebecka Lafrenz, with support from the Swedish Film the Venice International Film Festival in 2012 and won the Audience Award at Film Institute/Magdalena Jangard Duration 110 min National release TBA Sales TBA Critics’ Week before it hit film festivals around the world. She is a director and screenwriter who left the cookie factory for the School of Film Directing in Göteborg. Fanni Metelius (born in 1987) is a director, screenwriter and actress with a BFA in Her mix of wit and social commentary, combined with an eye for amateur actors, are her Film Directing. Fanni has directed several award-winning shorts, including Unruly (2 011) characteristics and also define her upcoming feature. which competed at Berlinale. She was nominated for a Guldbagge Award for Best Supporting Actress in Ruben Östlund’s acclaimed Force Majeure (2014). The Boyfriend is her first feature. GARAGEFILM INTERNATIONAL GARAGEFILM CECILA TORQUATO

Euphoria Garden Lane Euphoria tells the story of Ines () and Emilie (Eva Green), two sisters Eric and Elin reminisce about the dark, magical summer when they first met. They were meeting up again after many years apart – and the profound journey that they just kids and their parents, Linda and Peter, were drug addicts. During a few violent but undertake together. beautiful months they all lived together as a family. As Linda and Peter were torn apart, the children had to fight to survive. And then, to live. Original title Euforia Director/screenwriter Lisa Langseth Principal cast Alicia Vikander, Eva Green, Charlotte Rampling, Adrian Lester, Mark Stanley, Charles Dance Original title Trädgårdsgatan Director Olof Spaak Screenwriter Gunnar A.K Järvstad Produced by B-Reel Films/Frida Bargo, Patrik Andersson, Vikarious Productions/ Principal cast Karin Franz Körlof, Simon J. Berger, Emil Algpeus, Nike Ringqvist, Eva Alicia Vikander, Charles Collier, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Baker Fritjofson, Linda Molin Produced by Primodrom Produktion/Sofie Palage Duration Karim Duration TBA National release Autumn, 2017 Sales Great Point Media 109 min National release TBA Sales The Yellow Affair

Lisa Langseth (born in 1975) studied directing at the Stockholm Academy of Olof Spaak (born 1976) started working in the film industry in 2004. He wrote the Dramatic Arts and shortly after, she had a brief spell as a stage-director before screenplay for the short Hilma (2015) which has been screened at festivals worldwide, venturing into feature films with movies such as Pure (2010) and Hotell (2013). Both among them TIFF Kids. He wrote and directed the short Beginning of the End (2015) movies received numerous Guldbagge Award nominations, including Best Screenplay. which was screened at Rome International Film Festival among others. Garden Lane is his feature debut. JÜRGEN OLCZYK JÖNSSON KRISTOFFER

The Ex-Wife The Giant Klara is newly in love and all she wants is to be close to Jacob. Anna times her husband Rikard, autistic and severely deformed, was separated from his mother at birth and is with a stopwatch when he gets their baby’s bottle ready. Vera can’t let go of her former haunted by the loss. He tries to find his way back to her through the game of pétanque husband. With both humour and seriousness The Ex-Wife tells the story of three and by the help of a 200 foot giant. relationships, where the Girlfriend, the Wife, and the Ex-wife all come together in a revealing satire of the arc of relationships – from falling in love to divorce. Original title Jätten Director/screenwriter Johannes Nyholm Principal cast Christian Andrén, Johan Kylén, Anna Bjelkerud Produced by Garagefilm Original title Exfrun Director/screenwriter Katja Wik Principal cast Maria International/Maria Dahlin, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Magdalena Sundbom, Nina Zanjani, Ellen Olaison, Robin Keller, Karl Linnertorp Produced by Jangard Duration 90 min National release October 10, 2016 Sales Indie Sales Kjellson & Wik/Marie Kjellson Duration 90 min National release February 17, 2017 Sales New Morning Films Johannes Nyholm (born in 1974) has had three short films – Puppetboy (2008), Dreams from the Woods (2009) and Las Palmas (2011) – selected for the Directors’ Katja Wik’s (born in 1987) short film Victim-Mentality Rhetoric won the Startsladden Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival, and has been awarded a number of prizes around the Audience Award at Göteborg Film Festival in 2013. She is also known for her work as world. The Giant is Nyholm’s first feature film, and it had its world premiere at Toronto casting director on feature films Force Majeure (2014), Play (2011) and Involuntary International Film Festival. (2008) by Ruben Östlund, as well as Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (2014) and numerous commercials. MARTIN TOP JACOBSEN TOP MARTIN OLSSON PEO

40 41 New films

The Inertia Variations Doc Loving Lorna Doc Singer/songwriter Matt Johnson of the British band The The has remained silent for the There’s always been a strong horse culture in Ballymun, outside of Dublin. Lorna and last 15 years. Conflicted by creative inertia he has observed from the sidelines whilst her family are a part of it, and it has helped them through tough times. Lorna has a what he sees as corporate state propaganda has swamped the airwaves. Now he will dream to become a farrier and she’s practising during her last summer holiday. attempt to challenge the media consensus through his own radio broadcast. But a However, things might not turn out as planned. This is a poetic coming-of-age film, a sto- request to write a song soon reveals old demons of inertia and bereavement. ry of survival, relationships, horses and dreams.

Original title The Inertia Variations Director Johanna St Michaels Screenwriters Original title Loving Lorna Directors/screenwriters Annika Karlsson, Jessica Johanna St Michaels, Matt Johnson Participants Matt Johnson, Tim Pope, Jackson Karlsson Produced by Systerskaparna/Annika Karlsson, Jessica Karlsson, with Ewald Johnson, Johanna St Michaels, Eddie Johnson Produced by Saint Michaels support from the Swedish Film Institute/Klara Grunning, Cecilia Lidin Duration 60 min Production/Johanna St Michaels, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Cecilia National release 2017 Sales Systerskaparna Lidin Duration 85 min National release 2017 Sales Rise and Shine World Sales Annika and Jessica Karlsson (sisters born in 1984) directed and produced the short Johanna St Michaels (born in 1966) studied at the School of Visual Art in New York documentary Taxidancing (2012), which was screened at Tempo Documentary Festival City and has a Master’s degree in fine art photography from the University of Göteborg. 2012 and Göteborg Film Festival. Loving Lorna was selected by the European She directs and produces documentaries, experimental films and art installations with Documentary Network as one of the Nordic film projects in their programme Twelve for an emphasis on personal stories and mixed media art. Recent films include Penthouse the Future in 2013/2014. North (2014) and A Smorgasbord of Sin (2015). GERALD JENKINS MCCULLOUGH KATE

Jimmie Money Problem Four-year-old Jimmie and his father decide to leave Sweden to begin a journey to a While rich Swedes spend each weekend bathing in champagne in Stockholm’s hot safer country. Told from a child’s perspective, the story shows fragments of the refugee spots, a yearning for cold hard cash echoes through the ghetto. Sara and Amida refuse family trip. Jimmie and his dad travel on black waters, wander along railway tracks, and to get stuck being flat broke, and an idea is born for an adventure. A “booster bag,” a rely on the kindness of strangers to reach their goal: a safe place. night on the town in stolen clothes, and a smooth Swede later everything comes tumbling down. Original title Jimmie Director/screenwriter Jesper Ganslandt Principal cast Hunter Ganslandt, Jesper Ganslandt Produced by Fasad/Jesper Kurlandsky, Hedvig Original title Para knas Director/screenwriter Nikeisha Andersson Principal cast Lundgren, Juan Pablo Libossart, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Suzanne Sofia “Ellen” Åkerlund, Roshi Hosseini Produced by Filmlance International/Ulf Glansborg Duration approx. 90 min National release TBA Sales TBA Synnerholm, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Baker Karim Duration 80 min National release Autumn, 2017 Sales TBA Jesper Ganslandt (born in 1978) is a director and writer, known for Falkenberg Farewell (2006), The Ape (2009) and Blondie (2012). Nikeisha Andersson’s (born in 1992) career started at the age of 16 when Sony Music contacted her after she had produced and filmed a flashmob for the artist Shakira’s campaign “Waka Waka” in Stockholm. In 2011 she started her own production company NAF, where she has produced and directed music videos and commercials for the UEFA Champions League, FILA and many others. Money Problem is her first feature. JOHAN PAULIN JOHAN MÅNS MÅNSSON MÅNS

Letters to a Serial Killer Doc Monky On his way to soccer practice, 16-year-old Kamal is shot five times. The police and the One day, eleven-year-old Frank finds a real live monkey in his family’s backyard. The media immediately start speculating about gang related violence and retaliation. Within monkey’s name is Monky and her arrival is the beginning of a fun and exciting adventure Kamal’s own family questions are asked. What had Kamal done for someone to want to for the entire family. However, it does not take long before the family realises that she is shoot him? Years pass without answers. The family’s concerns and the rifts between no ordinary monkey, and it was no coincidence that she showed up in their backyard. them begin to grow. Then one day the police calls to inform that a suspect has been Who is Monky? Where does she come from? Will they be able to keep her a secret in arrested. His name is Peter Mangs. Kamal’s sister, Manal Masri, decides to find out what the village? A thrilling journey leads the family from Sweden to the deepest jungles of really happened that November evening. In order to get a final answer she writes him a Thailand in search of answers. letter. Original title Monky Director Maria Blom Screenwriter Anders Weidemann Principal cast Frida Hallgren, Johan Petersson, Julius Jimenez Hugoson, Matilda Forss Lindström Produced by Unlimited Stories/Patrick Ryborn, with support from the Original title Brev till en seriemördare Director/screenwriter Manal ­Masri Swedish Film Institute/Magdalena Jangard Duration 90 min National release Participants Manal Masri, Kamal Masri, Mona Masri, Jamal Masri Produced by December 21, 2017 Sales Picture Tree International Mantaray Film/Stina Gardell, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Klara Grunning Duration 85 min National release March 24, 2017 Sales TBA Maria Blom (born in 1971) is a Swedish director, dramatist and scriptwriter. She is known for Nina Frisk (2007), HallåHallå (2014) and Bamse and the Witch’s Daughter Manal Masri (born in 1980) is a director and theatre producer, educated at the (2017). For the movie Dalecarlians (2004) she received a Guldbagge Award for Best Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts. Letters to a Serial Killer is her feature debut. Directing. NIKLAS MAUPOIX NIKLAS MANTARAY FILM MANTARAY

42 43 New films

The Nile Hilton Incident The Real Estate Cairo, just weeks before the 2011 revolution. Police Detective Noredin, working in the Nojet inherits an apartment building. But the building turns on her and she realises that infamous Kasr el-Nil Police Station, is handed the case of a murdered singer. He soon the cash cow was in fact a curse. She takes control of the building by becoming more realises that the investigation concerns the very power elite, close to the president’s ruthless than the business around it. inner circle. Original title The Real Estate Directors Måns Månsson, Axel Petersén Screenwriter Original title Director/screenwriter Tarik Saleh Principal Axel Petersén Produced by Flybridge/Sigrid Helleday, Måns Månsson, with support cast , Yaser Maher, Ahmed Seleem, Slimane Dazi, Hania Amar Produced from the Swedish Film Institute/Klara Grunning Duration approx. 100 min National by Atmo/Kristina Åberg, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Baker Karim release Autumn, 2017 Sales TBA Duration 109 min National release Sep/Oct, 2017 Sales The Match Factory Måns Månsson (born in 1982) and Axel Petersén (born in 1979) have created Tarik Saleh (born in 1972) is one of the founders of the production company Atmo. He features, shorts and documentaries shown world wide at film festivals, art institutions started out as a prominent graffiti artist, and after publishing magazines both in Egypt and galleries. Their first feature-collaboration Avalon premiered at TIFF in 2011 and and Sweden he went on to develop award-winning TV concepts, co-direct documenta- was awarded the Fipresci Discovery Award, followed by a number of nominations and ries Sacrificio – Who Betrayed Che Guevara? (2001) and Gitmo (2006) with Erik awards. Gandini, and solo direct fiction films Metropia (2009) and Tommy (2014). ATMO MÅNS MÅNSSON MÅNS

Ouaga Girls Doc The Rebel Surgeon Doc A group of young women from the outskirts of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina In Erik Gandini’s recent documentary The Swedish Theory of Love (2015) there is a Faso, meet at the feminist education centre to study to become car mechanics. Ouaga character who stands out, the surgeon Erik Erichsen. A portrait of a surgeon who got Girls is a coming-of-age story of sisterhood, life choices, and the strife of finding your tired of Swedish bureaucracy and moved to Ethiopia. In a small field hospital, with own path. limited resources, he uses anything at hand to help the patients.

Original title Ouaga Girls Director/screenwriter Theresa Traore Dahlberg Original title Rebellkirurgen Director/screenwriter Erik Gandini Produced by Produced by Momento Film/David Herdies, with support from the Swedish Film Fasad/Juan Pablo Libossart, Erik Gandini, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Antonio Russo Merenda Duration 82 min National release 2017 Sales Institute/Cecilia Lidin Duration 52 min National release March, 2017 Sales SVT TBA Sales

Theresa Traore Dahlberg (born in 1983) grew up in Sweden and Burkina Faso. She Erik Gandini (born 1967) is a Swedish-Italian film director, writer, and producer. Some studied film directing at the New School in New York and the Stockholm Academy of of his international award-winning documentaries include Sacrificio – Who Betrayed Dramatic Arts in Stockholm. Her graduation film, Taxi Sister (2011), has been screened Che Guevara? (2001) and Gitmo (2006), both co-directed with Tarik Saleh, at festivals worldwide. She is now doing her Master’s degree in Art at the Royal Institute Surplus – Terrorized Into Being Consumers (2003) and the widely acclaimed of Art in Stockholm. Ouaga Girls is her feature documentary debut. Videocracy (2009). CARL NILSSONCARL MOMENTO FILM MOMENTO

Ravens Room 213 Ravens is a captivating thriller drama set on a Swedish farm in the 70’s. In a slowly When twelve-year-old Elvira goes to summer camp, strange things start to happen in depopulating village, the farmer Agne is driven to the brink of insanity by the depressing her room. Things that can’t be explained – unless you believe in ghosts. work at the farm, an obsession with making his oldest son Klas take over, and a nagging feeling that someone wants to harm his family. Klas, 15, imagines himself far from the Original title Rum 213 Director Emelie Lindblom Screenwriters Martin Jern, Emil farm and is drawn to the world of birds. But as external threats escalate and his inner Larsson Principal cast Wilma Lundgren, Ella Fogelström, Elena Hovsepyan feeling of guilt grows, Klas is faced with a choice he can’t escape, of freedom or retreat. Produced by Dansk Skalle/Martin Jern, Emil Larsson, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Magdalena Jangard Duration 82 min National release February 24, Original title Korparna Director Jens Assur Screenwriters Jens Assur, Jennie Assur 2017 Sales Media Luna Principal Cast Reine Brynolfsson, Maria Heiskanen, Jacob Nordström Produced by Film and Art Affairs/Tom Persson, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/ Emelie Lindblom (born in 1981) graduated from the School of Film Directing at Magdalena Jangard Duration 110 min National release Autumn, 2017 Sales Göteborg University in 2011. Her latest short 2 (2014) was in competition at Göteborg Celluloid Dreams Film Festival and was screened at Seoul International Women’s Film Festival in 2015. Room 213 is her debut feature film. Jens Assur (born in 1970) is a world–renowned photographer and filmmaker, whose shorts (one of them being Killing the Chickens to Scare the Monkeys in 2011) have been awarded and acclaimed in Cannes, Clermont-Ferrand, Tribeca, Busan, among other prestigious festivals. In 2012 Jens Assur was given the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award at the Sundance Film Festival. FOLKETS BIO FILM AND ART AFFAIRS ART AND FILM

44 45 New films

Sami Blood The Square Elle Marja, 14, is a reindeer-breeding Sami girl. Exposed to the racism of the 1930’s and A modern museum struggles with their visitor numbers and the newly appointed race biology examinations at her boarding school, she starts dreaming of another life. To creative director decides to hire a PR agency to help promote the upcoming achieve this other life she has to become someone else and break all ties with her family exhibition called “The Square”. The Square is a telling satire addressing topics of and culture. responsibility and trust.

Original title Sameblod Director/screenwriter Amanda Kernell Principal cast Lene Original title The Square Director/screenwriter Ruben Östlund Principal cast Claes Cecilia Sparrok, Mia Sparrok, Maj-Doris Rimpi, Julius Fleischanderl, Olle Sarri, Hanna Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, Christopher Læssø Produced by Plattform Alström, Malin Crépin, Andreas Kundler, Ylva Gustafsson Produced by Nordisk Film Produktion/Erik Hemmendorff, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/ Production Sverige/Lars G. Lindström, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/ Magdalena Jangard Duration 150 min National release September, 2017 Magdalena Jangard Duration 110 min National release March 3, 2017 Sales LevelK Sales Coproduction Office

Amanda Kernell (born in 1986) has directed several acclaimed shorts, one of them Ruben Östlund (born in 1974) has become well known for his humorous and being Northern Great Mountain (2015) which was the pilot for Sami Blood and accurate portrayals of human social behaviour. His Force Majeure (2014) was awarded premiered at Sundance. Sami Blood is her first feature and had its world premiere at the with the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize in Cannes, and won several Best Foreign Film Venice Film Festival, and was also selected for both the Spotlight section in Sundance awards, was nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA, shortlisted for an Oscar and and the Discovery section in Toronto. has sold more than one million tickets around the world. The Square has its world premiere in Competition at Cannes Film Festival.

SOPHIA OLSSON SOPHIA PRODUKTION PLATTFORM

Shapeshifters Doc Strawberry Days A meeting with a long-lost friend stirs up memories from childhood and experiences of 15-year-old Wojtek travels to Sweden from Poland with his parents to work on a farm migration. From former Yugoslavia via Australia to Sweden today, we follow picking strawberries. Against all odds he forms a connection with the farmer’s daughter. Sophie Vukovi­ ć in a personal exploration of what it means to belong in a globalized The outside world will never accept the relationship, and they find themselves trapped world. A film about friendship, desire, and how you build new forms of belonging that are on opposite sides when the slowly brewing conflict between the Swedes and the guest not defined by national borders. workers erupts in violent confrontation.

Original title Shapeshifters Director/screenwriter Sophie Vuković Produced by Original title Jordgubbslandet Director/screenwriter Wiktor Ericsson Principal cast Story/Göran Hugo Olsson, Tobias Janson, with support from the Swedish Film Staszek Cywka, Nelly Axelsson, Julia Kijowska, Przemyslaw Sadowski, Emilie Institute/Antonio Russo Merenda Duration 75 min National release 2017 Sales Strandberg, Torkel Petersson Produced by Anagram Film & TV/Erik Magnusson, with Story/TBA support from the Swedish Film Institute/Baker Karim Duration 90 min National release TBA Sales The Yellow Affair Sophie Vuković (born 1988 in Zagreb) has a degree in social anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. Her short film 09:55–11:05, Ingrid Ekman (2015) was Wiktor Ericsson (born in 1973) has been the head writer of the TV-series Starke man nominated for and won several prizes at international festivals like SXSW, Slamdance, (2010) and Halvvägs till himlen (2013) and the director of the short KK (2013). In 2013 Mezipatra Queer Film Festival, Mix Copenhagen LGBT Film Festival and Stockholm he also made his feature film debut with the documentary The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty International Film Festival. Movies. Strawberry Days is his first fiction feature film. MIKOLAJ URBANSKI MIKOLAJ IGA MIKLER IGA

Silvana Doc Stronger than a Bullet Doc A revolutionary love story and a journey through the first years of the career of a Devoted to the Iranian Revolution, Saeid documented the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988) contemporary feminist icon. With her uncompromising lyrics, Swedish rapper Silvana from the eye of the event. His dream was to be a martyr, and many of his photos were Imam has taken Scandinavia by storm. This film follows the first turbulent years of her used to create war propaganda for martyrdom. Today he views himself as being career and her mythical relationship with Swedish pop artist Beatrice Eli. responsible for sending thousands of boys to their graves. A film about war propaganda, manipulation and control. Original title Silvana – väck mig när ni vaknat Directors/screenwriters Mika Gustafson, Olivia Kastebring, Christina Tsiobanelis Participants Silvana Imam, Original title Stronger than a Bullet Director/screenwriter Maryam Ebrahimi Beatrice Eli Produced by Mantaray Film/Stina Gardell, Anna Weitz, with support from Produced by Nimafilm/Nima Sarvestani, with support from the Swedish Film the Swedish Film Institute/Antonio Russo Merenda, Juan Pablo Libossart Duration 90 Institute/Cecilia Lidin, Antonio Russo Merenda Duration approx. 80 min National min National release September 15, 2017 Sales TBA release ­TBA Sales TBA

Mika Gustafson (born in 1988), Olivia Kastebring (born in 1987) and Christina Maryam Ebrahimi (born 1976 in Teheran, Iran) studied at the Art University of Tehran Tsiobanelis (born in 1987) met during film studies at Fridhem’s Folk High School and and continued her education at University College of Arts Craft and Design in have formed a trio that enables them to work with their own innovative style. Previously, Stockholm, where she now lives and works. Ebrahimi has produced the feature they have directed short films and music videos. Silvana is their feature debut. documentaries I Was Worth 50 Sheep (2010) and No Burqas Behind Bars (2012), the latter showing how moral crimes are used to control women in post-Taliban Afghani- stan. MANTARAY FILM MANTARAY NIMFILM

46 47 New films New shorts

That Summer Doc That Summer is a feature-length documentary centered on the film project Peter Beard initiated together with Lee Radziwill in the summer of 1972, about her extraordinary relatives, the Bouvier Beales featured in the classic documentary Grey Gardens (1975). Lost for decades, this stunning footage re-emerges in Göran Hugo Olsson’s documentary, which focuses on Peter and his family of friends who formed a vibrant creative community in Montauk, Long Island in the 70’s.

Original title Den sommaren Director/screenwriter Göran Hugo Olsson ­Participants Peter Beard, Caroline Lee Bouvier Radziwill, Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale, 6 Degrees of Mustafa Because the World Never Fuckgirls Killing Grandma Edith Bouvier Beale Produced by ­Story/Tobias Janson, with support from the ­Arhan Doc Stops Doc In this exploratory visual hybrid between It’s 1998. QuakeCon, the gaming Swedish Film Institute/Antonio Russo Merenda Duration 75 min National release It’s about oriental rugs. It’s about strangers When we tune into a newscast, we expect a documentary and fiction we get to follow competition of the year, is coming up. Two 2018 Sales Cinetic Media and swindlers. It’s about Sweden. It’s about reassuring authority, but is what we see three young girls whose everyday life is filled young Swedish girls are practicing hard you and me. anything other than a performance? Shot with violence and repression. They share when their dad tells them that if they don’t go Göran Hugo Olsson is the founder of production company Story. His films include behind the scenes during a live broadcast, their sorrows and fears of losing control. and visit their grandmother, there’ll be no The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975 (2011) and Concerning Violence (2014), Original title 6 Degrees of Mustafa ­Arhan Because the World Never Stops is a They find strength through their sisterhood more games. Their grandmother needs awarded at Sundance and Berlinale. Director/screenwriter Axel Petersén revelatory look at the hidden side of the and form a pact to use the extreme methods some company – at the nursing home, Produced by Axel Petersén Produktion evening news. of their enemies to take control of their lives. there’s nothing to do other than snooze and Production year 2017 Genre A poetic drama between dream and reality. wait for afternoon brandy. When the girls ­Documentary Duration 17 min Original title Studio 5 Directors Maximilien drag themselves to see their bored old Van Aertryck, Axel Danielson Produced by Original title Fuckgirls Directors Saga granny, she gets them to play a new game:

JONAS MEKAS Plattform Produktion/Maximilien Van Becker, Christofer Nilsson Screenwriter “Killing Grandma”. Aertryck, Axel Danielson Production year Saga Becker Produced by Mohave Media/ 2016 Genre Documentary Duration 10 min Christofer Nilsson Production year 2017 Original title Killing Grandma Director/ Genre Documentary hybrid Duration 15 screenwriter Lars Vega Produced by min Björkland Creative/Isabelle Björklund Production year 2017 Genre Comedy Up in the Sky Duration 21 min Eight-year-old Pottan is going to summer camp, but by mistake she ends up at a recycling centre with some very peculiar characters. Reluctantly they take care of Pottan, who soon discovers their secret. Behind a tall fence, they are working on a Amalimbo homemade space rocket ... Comedy, adventure and unexpected friendships await, as Amalimbo is the story of Tipuana, a Pottan becomes the first ever eight-year-old in space. five-year-old girl who experiences “the limbo” when she tries to pass to the other Original title Upp i det blå Director Petter Lennstrand Screenwriters Petter side in her desperate urge to mourn the The Burden Lennstrand, Martin Olczak Principal cast Mira Forsell, Adam Lundgren, Guffe Funck, recent death of her beloved father. A short An animated musical with apocalyptic I Will Always Love You, Shebly Niavarani, Petter Lennstrand, Ida Engvoll Produced by Memfis Film/Lars story that takes place in an undefined place undertones. The story is divided into four Conny Jönsson, with support from the Swedish Film Institute/Linus Torell, Baker Karim in an undefined near future. episodes that take place in a supermarket, a Make a Wish Duration 82 min National release October 21, 2016 Sales TrustNordisk long term hotel, a call center and a It’s -30°C and 20-year-old Conny walks Original title Amalimbo Director/ hamburger restaurant. The characters, around like a worried criminal, hood up, in a Anita and Gunnar live a calm, retired life. Petter Lennstrand (born in 1970) trained with acclaimed director and puppeteer screenwriter Juan Pablo Libossart portrayed as animals, perform musical forgotten little village in the far north of They don’t make love anymore, they watch Michael Meschke at Marionetteatern 1990–1995. He has created a number of popular Produced by Fasad/Johanna Lind numbers with singing and dancing. The Sweden. He’s not welcome anywhere, and TV. When Anita makes a wish and is visited and critically acclaimed children’s television shows. In his later work he has developed Production year 2016 Genre Animation episodes vary both in story and mood, and the whole community seems to hate him. by a young, virile TV show host, the couple is his own technique, mixing human actors and Muppet-style puppets. Up in the Sky is Duration 15 min span from cheerful tap routine to Yesterday he panicked and left his girlfriend suddenly faced with life-changing events. Lennstrand’s directorial feature film debut. nightmarish black. when she was in labour – but now he’s had a Make a Wish is a comedy about dreams, and change of heart and wants to go back. What about what happens when you get too much Original title Min börda Director/ does he have to do to make her forgive him? of a good thing.

P-A JÖRGENSEN/MEMFIS FILM JÖRGENSEN/MEMFIS P-A screenwriter Niki Lindroth von Bahr Produced by Malade/Kalle Wettre Original title I Will Always Love You, Kingen Original title Önskedrömmar Director Production year 2017 Genre Animation/ Director/screenwriter Amanda Kernell Jonatan Etzler Sceenwriter Theo Westin Drama/Musical Duration 13 min Produced by Bob Film Sweden/Kaj Snijder Produced by Grand Slam Filmproduktion/ Production year 2017 Genre Drama Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå Production year Duration 30 min 2016 Genre Comedy Duration 12 min

The War Game Anatomy Malte is an eleven-year-old loner whose mind is full of complex strategies and game theory. As he suddenly ends up in the middle of a conflict between two courtyards, he An anatomical PowerPoint presentation finds practical use to his theories. Too late it dawns on him that his interference makes about a bitter man and his ailments. From play for real, and an actual war is now breaking out. Will he be able to stop it? head to toe, the sore spots of his medical history get explained systematically in a dark Original title Krig Director Goran Kapetanovic Screenwriter Jannik Tai Mosholt yet humorous film about life and its conditions. Principal cast Loke Hellberg, Meja Björkefall, Emilio Silva, Malin Levanon Produced The Comet by CB Sverige/Per Janérus, Rodrigo Villalobos, with support from the Swedish Film Original title Anatomi Director/ Two men are hiding behind a fence at a Institute/Baker Karim Duration approx. 80 minutes National release Autumn, 2017 Jazzoo Meet Me in Holmsund Sales Copenhagen Bombay Sales screenwriter Patrik Eklund Produced by border checkpoint. They have just started Framestation/Patrik Eklund Production their escape from oppression and Jazzoo is an animated musical adventure for Sabina has travelled from Romania to Holmsund in northern Sweden to find a job Goran Kapetanovic (born in 1974 ) graduated from the Stockholm Academy of year 2016 Genre Animation Duration 8 persecution of homosexuals in their home young kids (4–6). Here we meet the Koala with her brothers. Elin has just finished Dramatic Arts and has directed several award-winning shorts including Kiruna–Kigali min country. Only one of them will arrive in who wants to jump as a kangaroo, the school and is enjoying the first day of the (2012), awarded for Best Short at TIFF and shortlisted for the Oscars. In 2017 he won Sweden. He is the comet. over-heated Hippo and the Caterpillar with summer holidays. That evening they meet, the Guldbagge Award for Best Director with My Aunt in Sarajevo. the bad temper. Great music, funny surprises Original title Kometen Director/ and stories for both young ones and and it’s a meeting that lasts forever. screenwriter Victor Lindgren Produced by grown-ups. Bautafilm/Therese Högberg Production Original title Den blomstertid nu kommer year 2017 Genre Drama Duration 11 min Original title Jazzoo Director Adam Director/screenwriter Victor Lindgren Marko-Nord Screenwriters Oddjob, Adam Produced by Bautafilm/Therese Högberg Marko-Nord Produced by Alphaville/Sara Production year 2016 Genre Drama ITA ZBRONIEC-ZAJT ITA Waldestam Production year 2017 Genre Duration 15 min Children/Animation Duration 9 min 48 49 New shorts Companies

Production Doppelganger Harmonica Films Meta Film Stockholm Stavro Filmproduktion Coproduction Office Submarine BUFF – the International Children [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] and Young People’s Film Festival Companies doppelganger.se harmonicafilms.se metafilm.dk stavrofilm.se coproductionoffice.eu submarine.com [email protected] Denmark/France/Germany US buff.se 2afilm Drakfilm Head and Tail Migma Film StellaNova Film March, 2018 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Deckert Distribution SF Studios drakfilm.se head-tail.se migmafilm.se stellanovafilm.com [email protected] [email protected] Göteborg Film Festival (GIFF) Acne Drama deckert-distribution.com sfinternational.se [email protected] [email protected] EFTI Hob AB Mint Stiftelsen Ingmar Bergman Germany Sweden giff.se acne.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] January 26-February 5, 2018 efti.com hobab.se mint-ab.se ingmarbergman.se DR International Sales SVT Sales Alphaville [email protected] [email protected] Lilla Filmfestivalen [email protected] Elfvik film Idyll Mohave Media Stockholm Academy of Dramatic drsales.dk svtsales.com [email protected] alphaville.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Arts (SADA) Denmark Sweden lillafilmfestivalen.se elfvikfilm.se idyll.se mohave.se [email protected] August, 2018 amp film uniarts.se Eyewell Telepicture Marketing My Gay Sister Picture World Shadow Animals [email protected] Europa Sound & Vision Illusion Film Momento Film [email protected] [email protected] Lund International ampfilm.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Story eyewell.se telepicturemarketing.com Fantastic Film Festival A relationship between two sisters is put to Model agent Evan tries to do a good deed Marall follows her parents to a party and they europasoundvision.se illusionfilm.se momentofilm.se [email protected] Sweden UK [email protected] Anagram story.se fff.se the test when a new role model appears for during a fashion shoot. Picture World plays want her to behave. As the evening progress- [email protected] Eyefeed Independent Studios Moviola Film & Television Films Boutique TrustNordisk October, 2017 anagram.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Story4change [email protected] [email protected] the younger sister Cleo. In the center of with our own judgemental gaze. es she finds the adults’ behaviour eyefeed.se independentstudios.se moviola.se [email protected] filmsboutique.com trustnordisk.com Monsters of Film attention is the biggest question: How do you increasingly strange. Everyone at the party is Apparat story4change.org Germany Denmark [email protected] [email protected] Fasad Indian Summer Film Naive monsteroffilm.se know that you’re in love and are there any Original title Förebilder Director/ trying to fit in, but not everyone succeeds. apparatfilm.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Strix Films Transit International UR International October, 2017 shortcuts to the answer? A drama about the screenwriter Elin Övergaard Produced by Marall also seems to be the only one seeing fasad.se indiansummerfilm.se naive.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Atmo strix.se filmstransit.com ur.se Novemberfestivalen ability to create trust. Elin Övergaard Production year 2017 the shadow circulating inside the house. [email protected] Fido Film Is This It New Stories Canada Sweden [email protected] Genre Drama Duration 13 min atmo.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Studio Bigert & Bergström novemberfestivalen.se fido.se isthisit.se newstories.se [email protected] First Hand Films Wide November, 2017 Original title Min homosyster Director/ Original title Skuggdjur Director/ Avanti Film bigertbergstrom.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Film and Tell Jarowskij Sverige AB Nexiko firsthandfilms.com widemanagement.com Stockholm International screenwriter Lia Hietala Produced by screenwriter Jerry Carlsson Produced by avantifilm.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Studio Jens Assur Switzerland France Film Festival (SIFF) & New Stories/Stefan Henriksson Garagefilm International/Frida Mårtensson filmandtell.com jarowskij.se nexiko.com [email protected] Stockholm International Auto Images studiojensassur.se Global Screen Wild Bunch International Sales Film Festival Junior (SIFFJ) Production year 2017 Genre Drama Production year 2017 Genre Drama [email protected] Film and Art Affairs Joclo Nimafilm [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Duration 15 min Duration 21 min autoimages.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (SVT) globalscreen.de wildbunch.biz stockholmfilmfestival.se filmandartaffairs.com johannesnyholm.se nimafilmsweden.com [email protected] Germany France/UK SIFFJ April, 2018 Axel Petersén Produktion svt.se SIFF November 8-19, 2017 [email protected] Filmateljén Kameraten Nordisk Film Production Great Point Media The Yellow Affair [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Swedish Ecstasy Film [email protected] [email protected] Tempo Documentary Festival Barataria Productions filmateljen.com kameraten.se nordiskfilm.com [email protected] greatpointmedia.com yellowaffair.com tempofestival.se [email protected] swedishecstasyfilm.com UK Finland/Sweden March 5-11, 2018 baratariaproductions.com Filmgate Films Kasper Collin Produktion Nouvago Capital [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Sweetwater Indie Sales Zodiak Rights Uppsala International Bautafilm filmgate-films.com kaspercollin.com nouvago.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Short Film Festival [email protected] sweetwater.se indiesales.eu zodiakrights.com [email protected] Push It bautafilm.se Filmkreatörerna Karimi Film Pampas Produktion France UK shortfilmfestival.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Systerskaparna October, 2017 A film about never being able to win, even Biospheric Pictures filmkreatorerna.com pampasproduktion.se [email protected] interfilm Berlin [email protected] though you’re the best. Hedda tries to Karin Ekberg [email protected] Distributors Way Out West bipic.se Filmlance International [email protected] PennFilm Studios Tangy interfilm.de [email protected] approach Adam in every way she can, but [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Germany Edge Entertainment wayoutwest.se Bob Film Sweden filmlance.se Kjellson & Wik pennfilm.se tangy.se August 10-12, 2017 everything she does turns out wrong. She [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Kurz Film Agentur Hamburg edgeentertainment.se Oh Deer! doesn’t fit the tight mould of a teenage girl as Trespassers bobfilm.se First Edition Pictures kjellsonwik.se Pinguinfilm Unlimited Stories [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] shortfilm.com Folkets Bio Organisations Oh Deer! is a stereoscopic film in virtual she is both stronger and more skilled than In a secular world where the supernatural is Borderline Films jonsvik.com Kostr-Film pinguin.se unlimitedstories.se Germany [email protected] [email protected] reality and a 360° view experience where the boys. Push It explores structures, regarded as a remnant of times gone by, [email protected] folketsbio.se Creative Europe Desk MEDIA FLX Pictures kostrfilm.com Plattform Produktion Valand Academy Film, University LevelK the audience sees things from the physicality, identity and emotions, with the there is a lack of knowledge about what Brain Academy Swedish Film Institute [email protected] [email protected] of Gothenburg [email protected] Lucky Dogs [email protected] [email protected] flx.se Lampray plattformproduktion.se [email protected] levelk.dk perspective of a wounded deer in the forest. gym hall as its arena. boundaries shouldn’t be crossed. This is a brainacademy.se [email protected] kreativaeuropa.eu [email protected] akademinvaland.gu.se Denmark lucky-dogs.se It’s getting dark, the deer is bleeding, the film about a couple who, despite warnings Focus Film AB lampray.se Primodrom Produktion B-Reel Films Independent Film Original title Push It Director/screenwrit- [email protected] [email protected] Warner Bros. International Magnetfilm Njutafilms Producers’ Association hunters are closing in all around. and through their own recklessness, have [email protected] focusfilm.se Laser Unicorns primodrom.se Television Production Sverige/ [email protected] brf.co [email protected] [email protected] er Julia Thelin Produced by Grand Slam passed the forbidden boundary between the [email protected] Eyeworks Scandi Fiction magnetfilm.de njutafilms.com off.se Folke Film AB RealReel Doc [email protected] Germany Original title Oh Deer! Director/ Filmproduktion/Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå living and the dead. Breidablick Film [email protected] Lebox Produktion [email protected] wbitvp.com/sweden Noble Entertainment International Sámi Film Institute [email protected] folkefilm.se [email protected] realreel.se The Match Factory screenwriter Peter Pontikis Produced by Production year 2017 Genre Drama breidablick.se [email protected] [email protected] lebox.se Way Creative Films [email protected] nobleentertainment.com isfi.no/eng Borderline Films/Patrick Sobieski, Peter Duration 8 min Original title Inkräktare Director/ Framestation REDRENTAL by Maan [email protected] the-match-factory.com Bright Pictures Pontikis Production year 2016 Genre screenwriter Johannes Persson Produced [email protected] LEE Film [email protected] waycreative.se Germany NonStop Entertainment Nordisk Film & TV Fond [email protected] framestation.se [email protected] redrental.dk Duration by Production brightpictures.se [email protected] [email protected] Virtual Reality/Horror 4 min [sic] film/Hanna Ostrowski leefilm.se WG Film Media Luna New Films nonstopentertainment.com nordiskfilmogtvfond.com Freetownfilms RMV Film [email protected] [email protected] year 2016 Genre Horror Duration 5 min Broos Film [email protected] Lejoni Production [email protected] wgfilm.com medialuna.biz Nordisk Film Stockholm Film Commission/ [email protected] freetownfilms.se [email protected] rmvfilm.com Germany broosfilm.com [email protected] Filmregion Stockholm- lejoni.se nordiskfilm.com Mälardalen French Quarter Film Roy Andersson Filmproduktion/ [email protected] MK2 International Camp David Film [email protected] [email protected] LittleBig Productions Studio 24 yellowbird.se [email protected] Novemberfilm [email protected] [email protected] frenchquarter.se [email protected] [email protected] mk2pro.com campdavidfilm.com [email protected] frsm.se littlebig.se royandersson.com Zentropa Sweden France novemberfilm.com Fundament Film Stockholm/ [email protected] Chamdin & Stöhr Film Sweden Film Commission Göteborg Ljud & Bildmedia RåFILM zentropasweden.com New Europe Film Sales Scanbox Entertainment Sweden [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] chamdinstohr.se [email protected] swedenfilmcommission.com [email protected] ljud-bildmedia.se rafilm.se Zigzag Animation neweuropefilmsales.com scanbox.com fundamentfilm.se [email protected] Poland Charon Film Swedish Arts Grants Ljudfadern Saint Michaels Production zigzag.se SF Studios Committee [email protected] Garagefilm International [email protected] [email protected] New Morning Films Schoolyard Blues charon.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ljudfadern.com saintmichaelsproduction.se newmorningfilms.com sfstudios.se konstnarsnamnden.se garagefilm.se France It’s John’s first day at school. Unexpectedly Chimney Sales Paralys Maja Borg Filmproduktion Salmonfox Studio S Entertainment Swedish Film & TV his eleven-year-old big brother Mika shows [email protected] GF Studios [email protected] [email protected] Companies Outplay Films The Turk Shop chimneygroup.com [email protected] Producers Association A sleepy Sunday in an apartment. A woman up to follow him to assembly. But Mika has [email protected] majaborg.com salmonfox.com [email protected] studiosentertainment.se [email protected] gfstudios.se Autlook Filmsales outplayfilms.com Chinema Film Sweden [email protected] filmtvp.se dozes off in front of the TV. When she wakes plans other than just taking John to school. At a creative firm somewhere in Stockholm, Malade SF Studios France TriArt Film [email protected] Ginestra Film [email protected] [email protected] autlookfilms.com up she finds herself in a kind of limbo Mika sees it as his mission to teach John the there’s a short break in a meeting. Cecilia chinema.se Austria [email protected] Swedish Institute [email protected] malade.se sfstudios.se Picture Tree International triart.se [email protected] between dream and reality. And somewhere hard facts of the world, starting with relates an anecdote from a hen party, about ginestrafilm.se [email protected] si.se Cimbria Film Malin Andersson Film Shoot & Post BAC Films picturetree-international.de in the periphery something is moving the merciless demands of the schoolyard. a “Turk Shop” that turned out to be closed. [email protected] [email protected] Twentieth Century Fox Sweden Giraff Film [email protected] [email protected] Germany foxmovies.se Swedish Lapland Film towards her... A visualisation of the phenome- Asal, relatively new at the workplace, [email protected] malinanderssonfilm.com shootpost.se bacfilms.com Cinenic Film France Commission/Filmpool Nord Pluto Films United International Pictures slfc.se non of sleep paralysis, where a person wakes Original title Skolstartssorg Director/ questions Cecilia’s choice of words, and this [email protected] Gnufilm Mantaray Film [sic] film [email protected] cinenicfilm.se CAT&Docs [email protected] up mentally but is unable to move physically. screenwriter Maria Eriksson Produced by seriously offends Cecilia. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] plutofilm.de uip.se Visit Sweden gnufilm.se mantarayfilm.se sicfilm.se [email protected] Germany Karimi Film/Farima Karimi Production year CO.Film catndocs.com [email protected] [email protected] France Walt Disney Company Nordic visitsweden.com Original title Paralys Director Björn 2017 Genre Drama Duration 17 min Original title Turkkiosken Director/ Goodbye Kansas MDEMC Silverosa Film Premium Films [email protected] co-film.se [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Celluloid Dreams West Sweden Film Commission / Fävremark, John Boisen Screenwriter screenwriter Bahar Pars Produced by [sic] goodbyekansas.se [email protected] silverosafilm.se premium-films.com Film i Väst Copenhagen Bombay mdemc.se [email protected] France Björn Fävremark Produced by Is This It/ film/Siri Hjorton Wagner Production year [email protected] celluloid-dreams.com Film Festivals [email protected] Gothenburg Film Studios Silvio Entertainment filmvast.se Judith Katzeff Production year 2016 2017 Genre Drama Duration 7 min copenhagenbombay.com [email protected] Media Monks [email protected] France Rise and Shine World Sales gothenburgstudios.se [email protected] silvioentertainment.com [email protected] Arctic Light Film Festival Genre Horror Duration 7 min Dagsljus Cinetic Media à That Summer [email protected] Southern Sweden Film mediamonks.com riseandshine-berlin.com Commission [email protected] Grand Slam Filmproduktion Snowcloud Films [email protected] Germany arcticlight.org dagsljus.com cineticmedia.com November 10-18, 2017 [email protected] [email protected] Medusa Productions [email protected] oresundfilm.com grandslamfilm.se [email protected] snowcloud.se US SF Studios Dansk Skalle medusa-productions.com [email protected] Bergman Week [email protected] GötaFilm Solid Entertainment Copenhagen Bombay Sales sfinternational.se [email protected] danskskalle.se [email protected] Memfis Film [email protected] [email protected] Sweden bergmancenter.se/bergmanveckan gotafilm.se [email protected] solidentertainment.se copenhagenbombay.com June 26-July 2, 2017 dfm memfis.se Denmark StudioCanal [email protected] studiocanal.com dfm.se France 50 ONE OFTHEWORLD’S LARGEST INTERNATIONAL FILMPRIZES REFLECT OURCONTEMPORARY WORLD FOR HEADSTRONG VISIONARIESWHO THE STOCKHOLM IMPACT AWARD IS MADEPOSSIBLE WITHTHECONTRIBUTION OF SUBMIT YOUR FILMNOW! PRIZE: 1MILLIONSEK FESTIVAL DIRECTOR GitScheynius [email protected] PROGRAM INQUIRIES [email protected] GENERAL INQUIRIESwww.stockholmfilmfestival.se THE CITY OFSTOCKHOLM THE 28 NOVEMBER 8-19 2017 INTERNATIONAL FILMFESTIVAL TH STOCKHOLM

DIRECTOR FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA, RECIPIENT OF THE STOCKHOLM LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2016 Photo: Johan Bergmark