Becoming Astrid
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Presents BECOMING ASTRID A film by Pernille Fischer Christensen 123 mins, Denmark/Sweden, 2018 Language: Danish and Swedish with English subtitles Official Selection: Berlinale Special Gala Screening 2018 – World Premiere Distribution Publicity Mongrel Media Inc Bonne Smith 1352 Dundas St. West Star PR Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6J 1Y2 Tel: 416-488-4436 Tel: 416-516-9775 Fax: 416-516-0651 Twitter: @starpr2 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] www.mongrelmedia.com SHORT SYNOPSIS When Astrid Lindgren was very young something happened that affected her profoundly, and this combination of both miracle and calamity came to shape her entire life. It was an event that transformed her into one of the most inspiring women of our age and the storyteller a whole world would come to love. This is the story of when a young Astrid, despite the expectations of her time and religious upbringing, decided to break free from society´s norms and follow her heart. DIRECTOR AND SCREENPLAY Pernille Fischer Christensen Pernille Fischer Christensen, one of Denmark’s most successful directors received her first prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her short film INDIA (1999), which she created during her training at the National Film School of Denmark. In 2003, Pernille received the Best Short Film Award at the Danish Film Academy for HABIBTI MY LOVE. Her debut feature film A SOAP (2006) world premiered at the Berlinale and was awarded the Silver Bear - (the Jury Grand Prize) and Best Debut Film Award. A SOAP also received Best Script at San Sebastian and won the Danish Film Critic´s Award (Bodil) for Best Film in 2007. Fischer Christensen is also known for SOMEONE YOU LOVE (2014) and A FAMILY (2010), both awarded at the Berlinale. Filmography 2006 A Soap (En soap) 2008 Dancers (Dansen) 2010 A Family (En familie) 2014 Someone you love (En du elsker) SCREENPLAY Kim Fupz Aakeson Kim Fupz Aakeson is one of Denmark’s most productive, well-know and award-winning writers. He has over 100 titles under his belt; comic book series, a string of children’s books, collections of short stories and novels. Since the mid 90s Fupz has been devoted to feature film scripts, among others; THE ONE AND ONLY (director Susanne Bier), IN YOUR HANDS (director Annette K Olesen, in the main competition at the 2004 Berlinale), A SOAP (director Pernille Fischer Christensen, winner of the Silver Bear 2006), PRAGUE (director Ole Christian Madsen) and LITTLE SOLDIER (director Annette K Olesen). DIRECTOR´S COMMENT Dear Astrid Lindgren, I spent much of my childhood in the forests of Småland. It was a simple life. Without electricity and hot water, no toilet, telephone or television. Without other children. I was often bored and very often alone. Luckily, I was able to immerse myself in books. Your books. You were the first person to make me think about my existence. You taught me that evil and goodness exists. That death must be faced. That forgiveness is possible, but that faith in life is the most powerful force. You shaped me – but what shaped you? When you were very young, something happened that I think affected you profoundly and made you the great storyteller you became. Something that gave you a deep insight into the soul of a child. Something that forced you to break with the norm, religion and culture of your time. Something that made you one of the most innovative and influential artists of our time. This is the event that shaped my story Becoming Astrid. Thank you. Pernille Fischer Christensen BECOMING ASTRID ASTRID has led a carefree life with her siblings in the forests and fields of her childhood home in Småland. But now, a young woman, she yearns for adult life, love and a future in the wider world. This initially leads her to the local newspaper and its charismatic editor BLOMBERG, who recognises his young intern’s writing talent, not to mention her youth and wit. He falls head over heels in love with her and, despite being old enough to be her father, Astrid responds. The repercussions quickly become serious when Astrid falls pregnant. Blomberg is married and in the throes of a divorce. He promises to marry her, but for now her situation must remain a secret, 1920s Vimmerby would be scandalised. But with her growing belly Astrid can’t bear to bring shame on her parents, so she leaves her childhood home and goes to Copenhagen to give birth to her son, LASSE, in secrecy, and then reluctantly leaves him in the care of a foster mother, MARIE. Astrid goes into self-imposed exile in Stockholm, in the end refusing Blomberg’s offer of marriage, and now Astrid leads a hand-to-mouth existence, saving up her paltry salary for the short but life-giving visits to see Lasse and Marie. Astrid’s separation from her son causes her untold agony. Lasse becomes attached to Marie, and Astrid cannot bear to tear him away from the life he knows and loves, but Marie becomes seriously ill and must give up caring for him. Astrid brings Lasse to Stockholm, where mother and son must try to connect. It is by no means easy. But Astrid’s imagination, creativity and flair for story-telling slowly brings them together. She can finally return home to Vimmerby hand in hand with her son, a grown woman who has seen dark times but who has emerged with a new-found courage that later on will form the foundations of a vast and beloved body of work. CAST Astrid - Alba August Alba August was born in 1993. She made her debut at eight years of age in Bille August’s A SONG FOR MARTIN (2001). After primary school, she studied theater at Södra Latin High school and acted in Pernilla August’s BEYOND (2010). August continued her drama studies at the Danish National School of Performing Arts. August broke through in 2013 when she played the leading role as Selinda in William Olsson’s drama RELIANCE, for which she was praised for her contribution. She has since starred in roles for television and film; IRL, JORDSKOTT and BELOW THE SURFACE. She was also in the stage version of THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT at the Malmö City Theater. This year, Alba will also be seen in THE RAIN, Netflix first Nordic original series. Alba is nominated Shooting Star by the European Film Promotion jury for her work in BECOMING ASTRID. The jury’s motivation: With an abundance of intuition and curiosity, Alba won over the jury with her convincing portrayal of the real-life writer, Astrid Lindgren, in BECOMING ASTRID, ably depicting her from an early age. Alba's performance on screen is as sensible and deep as it is unpredictable, imbuing the character with an inner life that allows us to explore the woman behind the writer. Hanna - Maria Bonnevie Maria Bonnevie is one of the leading actresses in Scandinavia with an impressive repertoire of roles in both film and theater. She graduated from Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1997 and made her debut at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm the same year in the play YVONNE by Ingmar Bergman. In 1991, at the age of fifteen, Bonnevie debuted in Hrafn Gunnlaugsson´s THE WHITE VIKING. In the following period she played the lead role in Academy Award winning director Bille August’s JERUSALEM (1996). In 2002 Bonnevie was nominated Shooting Star by the European Film Promotion at the Berlinale and that same year she had a major breakthrough as Dina in I AM DINA directed by Ole Bornedal where she plays opposite Gerard Depardieu and Mads Mikkelsen. For her critically acclaimed achievement she won the Amanda, the Norwegian Film Award, for best actress and was awarded at Montreal World Film Festival for best foreign actress. In Denmark she was nominated for both a Danish Critic´s Association Award and a Danish Academy Award. Bonnevie went on to star in the double role as Aimee and Simone in Christopher Boe’s award winning debut RECONSTRUCTION (2003) for which she was nominated for a Bodil Award for best actress in 2004. In 2007 she played the lead role in Andrei Swjaginzew´s THE BANISHMENT which was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival. In 2014 she played opposite Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Nikolaj Lie Kaas in Academy Award winning director Susanne Bier’s A SECOND CHANCE. Most recently she appeared as the young widow and mother Melussina in the Danish adventure film THE SHAMER´S DAUGHTER (2015) directed by Kenneth Kainz. Samuel - Magnus Krepper Magnus Krepper is a Swedish actor, magician and dancer. Krepper studied ballet at the Academy of Ballet, in Gothen- burg, 1987-90. He then went on to drama studies at the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts 1995-98. After drama school he was engaged at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm. Magnus Krepper is known to the audiences for his roles in the tv dramas KOMMISSARIE WINTER, Lisbeth Salander´s MILLENNIUM-trilogy, THE BRIDGE and in the feature films CALL GIRL, GENTLEMEN (director Mikael Marcimain) and MOUTH TO MOUTH (director Björn Runge) for which he was awarded a Guldbagge, the Swedish Film Award for best actor in a supporting role 2005. Krepper has recently completed filming the Danish/South African tv drama LIBERTY (director Mikael Marcimain) and the Danish feature film A BETTER LIFE (director Michael Noer). Marie - Trine Dyrholm Trine Dyrholm is one of Denmark's most acclaimed actresses as well as an accomplished singer-songwriter and director.