Suddenly (Underbara älskade) by Johan Brisinger
Given the long hours of darkness in Scandinavia at this time of year and evenings that seem to begin soon after lunchtime, we’ve been making the most of the opportunity by watching some of the best new films from the region.
Any of our readers who are International films fans should take a look below for brief reviews of our recent favorites from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. For those of our readers who happen to live in New York, there’s a chance to catch all of these films at Scandinavia House as part of their popular annual Winter/Spring film series.
SWEDEN
Suddenly (Underbara älskade)
Directed by Johan Brisinger (Sweden, 2006). With Michael Nyqvist, Anastasios Soulis, Moa Gammel, Sten Ljunggren, Anita Wall, Philip Zandén & Cathrine Hansson. In Swedish with English subtitles.
100 min.
This intense and emotionally complex drama was one of the biggest box office hits in Sweden last year. When unexpected tragedy strikes—a father and son survive a car accident that claims the lives of the mother and youngest son—how do the remaining family members cope? Tough times follow as Lasse struggles with depression and his teenage son Jonas isolates himself increasingly. Can father and son muster the strength to overcome their grief and approach each other with open arms? Jonas's grandparents look into taking custody of the boy, but Lasse wants another chance to reconnect with his son and reality, and the two travel to Gothenburg to spend a few weeks at the family's seaside vacation home. Lasse emotionally connects with a couple next door who help him sort out his feelings of loss and grief, and Jonas enjoys a youthful romance with the beautiful Helena. However, when the grandparents pay a visit to celebrate midsummer, Lasse goes on a drunken bender and they become convinced he's beyond help. Suddenly received the Audience Prize at Nordic Film Days (Lübeck, Germany, 2007).
When Darkness Falls (När mörkret fallar)
Directed by Anders Nilsson (Sweden, 2006). With Lia Boysen, Reuben Sallmander, Per Graffman, Peter Engman, Anja Lundqvist, Oldoz Javidi & Bahar Pars. In Swedish with English subtitles. 131 min.
When two young sisters violate their family's code of honour, their lives become a deadly nightmare. Two bouncers at a popular club are attacked by criminals, igniting total war. An award-winning journalist presses charges of spousal abuse against her husband only to become a pariah amongst their common colleagues. But what none of their aggressors could have foreseen is the enormous will to fight and prevail that is awakened in the hearts of those threatened one time too many. When Darkness Falls is a gripping and intense thriller about honor, loyalty, and the courage to fight for what you believe in. Based on real events, the film received excellent reviews in the Swedish press and won Best Fictional Feature at the Libertas Film Festival (Dubrovnik, Croatia, 2007) and the Amnesty International Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival (Germany, 2007).
Darling
Directed by Johan Kling (Sweden, 2007). With Michelle Meadows, Michael Segerström, Richard Ulfsäter, Mikael Lindgren & Natalie Sanneman. In Swedish with English subtitles. 93 min.
Darling is a dark comedy about society, a tragic and comic tale of obnoxious, young, upper class, ordinary folks and the bitter conditions of life in Stockholm in the 2000’s. Beautiful and self-absorbed Eva engages in a banal affair that becomes the starting point of a slow but relentless descent down to the life of ordinary people and a surprising, but doomed, friendship. An egocentric and cold-hearted 24-year-old, she works in an exclusive clothing store in Stockholm's posh city center, lives in her parents' bourgeois flat, and has a boyfriend. Everything seems perfect. When her best friend Martina tells her about a sexual escapade with the love of her life, Nicolas, Eva reacts with revulsion and a strange fascination. In another part of town, the aging engineer Bernhard is desperately looking for jobs as the rents go up and expenses for his house go sky high. At night, he makes mysterious phone calls but doesn't get any answers. Praised as the “Swedish film of the year” by Nöjesguiden, Darling won The Nordic Film Award at the Göteborg International Film Festival, 2007.
FINLAND
Year of the Wolf (Suden vuosi)
Directed by Olli Saarela (Finland, 2007). With Krista Kosonen & Kari Heiskanen. In Finnish with English subtitles. 95 min.
In this film about forbidden love and conquering private fears, Sari is a talented student of literature who appears composed and confident on the outside. Her life, however, is characterized by a sense of remoteness. Women envy her for her intelligence and beauty; men admire her from a distance for the same reasons. But looming inside her is a beast that isolates her from the rest of the world: Sari has epilepsy, and a fear of seizures makes her live cautiously, keeping a safe distance from other people. When Sari meets Mikko, an older man who is a lecturer at her university, she recognizes in him a similar element of remoteness. Mikko, who drifts around in his private world of complex thoughts, only feels at home in the company of 19th century poetry. In the performance-oriented modern world of computers and camera phones, he is an oddity. In Mikko Sari finds an equal, but outsiders see them only as two totally incompatible people.
Frozen City (Valkoinen kaupunki)
Directed by Aku Louhimies (Finland, 2006). With Janne Virtanen & Susanna Anteroinen. In Finnish with English subtitles. 90 min.
In director Aku Louhimies's poignant follow-up to his acclaimed feature Frozen Land, a man who has lost his family is convicted of manslaughter—an act of violence which, hopelessly drunk at the time, he cannot remember committing. This indelible portrait of a life (and marriage) gone awry explores cab driver Veli-Matti´s tragedy in great and moving depth and makes very real the rawest and most painful themes of a human life. His wife has just left him, he's having trouble paying the bills, and most of his customers are unpleasant and don't tip well. In a misanthropic opening voiceover that recalls Scorsese's Taxi Driver, Veli-Matti wishes for a blizzard that will cover up all the dross and make everything new again. Instead, his wife asks for a divorce, and he is forced to move into a low-rent flat he can't afford to furnish for his kids' weekly visits. Using mostly handheld camera work and allowing his actors to improvise, Louhimies brings immediacy and verisimilitude to the events onscreen. Frozen City has won awards at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Nordic Film Day (Lübeck, Germany, 2006), and five Jussi Awards (the Finnish Oscars) for best director, actor, actress, editing, and script.
FC Venus
Directed by Joona Tena (Finland, 2005). With Minna Haapkylä, Petteri Summanen, Laura Malmivaara, Lotta Lehtikari & Taneli Mäkelä. In Finnish with English subtitles. 107 min.
FC Venus is a modern-day romantic comedy about men, women, and soccer. It contrasts the last male stronghold in life (soccer) and women’s expectations for the future. Pete plays soccer on a lousy but obsessive team, watching, thinking, living and breathing the game. His girlfriend Anna hates the whole sport, but her love for Pete overrides her hostility towards the game. Dark clouds loom over the happy relationship when Anna discovers to her horror that Pete intends to waste the whole month of June attending the World Cup in Germany with his teammates. In a flash of anger, she makes a bet with Pete: she will put together a team of the wives and girlfriends of the men on Pete’s team and challenge the men to a game. If the women win, the men must give up playing and watching soccer. And if the men win, the women must never again give them a hard time over their hobby. Thus is born the women’s team, FC Venus. The film follows the women through their summer-long crash course in the secrets of soccer. They finally learn what “offside” means, but they also learn a good many new things about women’s and men’s worlds. When the two teams finally meet, Anna and Pete have to consider what kind of game they have thrown themselves into. Love is tested when the stakes grow higher and the rules change.
ICELAND
Parents (Foreldrar)
Directed by Ragnar Bragason (Iceland, 2007). With Ingvar E.Sigurðsson, Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir, Víkingur Kristjánsson, Reine Brynolfsson, Þrúður Vilhjálmsdóttir, Jóna Guðrún Jónsdóttir, Pétur Rögnvaldsson & Lilja Guðrún Þorvaldsdóttir. In Icelandic with English subtitles. 120 min.
The lives of three desperate characters intersect in this ensemble piece inspired by the largely improvisational, collaborative methods of Jean-Luc Godard, John Cassavetes, and Mike Leigh. In conjunction with actors from the Icelandic theatrical troupe Vesturport, who based their characters on real people, director Ragnar Bragason has produced a companion piece to his 2006 feature Children. Set in suburban Reykjavík, this unsentimental dramatic study of parenthood in all its potential for fulfillment, suffering, and self-discovery hinges on a brand of realism as stark as its backdrop. Oskar is a dentist who plays surrogate father to his wife's children but longs for a baby of his own—even as his marriage falls apart. Katrin, who works in his office, tries to win back the respect and affections of her 11-year-old son, who was raised by her mother during her eight-year absence. Einar is a stockbroker whose workaholism has alienated his wife and young daughter. What the characters learn at their respective crossroads is that in order to realize their hopes for the future and truly participate in family life, they must take responsibility for the past. Parents won Edda Awards (the Icelandic Oscar) for Best Film, Best Director, Best Script, Best Actress, and Best Actor.
Cold Trail (Köld slód)
Directed by Björn Brynjulfur Björnsson (Iceland, 2006). With Thröstur Leó Gunnarsson, Elva Ósk Ólafsdóttir, Hjalti Rögnvaldsson, Aníta Briem & Helgi Björnsson. In Icelandic with English subtitles. 99 min.
This crime story set in the magnificent snow-covered highlands of Iceland is so full of suspense that it will send a freezing chill down your spine! Cold Trail is a thriller that revolves around a ruthless tabloid reporter, Baldur, who goes to any lengths to dig up a sensational story. When a security guard is killed in a mysterious accident at an isolated and apparently haunted power plant, he takes no interest in the story until he discovers from his mother that the security guard—a stranger—was his biological father. Against the will of his editor, he travels to the icy industrial complex disguised as a new security guard and soon discovers that nothing is what it seems in this isolated place. The close-knit crew dislikes strangers and obviously has something to hide. As he becomes entwined in a mysterious network full of intrigue, Baldur’s discovery of a 25-year-old crime puts his life at risk.
Dís
Directed by Silja Hauksdóttir (Iceland, 2005). With Alfrun Arno, Ilmur Kristjansdottir, Arni Tryggvason, Thorunn Erna Clausen, Ylfa Edelstein & Gunnar Hansson. In Icelandic with English subtitles. 82 min.
23-year-old Dís is still trying to decide what to do with her life. Obsessed by the thought of being "abnormally normal," a mere photocopy of long lost original, she wanders from one odd job to another and tries out various courses at the university. When a successful American photographer offers her a job as her assistant, Dís prepares to move to New York. She also becomes romantically involved with two men and has a passionate affair that reaches its climax during an earthquake that rattles Reykjavík on Iceland's Independence Day. By the end of the summer the American photographer retracts her job offer, a good friend dies, and her roommate, who has been dating identical twins, finds out she is pregnant—but by which? Dís, however, seems happier and more determined than ever to find out what the future has in store for her. Dís is adapted from a bestselling 2000 novel co-written by director Silja Hauksdóttir with Birna Anna Björnsdóttir and Oddny Sturludóttir.
NORWAY
Sons (Sønner)
Directed by Erik Richter Strand (Norway, 2006). With Nils Jørgen Kaalstad, Edward Schultheiss, Henrik Mestad, Mikkel Bratt Silset, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal & Marika Enstad. In Norwegian with English subtitles. 103 min.
25-year-old Lars works as an attendant at an Oslo swimming pool. Good-hearted but violent-tempered, he shares a troubled past with his best friend Jørgen. Now Jørgen is on his way to adulthood with his girlfriend and their child, while Lars still lives the bachelor life of soccer and beer. One day Lars gets a nasty surprise at the swimming pool: he recognizes Hans, a middle-aged man who’s rumored to fool around with teenage boys. Lars alerts Anja, head of the pool and Jørgen’s girlfriend, that Hans is a threat and needs to be banned from the pool. When Anja will not listen to any accusations without proof, Lars sets out on his own to gather evidence and recruits Tim, a boy who has been seeing Hans, to help him bring down the abuser. Soon the situation spins out of control, and rage takes over as Lars embarks on a crusade that endangers the very people he set out to protect. Sons has been awarded the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival’s Rainer Werner Fassbinder Award, the Black Night Film Festival’s Don Quijote Award (Tallinn), and the Seattle International Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize.
Winterland (Vinterland)
Directed by Hisham Zaman (Norway, 2007). With Raouf Sarag, Shler Rahnoma, Kawa Gilli & Alibag Salimi. In Norwegian and Kurdish with English subtitles. 52 min.
Director Hisham Zaman tells the story of Renas, a well-adjusted Kurdish refugee who lives in a godforsaken part of northern Norway, with warmth and a humor. Renas has everything he wants, except a wife. He marries a woman from his home country whom he has never met. The marriage has a difficult start when his bride arrives in Norway, and neither her husband nor the country appears the way she had imagined. And is it possible for Renas to love a woman he has only seen in a photo? Raouf Sarag received the 2007 National Film Award “The Amanda” for Best Actor.
Maria’s Men (Marias Menn)
Directed by Vibeke Ringen (Norway, 2006). With Ingjerd Egeberg, Ulrikke Hansen Døvigen, Mats Eldøen Jens Jørn Spottag & Kai Remlov. In Norwegian with English subtitles. 79 min.
40-year-old Maria is in the prime of life—she is a surgeon, has three children from two marriages, and is single. Her days are hectic, but she handles life just fine. Maria is unable to fit a man into her life, but when the successful Danish psychiatrist Fredrik joins her staff as chief physician, he seems like the perfect man for her! Moreover, he has a vineyard in France and seems quite interested. The problem arrives when the fun, spontaneous—and much younger—ambulance driver Jonas is also attracted to Maria. Jonas is Mr. Wrong: he is 15 years younger, lives by the principle of Carpe Diem, and loves his freedom. Fredrik is Mr. Right: mature, wise, financially stable, and confident. Maria tries to suppress her feelings for Jonas by dating Fredrik, but she gets more and more confused. The children, her job, and two men all demanding her attention and emotional energy is just too much. On top of it all, her ex-husband demands custody of their children. Maria is close to losing it when a tragedy helps her understand that she must follow her heart.
DENMARK
Prague (Prag)
Directed by Ole Christian Madsen (Denmark, 2006). With Mads Mikkelsen & Stine Stengade. In Danish & Czech with English subtitles. 90 min.
A heady blend of dark humor and heartbreak, Prague divulges the secrets of a disintegrating marriage with both empathy and brutal honesty. Christoffer and his wife Maja go to Prague to bring the remains of his recently deceased father back to Denmark. For Christoffer, still bitter at his estranged father’s abandonment 25 years earlier despite his outward stoicism, it's a question of getting him packed into a coffin, flown to Denmark, and buried at the family grave site as quickly as possible so he can return to everyday life with his wife and their 12-year-old son. Behind a convincing facade, Christoffer and Maja's relationship is falling apart, and the confrontation with his deceased father doesn't make things any easier. In Prague they find themselves up against a bumbling bureaucracy that seems to have misplaced the cadaver they've come for as well as language barriers and cultural divides that make for near-surreal encounters with the locals. When both Maja and the attorney handling his late father's affairs blindside him with new disclosures, Christoffer finally shows the emotion he's kept bottled up for so long. He must fight for his marriage and come to terms with his past, and finally, he must fight to avoid being destroyed in the city to which he came on a purely practical errand.
We Shall Overcome (Drømmen)
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev (Denmark, 2006). With Bent Mejding, Anders W. Berthelsen, Jens Jørn Spottag, Anne Grethe Bjarup Riis, Peter Hesse Overgaard, Sarah Juel Werner & Janus Dissing Rathke. In Danish with English subtitles. 105 min.
In this story based on actual events, 13-year-old Frits has fallen out of favor with the headmaster of his provincial school. Corporal punishment has been banned, but the tyrannical headmaster hasn't bothered to notice. The year is 1969, and the world is changing rapidly; Frits spends his summer holidays watching the family's first television and is influenced by the winds of change. Martin Luther King's speeches and dreams of a better life have armed him with courage and the desire for rebellion. When the headmaster steps over the line, the boy takes up a battle against the authorities.
Clash of Egos (Sprængfarlig bombe)
Directed by Tomas Villum Jensen (Denmark, 2006). With Ulrich Thomsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Mille Dinesen, Line Kruse, Kristian Halken & Lars Brygmann. In Danish with English subtitles. 91 min.
This cheeky comedy about an aggrieved moviegoer who takes out his anger on a pretentious director (reportedly modeled on Lars von Trier) is a witty take on the clash between films that are perceived as either art or trash. Tonny has a severe anger management problem and has just spent time in jail for knocking a man unconscious. He promises to reform and is awarded visitation rights with his two kids. They celebrate the reunion with a trip to the movies. The new “Harry Potter” movie is sold out, so they go see the pretentious new film by the world famous and critically acclaimed Danish director Claus Volter. But the movie is not at all the masterpiece the poster had promised. The kids start crying, and Tonny can't get his 471 kroner for the tickets and candy refunded. Tonny refuses to give up, however, and seeks out Claus Volter to get an explanation and to get his money back. It is, however, no small task to get money out of a master director. Tonny visits Volter on the set of his new film, where he's mistaken for an extra and has a serious accident. Told that he can now sue Volter for millions, Tonny instead demands to become the picture's co-writer and co-director. Furious, Volter has to agree. With the aid of his friend (and possible love interest) Klara, Tonny pens a new script packed with guns, ninjas, and shootouts.
Danish Film Institute
Finnish Film Foundation
Icelandic Film Centre
Norwegian Film Institute
Swedish Film Institute
Scandinavia House
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