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Tag archives for Cinemateket

Darth Vader, Indiana Jones and Jesus Christ share one thing, Pernilla August

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An acting force to be reckoned with, Pernilla August. Photo: Mattias Ahlm/SR

The other day I went to another Q&A at Cinemateket. Remembering how interesting it was last time I made damn sure that I was going to grab a good seat for this one. Pernilla August is a Swedish acting legend. She’s the only one in the world that can say that she’s been Darth Vader’s mom, the mother of Indiana Jones and the mother of Jesus Christ. In 1992 she won the Best Actress award at Cannes Film Festival for her role in Bille August’s film, Best Intentions (Den goda viljan).

It’s very easy getting carried away when talking about the lovely Pernilla August because she truly has done so much impressive work. She’s done countless of plays including Hamlet and worked with most of the greats of Swedish directors. We’re talking Roy Andersson, Bo Widerberg and no other than Ingmar Bergman.

Now it’s her turn. She came to this Inside the Actors Studio inspired conversation with not only her smile and knowledge. She also brought her debut film as a director, Beyond (Svinalängorna). This film hasn’t premiered yet but has already picked up a lot of festival awards around the world including the Foreign Press Award in Hamburg and a Critics Award in Venice and now after seeing it I understand why.

Beyond is a really heavy drama about family with the soon to be Hollywood Noomi Rapace in the lead. The film is about a woman that finds out that her mother is dying but due to an upbringing where abuse and alcoholism was a daily thing she thinks she can just ignore it and go on with her life. Her husbands pushes her to go see her mom and soon all emotions come pouring out and her history that she has kept secret from her husband surfaces.

You can see what I mean about heavy, right? This is not a film you go see on a Saturday night with a date. You’ll be lucky if you even get a kiss. You’ll be too busy handing her tissues for tears. One thing Pernilla August has without a doubt picked up from her work in films is her composition. Every scene is very nicely framed and shot. The acting is just fantastic. Noomi Rapace really shows why she’s going to Hollywood and even the kid actors in this film are amazing.

The music however threw me off a little and there’s a little to much talking for me to really love it straight through. However, this wouldn’t stop me from going to see it again and as a debut film it’s scary how well made it is so bravo Pernilla August. Beyond hits Swedish movie theaters the 10th of December.

Chris Gardner - Film

November 13, 2010

On the seventh day of Christmas Uppsala Short Film Festival came to me

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Well, it’s not Christmas yet but we are getting closer. Shops are selling Christmas ornaments, fireworks are being sold and people go to work with jackets as thick as mattresses, me included. The puffy jacket also takes away the edge, and the elbows, of the rush hour commute.

Now it’s only seven days left until the Uppsala Short Film Festival gets started and I can’t wait. I’m already in on their website reading up on films and trying to figure out a schedule that works. I highly recommend anybody to do the same. Even if you’re not visiting the festival it can be really interesting to read about the stories the filmmakers have given life to. The process of creating something that moves you in only a few minutes is truly difficult. Those great films are hard to find but I will search my hardest. Last year I was lucky in calling out the film that won Best Picture after only two days. I’ve put together the image above to show the grand scale of how many films they will be screening at Uppsala. That’s all the films that are going to be screened on the first day alone. We then have six more days of film to go through so yeah, a schedule keeps you alive in the film jungle that awaits. It’s what separates us from the animals.

And if you can’t wait for your cinema fix and want to do something fun on a Tuesday then I’ve got just the thing for you (if you’re currently in Sweden that is). Go out to Cinemateket (contact information) tomorrow and grab a seat at the premiere of Boardwalk Empire. Cinemateket has done the amazing choice of showing the first episode of the TV-show Boardwalk Empire on the big screen. Why is this something worth going to? Because one of the producers behind the show is no other than Martin Scorsese who also directed the first episode. If that’s not enough I’ve heard there will be free champagne. Oh, and did I mention that the event is free? All you need to be is a member. Check out the trailer to see if it’s your cup of tea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDyKgRCjf_U

Later this week I’ll be revewing two of the most popular films in Sweden right now. You’ll just have to wait and see which ones. I know, I’m such a film-tease.

P.S. You haven’t missed WATCH, right? All the cool kids are doing it.

Chris Gardner - Film

October 18, 2010

Same same but different

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Director Susanne Bier is Danish but has many ties to Swedish film. Photo: SFI

Welcome to Sweden.se’s relaunch of the movie blog. I’m your host, Chris Gardner. Last year I covered the short film festival that took place in Uppsala and shared my thoughts on this site. However last year the blog wasn’t as easy to find. You kind of had to have Indiana Jones with his bag of sand to find it but this year it’s much easier and you have to agree that the blog area is looking great so if film isn’t your only cup of tea you’ll easily find some more interesting reading here at Sweden.se.

I will be covering the Uppsala short film festival this year as well but other than that I will be sharing my general thoughts about mostly Swedish film, mixed with some movie news. Hopefully there’s enough juice out there to make a good movie smoothie.

Last Thursday the director Susanne Bier from Denmark was here in Stockholm to do a Q&A (Questions & Answers) and answer presented by Cinemateket over at Filmhuset. This “Inside the Actor Studio” inspired bit was hosted by Johanna Koljonen, a Finnish journalist. I found the fact that a Danish person was interviewed by a Finish person in Sweden pretty amusing. I was the only one that found that funny.

Susanne Bier is a director that has done some remarkable work. Ever since her debut with Freud Leaving Home (Freud flyttar hemifrån) in 1991 her name has been a stamp of quality. Over the last years she has directed Brothers (Bröder), After The Wedding (Efter Bröllopet), Open Hearts (Älskar Dig För Evigt) and Things We Lost In The Fire, which was her Hollywood debut.

In all her films she puts most focus on one thing and one thing only, the human emotions. This is probably why most of her films reach both critics and the audiences. During this Q&A she was asked why she likes to do so many close ups. Her reply was that she thought the human face is the most interesting thing to shoot. When asked about what she thinks of other films she hopes that a lot more of the Nordic filmmakers will stop shooting in a style she calls “Nordic naturalism”. It’s too cold, boring and judgmental in her opinion. Focus on the acting, the emotions. Too many filmmakers are busy thinking about the frame so the characters get lost. This is why I use a crappy monitor Susanne Bier says with a smile on her face.

Mikael Persbrandt plays one of the leads in the movie In A Better World (Hämnden). Photo: Nordisk Film

She couldn’t talk about her latest film, In a Better World (Hämnden) because we were all going to see it after the Q&A but she said that she was really proud of it and she should be. The film is Denmarks choice for the Oscar later next year and it only took the film three weeks to turn a profit according to the production company Zentropa. You can see the trailer here. I’m sorry but I couldn’t find one with subtitles.

So what do I think of In A Better World? The film is a real powerhouse of emotions. It’s a violent movie without the violence. I haven’t seen anything like this coming out of Sweden or Denmark in the last few years. The story revolves around two families with their sons being best friends and this friendship will put a lot of things on the line. I really can’t explain more without spoiling something so all I got to say is if you have the chance to see it, do it. The storylines are pretty complex and the acting is fantastic. I sat on the edge of my seat during most parts of it and that was ages ago I remember doing that.

Chris Gardner - Film

October 4, 2010