by Sarah Ward, freelance writer and critic, and BIFF Marketing Manager
Nestled in the Scandinavian region alongside neighbours Denmark and Norway, Sweden is renowned for more than its temperate climate, Viking history and a reputation for technological innovation. In addition, the Nordic kingdom boasts a proud cinematic history dating back to the earliest days of the medium, albeit one that is still in the midst of blossoming from humble beginnings. Considered the most prominent film-producing country of Scandinavia courtesy of a spate of international successes, the Swedish national cinema has experienced the breadth and depth of highs and lows inherent in the filmmaking business. From the glitz and glamour of celebrated starlets to the applause of accomplished auteurs, and the intrigue of experimental efforts to the popularity of contemporary cross-over titles, the film output of Sweden has emerged as a growing force to be reckoned with in the international cinematic arena.
Since the first public projection in Malmö in 1896 to the nation’s first-ever film drama The Barber’s Shop In The Village a year later, the Swedish populace quickly embraced the cinematic art form during its formative period. In the century that followed, the country became known for its mastery of a multitude of aspects of the audio-visual nature, transcending genre and stylistic bounds across both sparse and vibrant efforts, whilst encompassing everything from thrillers to comedies. Stemming from the initial acclaim that accompanied the Hollywood transition of early achievers Victor Sjöström, Mauritz Stiller and Greta Garbo, and extending to the recent revitalisation of the Sweden to U.S. trend, the Swedish proficiency with all things filmmaking demonstrated signs of profundity and potency from the outset. Engaging and entertaining whilst probing minds and playing with hearts, the combined offerings of over a hundred years of cinematic innovators and aficionados carved a considerable niche in the viewing preferences of both local and global audiences.
Greta Garbo and Mauritz Stiller in 1925
Whilst Garbo’s popularity during the silent era and subsequent Golden Age of Hollywood first focused the spotlight on the Swedish industry, her status as her nation’s shining light was soon eclipsed by a talent known for his efforts behind the lens. Indeed, from his script for compatriot Alf Sjöberg’s Torment to his directorial debut Crisis shortly afterwards, Ingmar Bergman immediately established his influence upon the international perception of Swedish cinema, with his legacy still keenly felt a mere four years after his death. Securing three best foreign language film Academy Awards and seven nods from the Cannes Film Festival, Bergman’s finesse and flourish extended beyond his seminal works. Instead, even with The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries, The Virgin Spring and Through A Glass Darkly, and Autumn Sonata and Fanny And Alexander on his resume, his name became synonymous with the achievements of Swedish filmmaking as a whole.
Jan Troell and Lasse Hallström
Yet despite the glossy sheen cast over the industry by Garbo’s star power and Bergman’s artistic prowess, Swedish efforts truly came of age in the mid to late part of the twentieth century. Traversing the path pioneered by early manipulators of the medium, the likes of Jan Troell (The Emigrants), Roy Andersson (A Swedish Love Story) and Lasse Hallström (A Guy And A Gal) continued to catapult the nation to prominence, with the latter amongst the first of the next wave of Swedish imports to America. In recent years, Lukas Moodysson (Lilya 4-ever) delved into the darker side of the spectrum, reinvigorating the younger brigade of helmers content to step outside of their progenitor’s shadows. With Björn Ringe (Harry And Sonja), Kristian Petri (Between Summers), Daniel Bergman (Expectations), Mikael Håfström (Evil) and Anders Banke (Frostbiten) amongst his contemporaries, Sweden’s next wave of movie masters commenced shaping their national cinema in their image.
The undercurrent of talent represented by the aforementioned brethren of helmers is crucial to the next stage of Swedish cinema, even as the industry as a whole currently completes a cyclical course. Just as the voyage of Garbo from her homeland to Hollywood sent the tides of global attention in the direction of Sweden, two specific modern efforts have sparked a recreation of that very phenomenon. In the horror and thriller genres respectively, the page to screen offerings of Let The Right One In and the Millennium trilogy (consisting of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest) have elicited international attention and inspired U.S. adaptations. Yet, as the industry basks in the glory of widespread recognition, underneath the fertile minds of the nation’s filmic up-and-comers are beginning to bloom.
Must-sees:
Cries And Whispers (1972): Contemplating the cessation of life, the personal and penetrating feature was heralded as a mid-career return to form for Ingmar Bergman.
My Life As A Dog (1985): Former ABBA music video director Lasse Hallström explores the drama of youth in an emotive award-winning offering.
Fucking Åmål (1998): Marking the emergence of Lukas Moodysson, his first full-length effort ponders tentative teenage love in a small town in central Sweden.
Let The Right One In (2008): The dark yet deeply resonant and brooding yet starkly beautiful film that reinvented the vampire genre, based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s best-selling novel.
Everlasting Moments (2008): A tender and patient period piece about leaving a legacy found only in single frames of cellulose from five-time Academy Award nominee Jan Troell.
