Scandinavia House

SWEDEN
Involuntary/De ofrivilliga

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, 6:30 pm & 9 pm

Directed by Ruben Östlund (Sweden, 2008).With Maria Lundqvist, Leif Edlund, Olle Lijas, Vera Vitali. In Swedish with English subtitles. 98 min.

It's almost summer in Sweden and minor indiscretions and misbehavior abound. Leffe likes to show off for his friends and play salacious pranks, especially when he's drinking. Meanwhile, a righteous grade-school teacher doesn't know where to draw the line: she insists her fellow educators need a bit of instruction. Then there are two young teenage girls who like to pose for sexy photos and to party, but one night in a park, one of them is found passed out drunk by a complete stranger.

Involuntary is a tragic comedy that explores the nature of group dynamics and moral dilemmas about when to stand up for oneself or for others. The film has won several awards; best film at the Brussels film festival, best director in Geneva, the audience award and best screenplay at the Stockholm Film Festival.

DENMARK
Terribly Happy/Frygtelig Lykkelig

Wednesday, January 6, 2010, 6:30 pm & 9 pm

Directed by Henrik Ruben Genz (Denmark, 2008). With Jakob Cedergren, Kim Bodnia, Lene Maria Christensen, Lars Brygmann. In Danish with English subtitles. 95 min.

Terribly Happy is a blackly comic thriller about the universal nature of compromise and corruption. Robert, a Copenhagen policeman with a big city temperament is sent to a small village in southern Jutland on punishment duty after a being accused of professional misconduct. The village is unwelcoming, outsiders either adapt or disappear. The alluring Ingerlise, herself an outsider, tries to enlist his help in escaping from her abusive husband, Jørgen. Robert’s initial skepticism to the seemingly idyllic country surroundings is confirmed as he discovers the village harbors a dark secret. The cleverly constructed script alludes to Noir and references other genres such as Western, all the while toying with conventions, as in the showdown between Robert and Jørgen, staged as a drinking contest rather than a shootout.

Terribly Happy won several awards for acting, directing and screenplay, among them the Grand Prix Crystal Globe at the 2008 International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary, best actor and actress and five other awards at Robert Festival in Copenhagen and the Grand Prix award at Flanders International Film Festival.

ICELAND
Reykjavík-Rotterdam

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Directed by Óskar Jónasson (Iceland, 2008). With Baltasar Kormákur, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Lilja Nótt Þórarinsdóttir, Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson, Victor Löw, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jörundur Ragnarsson, Theódór Júlíusson, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Pálmi Kormákur Baltasarsson, Stormur Jón Kormákur Baltasarsson. In Icelandic with English subtitles. 90 min.

Like a fish on a dry land, Kristofer is stuck in a dull everyday routine, working as a security guard. He got fired from the freight ship he worked on, when he was caught smuggling alcohol. Faced with money problems, he is tempted to accept the help of his friend, Steingrimur, who manages to pull some strings to get his old job back. He decides to take his chances one last time on a tour to Rotterdam.

One of the biggest budgeted Icelandic films of all time, Reykjavik-Rotterdam has all the action one would expect from a Hollywood production: guns, big explosions and intriguing plot twists. Reykjavik-Rotterdam received Edda Awards for best director, editing, music, screenplay and sound. There is also a US produced remake in the works, due in 2011.

FINLAND
Letters to Father Jacob/Postia pappi Jaakobille

Friday, January 15, 2010, 6:30 pm & 9 pm

Directed by Klaus Härö (Finland, 2008). With Kaarina Hazard, Heikki Nousiainen, Jukka Keinonen, Esko Roine. In Finnish with English subtitles. 75 min.

Letters to Father Jacob is a warm-hearted and touching story of Leila, a life sentence prisoner who has just been pardoned. When she is released from prison, she is offered a job at a secluded parsonage; she moves there against her will. Leila is used to taking care only of herself, so she experiences conflicting feelings when she starts working as the personal assistant for Jacob, the blind pastor living in the parsonage. Every day the mail man brings letters from people asking for help from Pastor Jacob. Answering the letters is Jacob’s life mission, while Leila has already decided to leave the parsonage when the letters suddenly stop coming. Jacob’s life is shaken to its foundation. Two completely different lives are intertwined unexpectedly, and the roles of the helper and the one being helped are turned upside down.

Letters to Father Jacob received the Interfilm Church Prize and audience award at Nordic Film days, Lübeck, main award at Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival and the Golden Pyramid and prize for best screenwriter at Cairo International Film Festival.

FINLAND
Forbidden Fruit/Kielletty hedelmä

Wednesday, February 17 & Saturday, February 20

Watch trailer (no English subtitles)

Directed by Dome Karukoski (2009). Maria and Raakel are 18 years old and belong to a community of Laestadians – a conservative Lutheran revival movement – who live in the remote countryside of Northern Finland. They are both engaged to marry boys from the community and have grown up sheltered from the worldly pleasures one would expect girls of their age to have enjoyed. That summer the strong-minded Maria decides to break with the community and flee to the city to experience the forbidden fruits it has to offer. She wants to dance, drink and kiss boys, all the while thinking she can always return to her community and have her sins forgiven when she gets tired of the city. Back home the community elders grow worried for Maria and convince her best friend Raakel to travel to the city to look after her. Soon Raakel too caves in to the pleasures she didn’t know she was longing for. 104 min.

Overseas and Under Your Skin/Maata meren alla

Wednesday, February 24 & Saturday, February 27

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Directed by Lenka Hellstedt (2008). Overseas and Under Your Skin tells the story of Ida, a young woman who is almost thirty, unemployed, and lives at home with her activist mother, Kati. With all the best intentions, Kati tries to set Ida up with a job at her work. This simply drives Ida to prove to her mother that she can take care of herself. Under the encouragement of her new friend, Ville, Ida decides to do something about her life and takes off for Berlin to find a job, and perhaps herself. Slightly bewildered, but excited by the big city, Ida is having the time of her life. Back in Finland however, her mother finds out she is terminally ill. Not wanting to hinder Ida in her quest for independence, Kati neglects to tell her daughter of her condition. 86 min.

Recipes for Disaster/Katastrofin ainekset

Wednesday, March 3 & Saturday, March 6

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Directed by John Webster (2008). Recipes for Disaster is a film about climate change and catastrophe. We love to blame the corporations and industries for what's going wrong with the planet, but we are mistaken; it's up to the individual to make a change. Director John Webster shows us that at the core of the impending climate catastrophe are those little failures that we as individuals make every day, and that are so much a part of human nature: all the everyday stuff that we don't do or that we can't help doing that eventually lead to destruction. Webster and his family decide to kick the oil habit. Quite simply, they go on with their average suburban lives, but without using any fossil fuels, driving cars or flying in airplanes, or buying anything packaged in plastic, like food, make-up, shampoo, toothpaste or kid’s toys. In this comedy of errors, they find themselves questioning their values and testing their willpower, and ultimately, their happiness. 85 min.

DENMARK
What No One Knows/Det som ingen ved

Wednesday, March 24 & Saturday, March 27

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Directed by Søren Kragh-Jacobsen (2008). Thomas Delauren is an emotionally-stunted children’s entertainer with a divorce looming over him. A strenuous family dinner reunites Thomas with his sister Charlotte who confesses she has important information about their late father that she wishes to divulge at a later time. When Thomas arrives at their scheduled rendezvous point he is met by police officers who deliver the terrible news that his sister drowned while swimming. Knowing that his sister was a strong swimmer, Thomas becomes suspicious of her death and as he is going through her personal affects he discovers documents about their father’s past as an intelligence officer during the Cold War. These documents prove to be dangerous in Thomas’ hands as an attempt is made on his daughter’s life. Dark images, intense clips and haunting music set the mood in this political thriller that raises questions about the increasing presence of surveillance cameras in our society. 99 min.

The Candidate/Kandidaten

Wednesday, April 7 & Saturday, April 10

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Directed by Kasper Barfoed (2008). Jonas Bechmann is a defense attorney who specializes in acquitting criminals charged with murder. After his father – also a defense attorney – is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Jonas is convinced that his father was murdered by a disgruntled former client. A night on the town leads him to check in to a hotel room with a young blonde.He wakes to find her brutally murdered, with a video showing him killing her. Having no memory of the supposed incident, Jonas decides to flee. When he discovers his framing may have ties to his father’s incident he decides to turn the tables on the blackmailers. A fast-paced thriller, full of plot twists, The Candidate continues to intensify to the very end. A U.S.-produced remake is currently in the works. 90 min.

The Invisible Cell/Blekingegadebanden

Wednesday, April 14 & Saturday, April 17

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Directed by Anders Riis-Hansen (2009). Blekingegadebanden was a group of political activists who robbed a number of banks in Denmark in the 1970s and 1980s. Rooted in Gotfred Appel’s Communist task force (KAK), this gang of idealistic young men saw themselves as revolutionaries supporting a great cause. Their actions quickly spun out of control, however, as their professionally executed robberies helped fund terrorist attacks committed by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The gang, always one step ahead of their pursuers, continued to elude the police until the robbery of a postal transport in 1988 when an officer was killed. This event prompted the police to redouble their forces and finally bring down the group. The film consists of archival interviews from the gang members and police involved, as well as dramatized reconstructions of the heists the group committed. 104 min.

Danish Dynamite/…Og det var Danmark

Wednesday, April 21 & Saturday, April 24

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Directed by Carsten Søstedt (2008). Danish Dynamite follows the Danish national soccer team from 1979 through the 1984 European Championship in France and the 1986 World Championship in Mexico, to their improbable but glorious victory at the 1992 European Championship in Sweden. When German trainer Sepp Piontek took charge of coaching the team, he ushered in a new era of professionalism. The team he met was a gang of merry chain-smoking, beer-drinking everymen in the habit of celebrating a loss with a glass of champagne. Danish Dynamite captures the Danish mentality and laid back nature through encounters with the soccer players and the roligan (peaceful hooligan). The film consists mostly of archival footage, edited in a dramatic format that gives the audience the feeling of being present at the games, witnessing the team’s thrilling victories. 112 min.

ICELAND
The Higher Force/Stóra planið, preceded by Committed/Njálsgata

Wednesday, April 28 & Saturday, May 1

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Directed by Olaf de Fleur Johannesson (2008). In his dreams David is a kung fu master. In reality he is a debt collector who gets pushed around by his debt-collecting friends. When his new landlord, Harald, finds out he is a member of a gang of debt-collectors, he starts to play himself off as a big crime lord, just to have some fun with his tenant. David hatches a scheme that surely will elevate his status with the gang. As they find out about this mysterious crime boss, David quickly gains their respect and is given the task of spying on Harald. When the gang’s boss (Michael Imperioli of Soprano’s fame), flies in from New York to commend David for his efforts, things quickly spiral out of control for the hapless hero. 90 min.

God Bless Iceland/Guð blessi Ísland

Wednesday, May 5 & Saturday, May 8

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Directed by Helgi Felixson (2009). The film lends its title from Prime Minister Geir Haarde’s address to the Icelandic people on October 6, 2008, breaking the terrible news of bankruptcy in three of Iceland’s major banks and one of the worst economic crises in modern history. God Bless Iceland chronicles the lives of four Icelanders and how they cope in the aftermath of economic crisis and their battle against the government in which they have lost all faith. Felixson narrates the film, which takes place in the time period from the announcement of the country’s bankruptcy, through the resignation of the Prime Minister and his cabinet, to the election of the new Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. 70 min.

Smiles of a Summer Night/Sommarnattens leende
Film screening with lecture by Astrid Söderbergh Widding

Thursday, March 11, 6:30 pm

Directed by Ingmar Bergman (1955). The 1956 prize-winning comedy Smiles of a Summer Night ushered in an international audience for director Ingmar Bergman. Set in turn-of-the-century Sweden, four women and four men attempt to juggle the laws of attraction amidst their daily bourgeois life. When a weekend in the country brings them all face to face, the women ally to force the men’s hands in their matters of the heart, exposing their pretensions and insecurities along the way. Chock full of flirtatious propositions and sharp-witted wisdom, Smiles of a Summer Night is one of film history’s great tragicomedies, a bittersweet view of the transience of human carnality. 108 min.

Swedish costume designer and culture personality MAGO (Max Goldstein) designed the film’s costumes, firmly establishing an example of centralized cooperation between the two artists that lasted throughout the years and spanned many films. Whereas Bergman preferred his old leather jacket and beret, MAGO was a true elegant. However, they could unite their artistic vision for absolute quality. Their two artistic temperaments are as fascinating as they may seem out of date in an age rather dominated by effects and quantity.

Professor Astrid Söderbergh Widding is in the Cinema Studies Department and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Stockholm University, Chair of the Ingmar Bergman Foundation, and on the board of The Swedish Film Institute and The Swedish Fulbright Commission.

Mannequin in Red/Mannekäng i rött
Film screening with lecture by Louise Wallenberg

Thursday, March 18, 6:30 pm

Directed by Arne Mattsson (1958). A private detective doubling up as a fashion mannequin, a head designer with lesbian inclinations and a mean, wheelchair-based fashion house matron ominously accompanied by a white cat…welcome to the strange world of the couture salon “La Femme,” where the elegant surface soon starts to peel, revealing what’s hidden and repressed underneath. 108 min.

The combination of uncanny murders, romantic love and traditional comedy make this film one of a kind, thanks in part to director Arne Mattsson, dubbed the “Swedish Hitchcock” due to his daring framing and calculated use of color. What adds to its uniqueness are the costumes made by designer MAGO, who in the making of this film must have had the time of his life, designing effeminate fashion without – it seems – any limitation to his creativity and fantasy.

Dr. Louise Wallenberg will focus on the specific Mattssonian crime genre and its relation to the Italian giallo and to the crime genre as developed in Swedish cinema and literature. She will also focus on the meaning of the many costumes and on the implicit narrative that deals with women’s desire.

Wallenberg is the acting director of the Centre for Fashion Studies and holds a PhD in Cinema Studies (2002) from Stockholm University.

Into Eternity
Feature Documentary
Co-presented by Scandinavia House
By Michael Madsen (Denmark)

Thu, April 22, 5:45pm at Village East - Cinema 2
Sat, April 24, 5:30pm at Village East – Cinema 3
Mon, April 26, 6:30pm at Village East – Cinema 6
Wed, April 28, 2:45pm at Village East – Cinema 2

Three miles below the earth, the people of Finland are constructing an enormous tomb to lay to rest their share of humans' 300,000 tons of nuclear waste. To avoid disaster, it must remain untouched for at least 100,000 years. In this poetic, hauntingly beautiful, and thought-provoking doc, Danish filmmaker Michael Madsen ponders how to warn future civilizations that the buried treasure of our nuclear era - unlike the pyramids and great tombs of pharaohs - must never, ever be discovered.

Metropia
Feature Narrative
By Tarik Saleh (Sweden, Denmark, Norway)
More info.

The New Tenants
Short Narrative
By Joachim Back (USA, Denmark)
More info.

Freetime Machos
Feature Documentary
By Mika Ronkainen (Finland, Germany)
More info.

Epic Fail/Epik feil
Short Narrative
By Ragnar Agnarsson (Iceland)
More info.

Feathered Cocaine/Falkasaga
Feature Documentary
By Örn Marino Arnarson, Thorkell Hardarson (Iceland)
More info.

Grandmother’s Eye/ Mormors Öga
Short Experimental Narrative
By Jonathan Lewald (Sweden)
More info.

Before the Frost/Innan Frosten

Friday, February 26

Kurt Wallander and Linda face a religious fanatic intent on carrying out his personal version of God's will, at a brutal cost. Mysterious events mark this suspenseful drama. A flock of swans are burned to death. Shortly thereafter, a young woman is horribly murdered.

The Village Idiot/Byfånen

Friday, March 5

A man with long braids and a Native American-style feather in his hair walks into a bank with a bomb around his neck and demands that a sum of money be transferred to an account. It’s obvious that someone is exploiting the man, who is known in the village as being intellectually handicapped. Detective Wallander and his colleagues face a long and complicated investigation that unexpectedly demands an understanding of astrology.

The Brothers/Bröderna

Friday, March 12

A wealthy couple is found dead during a military exercise, murdered in their stately home, and Wallander is under pressure from his superiors in Stockholm to find out who killed them. The emerging evidence seems to point to an act of revenge for a 20-year-old transgression.

The Darkness/Mörkret

Friday, March 19

A child sits alone in a parked car on a deserted road with no adult in sight. Her father has been reported missing, and the mother is in a psychiatric institution, unresponsive and apathetic. Due to Detective Wallander’s failing health, Linda takes the lead in the case. It will touch her deeply as she discovers that the child has been unscrupulously tricked, exploited, and humiliated. Linda has never been so committed to solving a case.

The African/Afrikanen

Friday, March 26

Members of the Social Democratic party in Ystad are putting up campaign posters for their candidate, whose fight against anti-immigrant forces and the town’s racial prejudices are his main priorities. When a train rolls into Gdansk, Poland with a dead black man on board, it appears that he was murdered in Ystad, where the train originated. Most of the evidence points to a racially motivated crime, but then the investigation takes an unexpected turn.

The Tricksters/Den svaga punkten

Friday, April 2

When a farmer is kicked to death by his favorite horse, the horse breeder claims it is impossible, while an examination of the farmer's body provides new clues to the cause of death. The neighbors confirm that the farmer lived alone, but there had been a mysterious woman he met through a personal ad staying at the house. The search for the woman turns up nothing until the police discover the farmer's bank accounts were emptied the day he died.

Mastermind

Friday, April 16

Someone has infiltrated the Ystad police station, effectively closing it down for several critical hours while the culprit is everywhere and nowhere like a virus diagnosed far too late. At the same time, Detective Wallander tries to comprehend the connection between his colleague Martinson’s daughter and a woman found hanged.

The Photographer/Fotografen

*Thursday, April 22

An American tourist is found dead, and her husband demands that the body and all his wife’s possessions be returned. The woman had been visiting an internationally renowned Swedish photographer, which fuels her husband’s suspicions of infidelity. Detective Wallander is surprised to learn that the dead woman was murdered—and then more people die.

The Container Lorry/Täckmanteln

Friday, April 30

When the police are called to investigate an abandoned container lorry they find it filled with dead bodies, including those of children. Human trafficking and a complicated ring of suspects, each part of a larger puzzle, emerge as the investigation unfolds. Wallander finally gets a lead from an unlikely source, a group of local nuns, and a sports fan who fails to completely hide his true identity. But the case isn't over until Kurt can figure out who is really behind the smuggling.

The Castle Ruins/Luftslottet

Friday, May 7

An older man enters a bank with his two growling dogs in tow and asks to cash in his 20 million crown bank account. Soon afterward he and the dogs are found dead, and there’s no sign of the money. Suspicion falls on the victim’s neighbor, but when the neighbor and his family are found dead the tracks lead in different directions. Kurt Wallander and his colleagues soon realize that almost anyone in the village of Soldala could be the murderer.

The Black King/Blodsband

Friday, May 14

The police find a boat in the harbor that looks like a slaughterhouse. It’s covered with blood, but they can’t find a body. Then a dead woman’s body drifts ashore. The investigation leads to Oskar, an old flame of Linda Wallander. Their former relationship makes it hard for Linda to be involved in the investigation, and Kurt insists that she step aside. That is easier said than done.

The Forger/Jokern

Friday, May 21

A woman is found shot in the head outside a restaurant, the victim of a brutal execution-style murder witnessed by her 7-year-old daughter. The murder takes place on the outskirts of Ystad but appears to have connections to Malmö’s underground crime network. The police in Ystad get help with the investigation from Frank Borg, a detective from Malmö with questionable ethics.

The Secret/Hemligheten

Friday, May 28

A boy's body is discovered in an abandoned barn. The murder shocks Kurt, Linda and Stefan, but the crime and the suspects don't seem to match. As they delve into the world of child abuse the characters are forced to come to terms with their own experiences and struggle with hidden demons. The battle is more than Stefan can take, and Kurt and Linda are left to deal with their grief and anger – and a dark secret from the past.

The Revenge/Hämnden

July 7 & July 9

Kurt Wallander has just bought a house by the sea and is happier than he has been in a long time. But suddenly a heavy explosion ruptures the peace and quiet in Ystad. The town’s single transformer station has blown up, with more explosions following shortly thereafter. The town starts to resemble a war zone as the military is called in. Are the explosions acts of sabotage or terrorism? Everything is chaos and Wallander fumbles in darkness as he tries to chase down the culprits.

The Guilt/Skulden

July 13 & 14
Please note this episode will be screened on Tuesday & Wednesday

One day, six-year-old Albin Landberg disappears without a trace from daycare. Everyone in Ystad is soon engaged in the increasingly desperate search for the boy. The trail seems to point Wallander and his colleagues towards a man previously sentenced for pedophilia. He has recently been released from jail having served his time. However, as the investigation continues it becomes evident that the crime has its roots in relationships far more complicated than the Ystad police could ever have imagined.

The Courier/Kuriren

July 21 & July 23

A motorcyclist is found murdered. Clues lead the police to the local bikers club. It turns out that the club uses motorcycle couriers to smuggle narcotics across the Öresund Bridge to Denmark. The victim seems to have been involved in the trade, which leads Wallander to conclude that someone powerful is trying to seize control of the region’s drug trade. It is not until his colleague Isabelle is brutally attacked in her home that he realizes just how far these people are willing to go to achieve their goals.

SWEDEN

The King of Ping Pong (Ping-pongkingen)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, February 7, 2009, 3 pm

With Gyorgi Staykov, Ann-Sofie Nurmi, Frederik Nilsson, Jerry Johansson, and Hampus Johansson. In Swedish with English subtitles. 107 min.

Directed by Jens Jonsson (2008). Rille, a portly 16-year-old outcast, finds his reigning position as the local ping-pong champion unexpectedly compromised when a series of long buried family secrets set him on an emotional collision course with his feisty younger brother Eric. Even though his home life is fractured by divorce and his love life is decidedly nonexistent, Rille does his best to endure with grace and dignity and is at least able to take solace in the fact that he is the most accomplished ping-pong player in town. The founder of a community-based ping-pong program for kids, Rille is admired by the young players and presides over his subjects with the zeal of jovial royalty. The delicate balance of Rille's life is suddenly thrown for a loop, however, when family secrets surface and immediately threaten to send the lives of both himself and Eric into an irreversible tailspin.

To Love Someone (Den man älskar)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, February 14, 2009, 3 pm

With Sofia Ledarp, Jonas Karlsson, Rolf Lassgård, Camilla Larsson, Gustav Hammarsten, and Mats Blomgren. In Swedish with English subtitles. 92 min.

Directed by Åke Sandgren (2007). Åke Sandgren’s devastating To Love Someone explores issues of domestic violence and obsession with empathy and clarity. At the story’s centre is Lena, who has rebounded from her disastrous marriage to the alcoholic and abusive Hannes, and built a home with Alf. But Lena’s hellish life with Hannes still haunts her, and when he’s released from prison, she finds herself slipping back into his orbit. Psychologically acute and fearless in its depiction of emotional perversity, this film becomes a pseudo journey to the end of night, realized within the context of a domestic triangle. Sandgren uses a variety of approaches to capture the plot’s emotional complexity. The interpersonal attachments here are explicitly unhinged and profoundly self-destructive, but recognizably human nonetheless.

Wonderful and Loved by All (Underbar och älskad av alla)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, February 21, 2009, 3 pm

With Martina Haag, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Ellen Mattsson. In Swedish with English subtitles. 102 min.

Directed by Hannes Holm (2007). Motivated by the looming end to a lackluster acting career, Bella tells a white lie to land a plum role, only to find that the truth catches up with her. Inching into her forties, she learns that Ingmar Bergman will be directing a new stage adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and she decides to take a chance and show up for an open audition. After Bella's reading, one of the members of the production staff asks if she has a background in acrobatics. Eager to land the part, Bella says yes, and to her delight she's cast in a small role. However with each passing day, Bella becomes increasingly aware that if she doesn't confess the truth soon, her esteemed director will find out the hard way.

Kidz in da Hood (Förortsungar)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, February 28, 2009, 3 pm

With Gustaf Skarsgård, Beylula Kidane Adgoy, Embla Hjulström, Christopher Mhina and Jennifer Brown. 96 min.

Directed by Ylva Gustavsson and Catti Edfeldt (2006). Winner of five Swedish Film Awards, Kidz in da Hood is a gripping and touching story of Amina, who came to Sweden with her grandfather from northern Africa three years ago. Still without a residency permit, Amina’s life turns into a chaotic game of survival after her grandfather dies, having to outsmart social service agencies and evade curious neighbors. She lives in a Stockholm suburb with Johan, an edgy, tattooed rocker who takes on a parental role in Amina’s life, while the street-smart neighborhood kids complete her surrogate family circle. Set to a potent soundtrack of impromptu rap and rock numbers, this film blends serious drama and playful hijinks, exploring themes of personal responsibility, loyalty, grief, and socio-economic class structures.

NORWAY

The Man Who Loved Yngve (Mannen som elsket Yngve)

Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, March 7, 2009, 3 pm

With Rolf Kristian Larsen, Arthur Berning, Ole Christoffer Ertvåg, and Ida Elise Broch In Norwegian with English subtitles. 90 min.

Directed by Stian Kristiansen (2008). It’s 1989 and in the city of Stavanger 17 year-old Jarle Klepp has no idea that his life is about to change. He seemingly has everything: an amazing girlfriend and the world's coolest best friend, who together are launching Stavanger's toughest punk group, Mattias Rust Band. But when the new boy in class, Yngve, appears, Jarle is immediately drawn to him. As Jarle develops intimate feelings for Yngve, he becomes increasingly frustrated and confused. All he knows is that he cannot stop meeting Yngve, even if it involves doing things he despises, like listening to pop music and playing tennis. Slowly but steadily Jarle’s behavior forces him to make difficult choices, finding out in the end what it means to stand alone.

Kautokeino Rebellion (Kautokeino-opprøret)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, March 14, 2009, 3 pm

With Anni-Kristiina Juuso, Aslat Mahtte Gaup, Mikkel Gaup, Nils Peder Gaup, Mikael Persbrandt, Bjørn Sundquist, Sverre Porsanger, Peter Andersson, Mikael Nyqvist, Jørgen Langhelle, and Ole Niklas Guttorm. In Norwegian and Sámi with English subtitles. 96 min.

Directed by Nils Gaup (2008). Based on a Sámi rebellion that occurred in 1852 against the local authorities that abuse and exploit them, this sweeping epic by Nils Gaup delineates the many threads of the complex weave behind the conflict: alcohol abuse, religious revival, historical context, reindeer husbandry, commercial interests and the tug-of-war between local and central authority, both within government and the church. He also reveals compelling parallels between contemporary drug abuse and the alcoholism of the past, through a local merchant named Ruth, who plies the Sámi people with liquor to encourage their dependence. Enraged by her husband's constant state of drunkenness and her people's indifference, one determined Sámi named Elen convinces them to take a stand, initiating a revolt that leads to one of the most dramatic episodes in northern Scandinavian history.

The Art of Negative Thinking (Kunsten å tenke negativt)

Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, March 21, 2009, 3 pm

With Marian Saastad Ottesen, Fridjov Såheim, Kirsti Eline Torhaug, Per Schaaning, Henrik Mestad, Kari Simonsen, and Kjersti Holmen. In Norwegian with English subtitles. 79 min.

Directed by Bård Breien (2006). This black comedy follows 33 year-old Geirr who, after becoming severely handicapped in a traffic accident, slips into isolation, self medication, and bitterness, and develops an odd yet worrisome weapons fixation. Desperate to wrest him from this depression, his girlfriend Ingvild invites a support group to their home where for the next 24 hours Geirr resists any help, instead taking them down an intense road of anguish, anger, and hopelessness, forcing everyone to confront their own inner struggles. Only as dawn breaks do they once again catch sight of light, if only as a faint glimmer of hope.

Natural Born Star

Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, March 28, 2009, 3 pm

In Norwegian with English subtitles. 75 min.

Directed by Even Benestad (2007). This moving documentary chronicles the rise and fall of Fred Robsahm, who gained fame in the 1960s as a Norwegian actor in Italian westerns and dramas including the cult classic, Barbarella (1968). He was living a life most dreamed of, full of glamour and its trappings, married to one of his beautiful co-stars, Agostina Belli: they lived in a palatial home and amassed an impressive fortune. However, years later in the 1990s, Fred is found back home in Norway, disillusioned, HIV-positive, rundown, alone and broke in a rented room. In a story almost too unbelievable to be true, Benestad applies a nuanced sense of dignity and sensitivity as he retraces the film star’s steps and missteps, revealing how a dream can easily devolve into a nightmare.

DENMARK

The Early Years - Erik Nietzsche Part 1 (De unge år)

Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, April 4, 2009, 3 pm

Jonatan Spang, Carl Martin Norén, Therese Damsgaard, David Dencik, Line Bie Rosenstjerne, and Paprika Steen. In Danish with English subtitles. 91 min.

Directed by Jacob Thuesen (2007). Written by Oscar-nominated Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier, this satirical comedy follows the young and naïve Erik Nietzsche, whose artistic ambition is to make a film about leaves. After being rejected from several film schools, he (accidentally) is accepted by Denmark's National Film School, which is rife with self-absorbed, tyrannical teachers and bizarre fellow students who consider themselves geniuses. As Erik vainly tries to negotiate this psychological and emotional minefield while maintaining his innocence, the film becomes a portrait of an artist’s maturation and corruption – processes which, according to the filmmakers, inevitably go hand in hand. Thuesen and von Trier skillfully utilize wry parodies of key figures in Danish film history along with poignantly absurd cameos by some of the country’s most significant figures, including one by Dogma mainstay and director Paprika Steen.

Dancers (Dansen)

Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, April 18, 2009, 3 pm

With Trine Dyrholm, Birthe Neumann, and Anders W. Berthelsen. In Danish with English subtitles. 90 min.

Directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen (2008). When the fuse box at her family’s dance studio blows, sparks fly between bright and vivacious Annika and the shy electrician Lasse. He is, at first, reluctant to get close to Annika, but soon confides in her that he was – unjustly as he would have it – convicted and jailed for a brutal crime, but is vague about the details. Annika’s sympathy surprises Lasse and eventually wins him over, but when he arrives to pick her up for a movie, Annika receives a malicious, anonymous phone call revealing that there may be more to Lasse’s mysterious past than he let on. Despite these warnings, Annika falls passionately in love with him, prompting outcries of protest and concern from family and friends. As in previous films by Christensen, the protagonist in this tense drama is a deeply compelling but emotionally disoriented woman whose whole life begins to collapse as the result of her choice of an “unsuitable” partner.

Go With Peace Jamil (Gå med fred Jamil)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, April 25, 2009, 3 pm

Starring Dar Salim. In Danish with English subtitles. 90 min.

Directed by Omar Shargawi (2008). A hard-hitting and intense study of masculinity, revenge and violence among Copenhagen's Muslim community, Shargawi’s is a bold, fresh and authentic take on the immigrant experience. Investigating the insular nature of immigrants, and more specifically Muslims, this thriller tells the story of a marked man, Jamil, who revenged the murder of his mother, only to desperately seek to escape the ramifications of his crime. As pressure mounts, Jamil's father tries to reason with him to end the circle of violence, but it seems nearly impossible to set aside a hatred fostered by generations of tit-for-tat killings. Themes of ancient religious hatred, love, punishment, guilt and redemption are woven skillfully throughout this gritty work impressively portraying an immigrant group rarely represented on screen.

ICELAND

Astrópía

Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, May 9, 2009, 3 pm

With Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir, Snorri Engilbertsson, Jörundur Ragnarsson, Halla Vilhjálmsdóttir, and Davíð Þór Jónsson. In Icelandic with English subtitles. 92 min.

Directed by Gunnar B. Gudmundsson (2007). When Hildur, a beautiful high society girl and mainstay in the national celebrity press, finds out that she can no longer live off of her recently imprisoned boyfriend, she becomes determined to find financial independence and start a new life. Possessing no skills or practical experience, her job search is fruitless until she lands a job selling role playing books and accessories at the local fantasy game shop, Astrópía. From that moment her life transforms. At Astrópía, Hildur is introduced to a group of endearing geeks who give her a new outlook on life and gradually become unlikely yet loyal friends. When her old boyfriend Jolli, breaks free from prison and kidnaps her in an effort to regain his old lifestyle, her ragtag group of friends rally together to save her, but in the end Hildur must draw on her newfound self-confidence to break free from Jolli's shackles once and for all.

Country Wedding (Sveitabrúðkaup)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, May 16, 2009, 3 pm

Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, Árni Pétur Guðjónsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Erlendur Eiríksson, Gísli Örn Garðarsson, Hanna María Karlsdóttir, Herdís Þorvaldsdóttir, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Karl J. Guðmundsson, Kristbjörg Kjeld, Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir, Nína Dögg Filippusdóttir, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, Sigurður Sigurjónsson, Theódór Júlíusson, Tinna Hrafnsdóttir, Víkingur Kristjánsson, Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson. In Icelandic with English subtitles. 95 min.

Directed by Valdís Óskarsdóttir (Iceland, 2008). Óskarsdóttir's Country Wedding is a light-hearted comedy about a dysfunctional family en route to a rustic, intimate wedding in the beautiful countryside of Iceland. Things start to unravel from the beginning when the small wedding party becomes lost as country churches with red roofs are apparently very common. Adding to the complications, the bride's parents are divorced, mom's new boyfriend seems to be a shady businessman, and the maid of honor brings an unexpected date and a senile grandmother without consulting the horrified bride. Enter a long lost uncle who's lived abroad for 25 years, disgruntled relatives, heavy imbibing, scuffles, and you've got yourself a wedding: Iceland style. Óskarsdóttir manages to skillfully walk the fine line between hilarity and despair in this realistic portrait of nuptials where more often than not, they provide fertile ground for the airing of tired grievances and secrets better left hidden.

Back Soon (Skrapp út)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, May 23, 2009, 3 pm

With Didda Jónsdóttir, Joy Doyle, Ingvar E. Sigurðsson, Julien Cotterau, and Ólafía Hrönn Jónsdóttir og Jörundur Ragnarsson. In Icelandic with English subtitles. 90 min.

Directed by Sólveig Anspach (2008). In this quirky, heartfelt film, Anna Hallgrímsdóttir is a poet, dish washer and marijuana dealer in her late thirties who lives in Reykjavík with her two sons, Krummi and Úlfur. Tired of her daily life and the coldness of Iceland, she decides it is time to show her sons more of the world, and prepares to begin a new chapter in their lives. Before changing her lifestyle, however, first she must sell her “business,” which consists of her mobile phone, containing her extensive and valuable client list. A potential buyer low on cash promises to pay her asking price within 48 hours. Set to a score of lively Icelandic reggae, the next two days propel Anna through numerous family adventures, culminating with a crowd of customers, friends and relatives who have gathered in her kitchen for a farewell soiree.

The Word Music (Orðið tónlist)/The Corner Shop (Kjötborg)
The Word Music Part 1 (Focusing on Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson)/The Corner Shop

Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 6:30 pm

The Word Music Part 2 (Focusing on Jórunn Viđar)/The Corner Shop

Saturday, May 30, 2009, 3 pm

Directed by Ari Alexander and Ergis Magnusson (2008). The Word Music is a two part documentary focusing on Icelandic composers Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (1995-2005) and Jórunn Viđar (1918). Tracing the history of modern music and the creative avant-garde in Reykjavík, this film supplies an utterly unique soundtrack set against breathtaking Icelandic visuals. Each installment is 52 min.

Directed by Helga Rakel Rafnsdóttir and Hulda Rós Guðnadóttir (2008). In a world of globalization, fast food, and sprawling supermarket chains, The Corner Shop is a documentary about one of the last remaining privately-owned grocery stores in Iceland. Run by two eccentric brothers, the shop is the glue that keeps the community together and armed with nothing more than good humor and intentions, the brothers fight a constant battle against more corporate and efficient models of consumption. 44 min.

FINLAND

Black Ice (Musta jää)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, June 6, 2009, 3 pm

With Outi Mäenpää, Ria Kataja, Martti Suosalo, Ville Virtanen, Sara Paavolainen, Netta Heikkilä, Väinö Heiskanen, Philipp Danne, and Matti Laine. In Finnish with English subtitles. 117 min.

Directed by Petri Kotwica (2007). Black Ice is a suspenseful drama about an unlikely relationship between two women. Saara, a happily married woman with a successful career as a surgeon, discovers on her birthday that her husband Leo, an architecture professor, is cheating on her. Leo refuses to admit to the affair, so Saara moves out and takes matters into her own hands. Through the computer, she discovers the identity of the “other woman,” Tuuli, who it turns out is one of her husband’s architecture students. Saara assumes a fake identity in cyber space to get closer to the woman and also joins Tuuli’s karate class and eventually they become good friends. The drama escalates into a thriller as Saara plots her revenge.

The Border (Raja 1918)

Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, June 13, 2009, 3 pm

With Martin Bahne, Minna Haapkylä, and Leonid Mozgovoy. In Finnish, Swedish, Russian, and German with English subtitles. 115 min.

Directed by Lauri Törhönen (2007). Set in the aftermath of Finland’s civil war, the deeply loyal Captain von Munck is sent to the Karelian Isthmus to establish and maintain a national border for the fledgling nation state of Finland. With St. Petersburg only 40 km away, his job entails the difficult and delicate task of contending with fugitive Reds, smugglers, artists, Jews, English spies and refugees trying to cross into Finland. His orders are simple. Finns and nationals of other countries may pass, but Reds and Russians may not, and are to be shot without hesitation. Complications arise when von Munck loses his heart to a beautiful and passionate Russian woman and also discovers that his clerk, a local school teacher, is harboring a wounded communist warlord, risking the Captain’s allegiance and his life. Törhönen explores the moral dilemma that arises from the conflict of humanity and strict political loyalty while painstakingly recreating a historical narrative unlike any other war film.

Thomas

Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 6:30 pm & Saturday, June 20, 2009, 3 pm

With Lasse Pöysti, Pentti Siimes, Eila Halonen, Marja-Leena Kouki, Aarre Karén, and Tuomo Mutru. In Finnish with English subtitles. 70 min.

Directed by Miika Soini (2008). Thomas, in the autumn of his life, lives a simple and isolated existence in his below-street-level apartment. The flat is sparsely furnished and bereft of sentimental objects, except for a photo of his wife. His days revolve around listening to classical music on his radio and a perhaps symbolic, never-ending game of chess, in which the only opponent is himself. He does not venture outside very often but when he does, the outside world cuttingly reminds him of his old age, his loneliness, and times he cares not to remember. There are hints of an unresolved conflict deep inside him that perpetuates his situation, until a chance meeting with another elderly gentleman on a park bench proves instrumental in unlocking his solitude. Compassion, forgiveness and atonement are sensitively conveyed through an elegant, minimalist style and ascetic composition.

Shadow of the Holy Book (Pyhän kirjan varjo)

Wednesday, June 24, 2009, 6:30pm & Saturday, June 27, 2009, 3 pm

With Arto Halonen, Kevin Frazier, Markku Visapää, Kaius Niemi, Ali Karagöz, Avdy Kuliev, Murad Aliev, David Garcia, Farid Tuhbatullin, Boris Shikmuradov Jr., and Erika Dailey. In Finnish with English Subtitles. 90 min.

Directed by Arto Halonen (2008). This documentary examines the Turkmen leader Saparmurat Niyazov, aka “Turkmenbashi.” The founder of one of the world's most insular, dictatorial regimes, Niyazov wrote the “Ruhnama,” the so-called “holy book” referred to in the title, that combines legend, myth and Niyazovian poetry with a self-exalting interpretation of history. Turkmenbashi is responsible for innumerable human rights violations including torture, murder, and unjust imprisonment. Yet, these egregious offenses don’t dissuade major corporations from commissioning over 40 translations of this text into their native language to win Turmenbashi’s favor and gain access to oil and lucrative construction contracts. Daringly executed, this buzzed-about documentary exposes how the immorality of major international companies helps Turkmenistan hide its rampant human rights abuses.

Nordic Noir: Crime Series – Varg Veum

July 8 through August 13, 2009
$9, $6 ASF Members

Scandinavia House continues with the ever-popular crime series, Varg Veum, featuring film adaptations of Norwegian writer Gunnar Staalesen’s crime novels. The contemporary thriller series about hard-boiled private investigator Varg Veum is distinguished by dark humor, sharp characterization and unremitting tension.

During the last two decades Gunnar Staalesen has published 13 Varg Veum novels and 2 collections of short stories, and has become a household name with the Norwegian crime audience. Publishers have recognized the fine talent for hard-boiled noir of the Norwegian writer, and his Varg Veum novels are now being published in 13 countries, among others Germany, Sweden, Denmark, France, England and Italy. Staalesen has written more than 35 books and has received a number of prestigious Scandinavian awards. In 2004 Varg Veum was honored as the Norwegian crime hero of all time. Staalesen is known for his talent to create complex and exciting crime plots, and at the same time displaying a consciousness of the social injustices through his lone-wolf hero.

There are six films in the series and they will be screened on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm and again on Thursdays at 2:30 pm. The series starts on July 8 and runs through August 13.

House of Fools/De gales hus

Wednesday, October 14, 6 pm & Wednesday, October 21, 8:30 pm

Directed by Eva Isaksen (2008). Aina wants to escape from it all, but the house of fools is not a peaceful place to be. After throwing herself through a shop window, Aina is taken in for treatment. She is forced to join therapy groups, riding lessons and cleansing conversations with those who wish to help her. Especially with Stetson, named after his own hat, who considers it honorable to bring a broken soul back to life. In the house of fools, Aina learns that sheer madness usually makes a lot of sense! 103 min.
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Cold Lunch/Lønsj

Wednesday, October 14, 8:30 pm & Thursday, October 22, 6:30 pm

Directed by Eva Sørhaug (2008). There is hope, but not for many of us. A multi-plot drama about five people who all live in the same neighborhood at Majorstua in Oslo. While Christer is down in the basement laundry room, he suddenly remembers he's got his rent money in the shirt pocket. In an attempt to save the money, he disconnects the main fuse in order to stop the washing machine. As the caretaker puts in a new fuse, an old man is fumbling with the fuses in a fuse-box upstairs and dies instantly. His daughter, Leni is now alone for the first time in her life. As the fresh mother Heidi is in the washroom to get her laundry, she discovers that the machines have stopped. She is in a hurry, and has to bring with her the wet clothes. Without being aware of it, Christer has set unavoidable processes in motion. 90 min.
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The Art of Norwegian Animation

Thursday, October 15, 6 pm

Curated by Kajsa Næss. A showcase of Norway’s newest and most acclaimed films that have emerged from the country’s vibrant animation industry. For the past decade, Norwegian animation has been undergoing an intense transformation. Moving beyond small-scale productions, it has become a leader in international design, motion-graphics and cinema. This is a rare chance to view a collection of contemporary animation-based work from Norway’s top artists and studios.

Ice Kiss/Iskyss

Thursday, October 15, 8:30 pm & Friday, October 23, 6:30 pm

Directed by Knut Erik Jensen (2008). A strong and poetic love story based on the 30 years Gunvor Galtung Haavik spent living a double life. During the Cold War, she was employed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and assigned to the Norwegian Embassy in Moscow. With the information she had access to in her position as interpreter and secretary, she frequently fed the KGB secret information, in her role as a Russian agent. Director Knut Erik Jensen made the film relying on documentation and inspiration from Alf R. Jacobsen’s book Iskyss, and Haavik’s own letters to her secret Russian lover Vladimir Kozlov. 83 min.
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Max Manus

Friday, October 16, 6 pm

Directed by Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg (2008). Max Manus is a true story about one of the most brilliant saboteurs during World War II and his battle to overcome his inner demons. In spite of being one of the most wanted men by the Gestapo in Norway, Manus participated in some of the most daring sabotage attacks during the Second World War. After having fought as a volunteer in the Finnish-Russian Winter War, Manus returns home to a Norway occupied by the Germans, in the spring of 1940. Before long, he and his buddies Gregers Gram and Gunnar Sønsteby start making trouble for the Germans. They build up a resistance network, collect weapons and explosives, and undergo training in England. From their safe apartment in Oslo, they carry out sabotage attacks against important Nazi targets, and they become increasingly more devious. But the Gestapo investigator Siegfried Fehmer works determinedly and patiently to stop Manus, and soon he starts to unravel the network around him. In a meeting with Fehmer he realizes that everybody is a victim of the meaninglessness of war. 118 min.
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Troubled Water/De usynlige

Friday, October 16, 8:30 pm & Wednesday, October 21, 6 pm

Directed by Erik Poppe (2008). How do you find light, joy and purpose in life after a blow of fate? Jan Thomas is a young man fresh from an eight-year prison sentence. The catalyst for his incarceration may have been an accident and may have been a premeditated murder, but regardless, the event still hangs over Jan like a dark shroud, tempering his memories and his actions. Upon release, Jan - a talented organist - lands a job in the local church as an organ player, and begins to develop feelings for Anna, a female priest who also happens to be a single mother. To avoid complications and protect the sanctity of the new relationship, Jan silently vows to withhold information about his troubled past from Anna, but the past catches up with him in the form of Agnes, a schoolteacher who visits the church and recognizes Jan - as the man responsible for her young son's death. Troubled Water skillfully combines two strong stories about people who try to come to terms with the past - and with their own fate. They try to accept who they have become, and to find a new way to relate to love. Troubled Water is the third film in Erik Poppe’s trilogy which started with Schpaaa and Hawaii, Oslo. 121 min.
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Kurt Turns Evil/Kurt blir grusom

Saturday, October 17, 3 pm & Saturday, October 24, 3 pm

Directed by Rasmus A. Sivertsen (2008). One day Kurt discovers that society basically does not respect forklift operators very much. His wife is an ambitious architect. His neighbor is a medical doctor. Not even Kurt's own kids seem to be very happy about their father's occupation. Even if Kurt is popular among his colleagues and likes to drive a forklift, he quits his job, and starts climbing the social ladder. He wants to become a doctor, he wants to get rich, and he wants to be somebody. In the end, he even wants to become Prime Minister. But he does not have much success in any of his projects, and as time goes by, Kurt turns…evil. 74 min.
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