The Emigrants
2022-11-12 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
“A fresh, honest take” (The Guardian) — from internationally acclaimed Norwegian director Erik Poppe, see the epic period drama The Emigrants (Sweden, 2021) at Scandinavia House! This program has now been rescheduled from October 19.
Based on Vilhelm Moberg’s much-loved suite of novels — previously adapted in 1971 by Jan Troell into an Academy Award-nominated classic — The Emigrants tells the story of Kristina Nilsson (Lisa Carlehed), a mother who leaves poverty-stricken Sweden with her family in the 1850s on a long, dangerous journey to find a better life for herself and her children in America. When news of opportunities reach the devoutly Lutheran Kristina and her husband Karl Oskar (Gustaf Skarsgård), hardships and tragedy at home lead them to set sail from Småland, alongside fellow passengers who challenge Kristina’s views while laying the foundations of friendship for the days to come. When they land in New York, new perils face them on their trek across the rugged landscape of the Midwest — ranging from schemes of various locals to the dangers of childrearing on the frontier. But as Kristina and Karl-Oskar reach the wilds of Minnesota, they learn to carve out a new life for themselves, as well as opportunities to come.
The first adaptation of Moberg’s novels from the perspective of Kristina, The Emigrants captures the emotional turmoil of setting out for a new life abroad in 19th-century America.

About the Director
Erik Poppe was born in Oslo, Norway in 1960. He began his career as a press photographer, winning several awards. After studying at the Dramatiska Institutet in Stockholm, he worked as a cinematographer on several feature films before making his debut as a director with Schpaa. The film was the first instalment in his multi-award-winning Oslo Trilogy which also comprises Hawaii, Oslo and Troubled Water (DeUsynlige).
In 2017 his film The King’s Choice (Kongens Nei) was selected as the Norwegian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards. He was nominated for a Golden Bear at Berlin International Film Festival in 2018 for his previous feature, Utøya: July 22.

Beginner Swedish 2 & 3
2022-11-14 18:00 - 19:10, 2022-11-17 18:00 - 19:10, 2022-11-21 18:00 - 19:10
Learn the Nordic languages in classes offered this fall both remotely and in-house at Scandinavia House! In this combined course of two levels, students who already have some exposure to Swedish via apps or other means will continue to develop their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills within a cultural context.
At the end of the semester students will know:

Objective, possessive and some indefinite pronouns
Adjective conjugations and comparatives
Past and present perfect tense

Students will be able to:

Talk about their families and things they’ve done or do, as well as make future plans, ask for directions, and compare and purchase items.

Prerequisite: Swedish Beginner 1 course or equivalent. This course will take place in a hybrid format offered in-person at Scandinavia House and via Zoom; instructions for remote learning will be emailed upon registration. For questions about language levels, please contact Malin Tybahl. Tuition is $695 ($625.50 ASF Members); 21 hours total class time.
**There will be no class on October 10 (Columbus Day), October 31 (Halloween), or November 3.**

Norwegian I
2022-11-14 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-21 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-28 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-12-05 18:30 - 20:30
Learn the Nordic languages in classes offered this fall at Scandinavia House! In this beginner’s course, you will build your Norwegian vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar skills, while also learning about Norwegian culture and life. By the course’s end, you should be able to conduct simple conversations in Norwegian.
You will get to practice conversations in class, as well as reading, in class, and there will be a focus on pronunciation and Norwegian sounds which may be new to your ear. There will also be at-home assignments focusing on reading, writing, and grammar.
Ideal for:

Absolute beginners
Those seeking a solid foundation in the Norwegian language
Those interested in traveling to Norway

You will develop:

Beginner-level conversational skills in Norwegian
Proficiency in basic Norwegian grammar

This hybrid class will be held both in-person and via Zoom; in-person attendance for the first four classes is highly recommended.
No prerequisites required; instructions for remote learning will be emailed upon registration. For questions about language levels, please contact Marie-Therese Bjornerud. Tuition is $675 ($607.50 ASF Members); 20 hours total class time.
Required & Recommended Material
Required:
Textbook: PA VEI TEKSTBOK, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202340940
Workbook: PA VEI ARBEIDSBOK, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202343163
Highly Recommended:
Word List: PA VEI Norsk-Engelsk Ordliste, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202372255
CD-set: PA VEI ELEV-CD til tekstbok, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202371869
Also Recommended:
Online exercises (both oral and written) following the textbook
Notebooks for vocabulary as well as notes
Duolingo (Android, Apple) and other language apps to expand vocabulary and support the learning process

Advanced Beginner Swedish 1
2022-11-15 18:30 - 20:10, 2022-11-22 18:30 - 20:10
Learn the Nordic languages in classes offered this fall at Scandinavia House! In this course held as remote learning, students will continue to perfect their previous learned skills and pronunciation, while also expanding into more complex sentence structure. Furthermore, the students will be asked to express their opinions or beliefs in simple discussions related to Swedish life within the themes studied. The students will be required to read a literary book over the course of the semester.
At the end of the semester, students will know:

How to connect main and sub-clauses
Adverbs denoting position or destination
The concept of depiction

Students will be able to:

Talk about people, computers, food and things done and wished for in the past.

Prerequisite: Swedish Beginner 3 level or equivalent. This course will take place remotely via Zoom; instructions for remote learning will be emailed upon registration. For questions about language levels, please contact Malin Tybahl. Tuition is $499 ($449.10 ASF Members); 15 hours total class time.
**There will be no class on October 4 (Yom Kippur) or November 8 (Election Day)**

Norwegian II—Hybrid Language Classes
2022-11-15 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-22 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-29 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-12-06 18:30 - 20:30
Learn the Nordic languages in classes offered this fall at Scandinavia House! In course building on Norwegian I (or equivalent), continue to expand your vocabulary and master grammatical structures, while enhancing your conversational abilities, and deepening your cultural knowledge of all things Norwegian.
You will get to practice conversations in class which will put your grammatical structures to the test, all the while building on your listening, and speaking skills. A greater focus will be given to pronunciation, Norwegian structure, tone, and flow. There will also be weekly at-home assignments focusing on reading, writing, and grammar. By the course’s end, you should be able to conduct simple conversations in Norwegian.
Ideal for:

Those with basic knowledge of, or previous instruction in, Norwegian
Those who wish to strengthen their Norwegian language skills

You will develop:

Greater proficiency in Norwegian
Improved conversational and grammatical skills, as well as improved pronunciation in Norwegian

This hybrid class will be held both in-person and via Zoom; in-person attendance for the first four classes is highly recommended.
Prerequisite: Norwegian I or equivalent; instructions for remote learning will be emailed upon registration. For questions about language levels, please contact Marie-Therese Bjornerud. Tuition is $675 ($607.50 ASF Members); 20 hours total class time.
*There will be no class on Tuesday, October 4.
Required & Recommended Material
Required:
Textbook: PA VEI TEKSTBOK, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202340940
Workbook: PA VEI ARBEIDSBOK, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202343163
Highly Recommended:
Word List: PA VEI Norsk-Engelsk Ordliste, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202372255
CD-set: PA VEI ELEV-CD til tekstbok, ELLINGSEN, 2012 – ISBN: 9788202371869
Also Recommended:
Online exercises (both oral and written) following the textbook
Notebooks for vocabulary as well as notes
Duolingo (Android, Apple) and other language apps to expand vocabulary and support the learning process

Girl Picture
2022-11-15 19:00 - 21:00
The Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders series at Scandinavia House returns this season with screenings of films chosen by the Nordic & Baltic countries to compete for the Oscar nomination for the Best International Feature Film! On November 15, see the film Girl Picture /Tytöt tytöt tytöt (dir. Alli Haapasalo, Finland, 2022), Finland’s official nomination for the 95th Academy Awards. Director Alli Haapasalo will present a virtual film Q&A in coordination with the screening; check back here for more details soon.
In this coming-of-age dramedy from the director of Force of Habit and Love & Fury, best friends Mimmi and Rönkkö have each other’s backs, always, aspiring for adventurous lives filled with experiences and passion. Emma, on the contrary, has given her whole life to figure skating — nothing gets between her and success. But when the girls meet, life opens new paths that send them rocketing in new directions. While Mimmi and Emma find themselves experiencing the earth-moving effects of true love, Rönkkö is on a quest to find pleasure. As new bonds form and others are tested over the course of three successive Fridays, the girls must navigate the complex paths of teenage desire.
“Haapasalo clearly understands that, when you’re young, desire can feel confusing or gratifying, thrilling or overwhelming…an affecting achievement that never feels less than loving”—The Film Stage
This screening will take place in-person at Scandinavia House in Victor Borge Hall.

Supported by the Consulate General of Finland in New York.

About the Director
Alli Haapasalo (b. 1977) is a Finnish director and writer. With her third feature film Girl Picture she continues her passion to tell strong female driven stories. Haapasalo’s feature debut Love and Fury (2016) followed a writer finding her own voice. Force of Habit (2019) – written and directed by a collective of seven writer-directors – dealt with gender bias and structural misuse of power. It traveled the world bringing home some awards and received Jussi-nominations (Finnish Film Awards) for best film, best directing and best screenplay, and was given the Nordisk Film Award in 2020.
Haapasalo wrote and directed short film Doing the Right Thing (2020) about the early stages of covid-19 pandemic for HBO Nordic’s series At Home. She has also directed episodes for spy thriller series Shadowlines (2019). Alli Haapasalo has a BA from Aalto University’s School of Film, Television and Scenography, and an MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Intermediate Swedish 3
2022-11-16 18:30 - 20:15, 2022-11-23 18:30 - 20:15, 2022-11-30 18:30 - 20:15
Learn the Nordic languages in classes offered this fall at Scandinavia House! In this course based on conversation and grammar held as remote learning, students will now deal with finesse and formal language. Instead of expanding our writing, we will focus on condensing. Discussions will span traditions, Vikings and lore, unwritten societal norms, leadership, work and family structures as well as poetry.
At the end of the semester, students will know:

Transitive and intratransitive verbs
Emphatic rewriting
Clause abbreviation

Students will be able to:

Discuss poetry and literary writings and have an understanding about Swedish norms in society and at work.

Prerequisite: Swedish Intermediate 2 or equivalent. This course will take place remotely via Zoom; instructions for remote learning will be emailed upon registration. For questions about language levels, please contact Malin Tybahl. Tuition $695 ($625.50 ASF Members); 21 hours total class time.
**There will be no class on November 2 or November 23 (Thanksgiving)**

January
2022-11-16 19:00 - 21:00
The Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders series at Scandinavia House returns this season with screenings of films chosen by the Nordic & Baltic countries to compete for the Oscar nomination for the Best International Feature Film! On November 16, see Latvia’s official nomination for the 95th Academy Awards, January (dir. Viesturs Kairiss, Latvia 2022).
In an autobiographical portrayal of the early 1990s political upheaval that changed the lives of members of the former Soviet Union, aspiring filmmaker Jazis and his friends Anna and Zeps are pursuing their dreams of making movies while enjoying the freedom of young adulthood. But their plans are upended with a collapse of their region’s political system, which also alters family ties and friendships. Through their experiences and participation in nonviolent resistance, the construction of barricades and human shields becomes the defining moment of their coming-of-age.
“A spiky punk energy drives this semi-autobiographical tale of first love and a search for identity that plays out against the turbulent backdrop of Latvia’s 1991 fight for independence”—Screen International
This screening will take place in-person at Scandinavia House in Victor Borge Hall.

Nordic Security in An Insecure Europe
2022-11-17 13:00 - 15:00
In the wake of the Russian attack on Ukraine in the spring of 2022 and its humanitarian, economic, and political consequences, the countries in the Nordic region have put renewed focus on security issues within an insecure Europe. In this panel moderated by Eric Einhorn (Professor Emeritus of Political Science & Adjunct Professor of Scandinavian Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst), panelists will discuss how Nordic security has shifted over the past year and issues going forward, as well as the changes in Finland and Sweden’s neutrality stance by joining the NATO alliance.
Panelists include Katja Creutz (Program Director of the Global Security Research Program, Finnish Institute of International Affairs), August Danielson (Associate Fellow, the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) and PhD Candidate, Uppsala University); and Hans Mouritzen (Senior Researcher of Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, Danish Institute for International Studies). This event will take place as a Zoom webinar followed by a Q&A; the conversation will be recorded and available later to stream on our Virtual Programming page and on our YouTube channel.
About the Panelists & Moderator
Katja Creutz is Program Director of the Global Security research program at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. Her main field of expertise is international law and especially issues of responsibility, human rights and global governance. She has also published extensively on Nordic relations in the field of foreign and security policy. Dr. Creutz holds a Doctor of Laws degree and a Master of Laws program degree from the University of Helsinki and a Master of Political Science from Åbo Akademi University. She has previously worked as Research Fellow at the Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights of the University of Helsinki. She is the author of the monograph State Responsibility in the International Legal Order: A Critical Appraisal (CUP, 2020).
August Danielson is an associate fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) and a PhD Candidate at Uppsala University. His research focuses on diplomatic practices, EU foreign and security policy as well as visual diplomacy. He holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Uppsala University and has previously worked at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. He is a co-author of The Everyday Making of EU Foreign and Security Policy (2022) and his work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Common Market Studies, Review of International Studies and Journal of International Relations and Development.
Eric S. Einhorn has been a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1971 until his retirement in 2009, including 6 ½ years as department chair. After his undergraduate studies in international relations at the University of Pennsylvania he earned a PhD in political science at Harvard University. His teaching and research bridge the comparative and foreign policy fields with a focus on western Europe and the United States and especially the Nordic region. His most recent work has been in comparative political economy. Professor Einhorn has traveled and studied extensively throughout western Europe and especially the Nordic regions. Currently he is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Adjunct Professor of Scandinavian Studies at UMass Amherst and continues his research and area studies activities.
Hans Mouritzen is a Senior Researcher of Foreign Policy and Diplomacy at the Danish Institute for International Studies. He has developed theory on the autonomy of international organizations; small states’ foreign policy in a spatial context (‘constellation theory’); how external danger affects domestic cohesion; and how historical memory impacts foreign policy decisions (‘presence of the past’ theory). He is co-editor of Danish Foreign Policy Review and participates in FSPS projects.

Music on Park Avenue with Per Tengstrand & Opus—Beethoven's Fourth Concerto
2022-11-17 19:00 - 21:00
Music on Park Avenue returns this fall! The series presented by Scandinavia House and Per Tengstrand welcomes audiences back to Victor Borge Hall beginning in October for another season of its popular performances. Held monthly on Thursday evenings, concerts will begin at 7:30 preceded by conversation by Tengstrand about the pieces and composer.
On October 13, join us for the season opener “Beethoven’s Waldstein & Appassionata.” In the first of three concerts this fall originally planned in celebration of the composer’s 250th anniversary in 2020, Tengstrand performs two iconic sonatas — both popular but also so different.
Tickets to this event must be purchased in advance online at the link above; concerts will take place in Victor Borge Hall. Music on Park Avenue will continue with performances on November 17 & December 1, 2022, and January 19, February 23, March 23, and April 20, 2023.
The Music on Park Avenue concert series is supported in part by a generous grant from The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation and in part by the Lynn Carter Fund of the ASF.
Thanks to a generous loan by Victor Borge’s grandson Finn, concerts will be performed on Victor Borge’s personal Steinway piano.
Schedule & Ticketing
SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Beethoven’s Waldstein & Appassionata
Join us for the first concert of three in the fall celebrating Ludwig van Beethoven following the 250th anniversary of his birth in 2020. Tonight’s performance includes two iconic sonatas — both popular but also so different.
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Tengstrand & Opus: Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto
Hear what is perhaps the most beautiful and original of Beethoven’s piano concertos, with Per Tengstrand joined by musicians from Opus at Princeton University.
Thursday, December 1, 2022
Premiere of Beethoven and the Freedom of the Will documentary
Film & Concert with Per Tengstrand and Hana Mundiya, violin
See the World Premiere of Tengstrand’s documentary about the power of Beethoven’s music: during his days, through historic events as well as its importance today; followed by a performance with violinist Hana Mundiya, who is featured in the film.
Thursday, January 19, 2023
The romantic piano: Chopin, Liszt and Schubert
Per Tengstrand starts off the new year with the music of three romantic composers: the lyrical Chopin, the virtuoso Liszt and the intimate Schubert.
Thursday, February 23, 2023
Tengstrand & Opus: The Grieg Concerto
A crown jewel in Scandinavian classical music, Edvard Grieg’s beautiful piano concerto, with Per Tengstrand and strings from Opus at Princeton University.
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Masterpieces for Cello and Piano: Per Tengstrand and Robin Park
The artistic director of Opus, cellist Robin Park, will join Per Tengstrand on stage to play some of the great works written for cello and piano by Beethoven and Rachmaninov, both famed and less known discoveries.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Tengstrand & Opus: The Tchaikovsky Concerto
One of the most famous works of music in history will end the season in a fascinating and dynamic arrangement for piano and string quartet.
PASSES
SERIES PASS
$120/$96 ASF for members
A ticket to all seven performances in the series.
About Per Tengstrand
Per Tengstrand has firmly established himself as one of today’s most exciting pianists. He has been described by The Washington Post as “technically resplendent, powerful, intuitively secure,” and by The New York Times as “a superb Swedish pianist” whose recital “was rewarding, both for its unusual programming and for his eloquent, technically polished performances.”Tengstrand is the subject of the acclaimed Swedish documentary The Soloist, directed by Magnus Gertten and Stefan Berg (Sweden, 2003), which was featured at the International Festival of Cinema and Technology in New York.
In 2005 he was decorated by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden with the “Litteris et Artibus” Medal for outstanding service to the arts. During the pandemic, Per started making music documentaries which were viewed and appreciated by people all over the world. As this line of work will continue, the documentary Beethoven and the Freedom of the Will is planned to have its world premiere at Scandinavia House in 2022.

Nordic International Film Festival
2022-11-18 14:00 - 2022-11-19 23:00
Scandinavia House is pleased to present screenings in this year’s Nordic International Film Festival on November 18 & 19 in Victor Borge Hall. Comprised of narrative and documentary features, as well as short films, this year’s festival will take place in New York City from November 16-20, with two days of screenings at our location.
SCHEDULE
FEATURE FILMS
Historjá – Stitches For Sápmi
FRI—November 18—6:45 PM
Dir. Thomas Jackson, Sweden, 2022. 87 min. In Sami and Swedish with English subtitles
Artist Britta Marakatt-Labba has for decades depicted the indigenous Samí people’s mythology, relation to nature and political struggle. Now she is facing one last fight: the battle for her culture against the threats of climate change. Watch trailer.
Rainbow
FRI—November 18—8:45 PM
Dir. Johannes Pico, Denmark, 2022. 100 min. In Danish with English subtitles
As a child in a rainbow family, Molly (Fanny Leander Bornedal) was raised by her two mothers. She never knew her father, yet feels a great need to find him in order to find herself and her own true identity. On her 18th birthday, Molly and her best friend, Tobias (Nikolaj Groth), go to a fertility clinic, hoping to figure out who her biological father is — but when the answer is not as expected, Molly becomes even more confused as she discovers that her mothers have lied to her. Watch trailer.
An Eternity of You and Me
SAT—November 19—2 PM
Dir. Sanne This, Denmark, 2022. 78 min. In Danish with English subtitles
Albert and Sanne live in a house with their cat Figaro and chickens in the backyard. More than anything, they dream of having a child. But a process that should be playful and fun turns into a struggle filled with schedules, frustrations, and insecurities; as in the myth of Sisyphus, Albert and Sanne roll one stone after another up the side of the mountain, only to see them roll back down just before they reach the top. Sanne wants to talk about her fear and feelings, but as an engineer, Albert doesn’t know of any reports that prove that helpful. A musical chamber play told in sweatpants, An Eternity of You and Me is about relationships, ingrained gender roles and all the dreams you must bury — or dig up again — once the fox has been around. Watch trailer.
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
SAT—November 19—4 PM
The Militiamen, dir. David Peter Hansen, USA. 32 min.
In the hills of rural Pennsylvania, the leader of a local militia must prepare his men for the turbulent political landscape of 2020 while at war with his own conscience.
Haulout, dir. Maxim Arbugaev and Evgenia Arbugaeva, UK/Russia. 25 min.
On a remote coast of the Siberian Arctic in a wind-battered hut, a lonely man waits to witness an ancient gathering. But warming seas and rising temperatures bring an unexpected change, and he soon finds himself overwhelmed.
AURORA BOREALIS
SAT—November 19—5:45 PM
The Maw, dir. Patrik Erksson, Sweden. 15 min.
When a father and son goes fishing, a woman who joins them in the mist throws them into a fight against the unknown.
The Diamond, dir. Vedran Rupic, Sweden. 14 min.
While seeking social contact, lonely and Stefan discovers a diamond in a hole in the ground. When he meets the unusually small Douglas, he gets an idea.
Unity of Opposites, dir. Alfred Hedbratt, Sweden. 14 min.
Childhood friends go out to an island camp, but one of them has invited a new friend and soon tension arises, in this humorous film about the mechanisms of group dynamics and male friendship.
Watch trailers.
NORDIC SHORTS A
SAT—November 19—6:45 PM
Animals, dir. Joakim Thörn, Sweden. 14 min.
In a modern fable and dark comedy-drama, a teenage deer questions the value of humanity after her mother is killed by hunters. Watch trailer.
Maybe, dir. Ola Røyseland and Zyna Røyseland, Norway. 5 min.
At closing time at the library, a conversation between a young librarian and a customer takes an unexpected direction.
Shower Boys, dir. Christian Zetterberg, Sweden. 10 min.
After a heated training match with the team, 12-year-old Viggo and Noel go home to challenge each other’s limits and masculinity.
Mayfly, dir. Joel Ängeby, Sweden. 20 min.
After a sudden break up with her girlfriend, Lisa struggles to gain control in any aspect of her life.
Double Cheese, dir. Martin Jenefeldt, Sweden. 13 min.
Best friends Julia and Celine go on a mission to delete some dodgy sex-tapes, but their ill-conceived plans lead to a quickly escalating situation.
NORDIC SHORTS B
SAT—November 19—8:15 PM
The Marsh, dir. Marcus Söderlund, Sweden. 12 min.
Society as we know it is gone, and in Sweden it is summer — and a state of war. Based on the short story ”Kärret” by Swedish author Jerker Virdborg.
The Dinner, dir. Marco Lawson, Denmark. 19 min.
At a high-end restaurant, Lars is meeting his son, Frederik, and his new in-laws for the very first time in honor of Frederik’s 30th birthday, but class differences and tension lead to an altercation.
Adieu, dir. Charlotte Brodthagen, Denmark. 34 min.
Nanna and her mother Claudia, who is suffering from cancer, go on a weekend long trip with different agendas during the phenomenon known as the “Black Sun.” Watch trailer.

Beginner Swedish 1
2022-11-18 19:20 - 21:00
Learn the Nordic languages in classes offered this fall at Scandinavia House! In this course held both in-person and as remote learning for those completely new to Swedish, students will learn the very basics of Swedish structure and pronunciation while also discussing cultural aspects of Swedish life.
At the end of the semester, students will know:

Structuring statements and questions
Greeting people

Numbers and how to tell time
Students will be able to:

Talk about themselves and how they spend their days.

No prerequisites required. This course will take place in a hybrid format offered in-person at Scandinavia House and via Zoom; instructions for remote learning will be emailed upon registration. For questions about language levels, please contact Malin Tybahl. Tuition is $499 ($449.10 ASF Members); 15 hours total class time.
**There will be no class on October 10 (Columbus Day) or October 31 (Halloween)**

The Reindeer Hunters
2022-11-22 14:30 - 16:30
Join us for the book launch of bestselling Norwegian author Lars Mytting’s The Reindeer Hunters! With moderator Maren Johnson, he’ll discuss the international bestseller and gripping historical novel set in the world of his novel The Bell in the Lake, out November 22 in translation by Deborah Dawkin from The Overlook Press.
The year is 1903 in the village of Butangen, Norway, and 22 years have passed since Astrid Hekne, a local girl, gave birth to twin sons. One of them, Jehans, is as rebellious as his mother. Cast out from the village, he lives on a struggling homestead in the mountains, where he fishes and hunts reindeer for his livelihood. One August morning, Jehans kills a massive reindeer buck and, at the same moment, encounters an enigmatic hunter — a young Englishman named Victor Harrison.
Meanwhile, at the new church in the village, Pastor Kai Schweigaard is tormented by his past betrayal: the sale of the old stave church, including the loss of the church’s mystical twin sister bells. Kai becomes obsessed with finding the long-lost ancient tapestry woven by the conjoined sisters in whose memory the bells were cast, with the hope that it will bring him redemption.
As waterfalls are tamed and the first flash of electric light is seen in the village night, World War I approaches, while brother stands against brother.
Conceived on an epic scale, The Reindeer Hunters is a novel about love and bitter rivalries, sorrow and courage, and a world with a mythic and mystical undercurrent battling the pull of the future. This event will take place as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required at the link above.
“In this spellbinding historical saga, love and lore have an alchemistic effect” (Foreword Reviews).
“The world Mytting creates is immersive, including descriptions of reindeer hunting and the feel of a scythe on a whetstone. The result is a fascinating story with centuries old echoes, their muted peal resonating like the separated sister bells” (Booklist).
About the Author
Lars Mytting (b. 1968), one of Norway’s bestselling writers, is the author of The Bell in the Lake, an Indie Next pick, and Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way. His books have sold more than two million copies in 20 languages.
The Sixteen Trees of the Somme was awarded the Norwegian Booksellers’ Prize and was longlisted for the Dublin Literary Prize. He lives with his wife, their two daughters and three forest cats in Elverum, a small town in the forest district of Norway.
About the Moderator
Maren Johnson is Associate Professor of Nordic Studies at Luther College (Decorah, IA) where she holds the Tomson Family Endowed Chair in Norwegian Language and Modern Nordic Culture. Additionally, she serves as the director for the Richard L. and Judith A. Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies at Luther College.
Her teaching and research focus on contemporary Norwegian literature and Henrik Ibsen. Maren also serves on the board of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum (Decorah, IA) and is an instructor in the folk art school through Vesterheim.

Thanksgiving Special
2022-11-24 13:00 - 18:00
Celebrate Thanksgiving at Scandinavia House with a special prix-fix menu from Björk Cafe & Bistro! The restaurant will be open today for special dining from 1-6 PM with meals including an appetizer, entrée and dessert, featuring classics such as herb-stuffed turkey, Swedish meatballs, baked cod with egg sauce, and plates of Scandinavian treats.
Please note that Scandinavia House will otherwise be closed; the Galleries and Children’s Center will reopen with normal hours on Friday, November 25.
Space is limited, so reserve your table right away!
DOWNLOAD MENU

Kalev and Sierra
2022-11-30 19:00 - 21:00
The Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders series at Scandinavia House returns this season with screenings of films chosen by the Nordic & Baltic countries to compete for the Oscar nomination for the Best International Feature Film! On November 30, see a special screening with Estonia’s official nomination for the 95th Academy Awards, Kalev (dir. Ove Musting, Estonia, 2022), as well as the Estonian short film Sierra, submitted for this year’s Best Animated Short Film. Director Ove Musting will be present for a film talk and Q&A following the event.
In the summer of 1990, the Soviet Union is teetering on the verge of collapse, while the Baltic nations are struggling to take back their lost independence. As the USSR’s basketball championship is set to begin against this deeply divided backdrop, the Estonian team Kalev faces a momentous decision — whether to participate amid a rising tide of public opposition, or to bow out. As professional athletes, the team makes the unpopular choice. And as the championship begins, the turbulent moment intertwines with fierce battles on the court. (94 min. In Estonian with English subtitles)
“Director Musting’s thoughtful approach to the subtle balance between truth and fiction speaks highly of his dedication to the story of the Estonian beloved team”—Ion Cinema
In the short film Sierra by director Sander Joon (Estonia, 2022), a father and son are losing a footrace. In order to win, the boy turns himself into a car tire! Loosely inspired by the director’s childhood, Sierra pulls us into a surreal car-racing world. Sierra has won an Oscar-qualifying awards at Palm Springs Shortfest, AFI FEST and San Francisco International Film Festival and is the first Estonian film acquired by the Criterion Channel.(16 min. In Estonia with English subtitles)
This screening will take place in-person at Scandinavia House in Victor Borge Hall.

This program is supported by the Consulate General of Estonia in New York.

About the Director
Director Ove Musting was born in 1977 and was brought up in Sõmerpalu, deep in Southern Estonia – part of the Soviet Union back then. His childhood was spent buried in books and music. He even founded a punk band which turned out to be quite successful! He was 14 when he saw Kalev, one of Estonia’s biggest basketball teams to this day, play that crucial game against the Russians, and win. He remembers clearly and exactly how meaningful that victory was for him and for an entire Estonian nation on the brink of becoming a sovereign country.
Ove’s dad first introduced him to filmmaking, as he made a number of amateur films himself. Those early cinematic experiences made a huge impression and put that young, punk rock farm boy on the path to becoming a film director. He was soon accepted by the Tallinn University (formerly Tallinn Pedagogical University) film department, beginning his studies in 1996.
After graduation, he made a number of short films that were successful on the festival circuit and collected a number of awards along the way. ‘30 Minutes of Silence’ (2003) had its world premiere at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, while ‘Paradise of Old Men’ (2005) was awarded the best feature film prize of the Estonian Cultural Endowment in 2005, competing against seven full features – quite extraordinary for a short film. ‘Dear Friend, I Respect You’ was completed in 2011 and received the best domestic short film prize at PÖFF Shorts (part of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival).
Later on, his creative gaze extended to directing music videos, high profile TVC-s and social campaigns, one of which were award-winning and even made it to the Cannes Lions’ finals. At the same time, Ove began working in TV: from 2008 to 2019, he acted as a director of the Estonian preliminary for the Eurovision Song Contest. He helped to create the show format and was awarded the title Director of the Year in 2017. During this time, he discovered and enjoyed the multi-camera format and honed his storytelling talent: over 10 years, he directed the performances of more than 150 different artists. Ove’s passion for multi-camera usage, his fond childhood memories of Estonia’s basketball victory, his vast TV-directing experience and intrinsic filmmaking talent all came together to form the feature film project ‘Kalev’, entering development in 2016. Initially he joined as a director but early on found his voice as co-writer too, adding his personal touch to the project depicting the hope seen in Estonian independence and the struggles of those times.
‘Kalev’ is Ove’s debut feature, which – after a prolonged production period burdened by pandemic restrictions was greeted by an 8-minute standing ovation on its domestic release.

Music on Park Avenue: Beethoven & the Freedom of Will Premiere
2022-12-01 19:00 - 21:00
Music on Park Avenue returns this fall! The series presented by Scandinavia House and Per Tengstrand welcomes audiences back to Victor Borge Hall beginning in October for another season of its popular performances. Held monthly on Thursday evenings, concerts will begin at 7:30 preceded by conversation by Tengstrand about the pieces and composer.
In tonight’s special film and concert program, see the World Premiere of the documentary Beethoven and the Freedom of Will, which explores the power of Beethoven’s music: in his time, in historic eras, and in the present day. The premiere will be followed by a performance with Tengstrand and Hana Mundiya, who is featured in the film.
The Music on Park Avenue concert series is supported in part by a generous grant from The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation and in part by the Lynn Carter Fund of the ASF.
Thanks to a generous loan by Victor Borge’s grandson Finn, concerts will be performed on Victor Borge’s personal Steinway piano.

Schedule & Ticketing
SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Beethoven’s Waldstein & Appassionata
Join us for the first concert of three in the fall celebrating Ludwig van Beethoven following the 250th anniversary of his birth in 2020. Tonight’s performance includes two iconic sonatas — both popular but also so different.
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Tengstrand & Opus: Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto
Hear what is perhaps the most beautiful and original of Beethoven’s piano concertos, with Per Tengstrand joined by musicians from Opus at Princeton University.
Thursday, December 1, 2022
Premiere of Beethoven and the Freedom of the Will documentary
Film & Concert with Per Tengstrand and Hana Mundiya, violin
See the World Premiere of Tengstrand’s documentary about the power of Beethoven’s music: during his days, through historic events as well as its importance today; followed by a performance with violinist Hana Mundiya, who is featured in the film.
Thursday, January 19, 2023
The romantic piano: Chopin, Liszt and Schubert
Per Tengstrand starts off the new year with the music of three romantic composers: the lyrical Chopin, the virtuoso Liszt and the intimate Schubert.
Thursday, February 23, 2023
Tengstrand & Opus: The Grieg Concerto
A crown jewel in Scandinavian classical music, Edvard Grieg’s beautiful piano concerto, with Per Tengstrand and strings from Opus at Princeton University.
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Masterpieces for Cello and Piano: Per Tengstrand and Robin Park
The artistic director of Opus, cellist Robin Park, will join Per Tengstrand on stage to play some of the great works written for cello and piano by Beethoven and Rachmaninov, both famed and less known discoveries.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Tengstrand & Opus: The Tchaikovsky Concerto
One of the most famous works of music in history will end the season in a fascinating and dynamic arrangement for piano and string quartet.
PASSES
SERIES PASS
$120/$96 ASF for members
A ticket to all seven performances in the series.
About Per Tengstrand
Per Tengstrand has firmly established himself as one of today’s most exciting pianists. He has been described by The Washington Post as “technically resplendent, powerful, intuitively secure,” and by The New York Times as “a superb Swedish pianist” whose recital “was rewarding, both for its unusual programming and for his eloquent, technically polished performances.”Tengstrand is the subject of the acclaimed Swedish documentary The Soloist, directed by Magnus Gertten and Stefan Berg (Sweden, 2003), which was featured at the International Festival of Cinema and Technology in New York.
In 2005 he was decorated by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden with the “Litteris et Artibus” Medal for outstanding service to the arts. During the pandemic, Per started making music documentaries which were viewed and appreciated by people all over the world. As this line of work will continue, the documentary Beethoven and the Freedom of the Will is planned to have its world premiere at Scandinavia House in 2022.

War Sailor
2022-12-02 19:00 - 21:00
The Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders series at Scandinavia House returns this season with screenings of films chosen by the Nordic & Baltic countries to compete for the Oscar nomination for the Best International Feature Film! On December 2, see Norway’s official nomination for the 95th Academy Awards, War Sailor (dir. Gunnar Vikene, Norway, 2022). Director Gunnar Vikene will be present for a film talk and Q&A after the event.
In 1939, working-class Alfred Garnes (Kristoffer Joner) has recently become father to his third child when he and his childhood friend Sigbjørn (Pål Sverre Hagen) sign up to work on a merchant ship in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. When World War II breaks out shortly thereafter, they find themselves unarmed civilians on the front lines of a war they never asked to join — clinging to survival in a spiral of violence and death, where at any moment German submarines may attack their valuable vessels. Meanwhile, as months stretch into years, Alfred’s wife Cecilia struggles through the war alone in Bergen with their children, not knowing whether she will see her husband again. When British aircraft attempts to bomb a German submarine bunker instead hit civilian homes in Nøstet — as well as the primary school in Laksevåg — and news of civilian deaths reaches Alfred and Wally, they soon wonder if they will have anything awaiting them at home. The war sailors have two goals: to survive, and to return.
“Psychologically complex…a war epic that doesn’t feel like a war movie”—Seventh Row
This screening will take place in-person at Scandinavia House in Victor Borge Hall.

This program is supported by the Consulate General of Norway in New York.

About the Director
Gunnar Vikene directed his first feature film, Falling Sky (Himmelfall) in 2002. His following feature films – Trigger (2007), Vegas (2009), and Here is Harold (2014) – have all received both critical acclaim and number of international prizes.
In 2017 he directed the TV-series Borderline, which earned him a best director-prize at Gullruten (Norwegian Emmys). He also directed several episodes of the acclaimed show Occupied (2020) and was in 2022 again nominated for a best director-prize for his work in the TV-series Pørni (2021). Gunnar lives in Bergen, on the west coast of Norway. Before starting to work with films he was a submarine officer for several years.

Beautiful Beings
2022-12-03 16:00 - 18:00
The Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders series at Scandinavia House returns this season with screenings of films chosen by the Nordic & Baltic countries to compete for the Oscar nomination for the Best International Feature Film! On December 3, see Iceland’s official nomination for the 95th Academy Awards, Beautiful Beings (dir. Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, Iceland, 2022); today’s screening is open to ASF Members and Academy Members only.
Addi, a boy raised by a clairvoyant mother, decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. Left to their own devices, the boys explore aggression and violence but also learn about loyalty and love. As their behavior escalates towards life–threatening situations, Addi begins to experience a series of dreamlike visions. Can his newfound intuition guide him and his friends back to a safer path, or will they dive irrevocably into further violence?
“Radiant with violence and tenderness”—Variety
This screening will take place in-person at Scandinavia House in Victor Borge Hall.

Red Milk by Sjón
2022-12-06 18:00 - 19:00
Read and discuss Scandinavian literature in translation as part of our Nordic Book Club, now online! Each month we select a novel from some of the best Nordic literary voices. On December 6, we’ll be discussing Red Milk by Icelandic author Sjón, out now in translation by Victoria Cribb.

In this timely and provocative novel about a mysterious Icelandic neo-Nazi and the enduring global allure of fascism, in 1962 England in 1962 an Icelandic man is found dead on a train bound for Cheltenham Spa. In his possession, policemen find a map on which a swastika has been drawn with a red pen. Who was he, and where was he going? Through biography and mystery we learn the story of Gunnar Kampen, founder of Iceland’s antisemitic nationalist party, with ties to a burgeoning network of neo-Nazi groups across the globe.

Told in a series of scenes and letters spanning Kampen’s lifetime — from his childhood in Reykjavík during the Second World War, in a household strongly opposed to Hitler and his views, through his education, political radicalization, and final clandestine mission to England — Red Milk urges readers to confront the international legacy of twentieth-century fascism and the often unknowable forces that drive some people to extremism. Based on one of the ringleaders of a little-known neo-Nazi group that operated in Reykjavík in the late 1950s and early 1960s, this taut and potent novel explores what shapes a young man and the enduring, disturbing allure of Nazi ideology.

“A worthy companion to anti-fascist works by Hannah Arendt and Jean-Paul Sartre”—Publisher’s Weekly

About the Author
Born in Reykjavík in 1962, Sjón is the author of the novels The Blue Fox, The Whispering Muse, From the Mouth of the Whale, Moonstone, and CoDex 1962, for which he won several awards, including the Nordic Council’s Literature Prize and the Icelandic Literary Prize. He has also been short-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, and his work has been translated into 35
This illuminating tale makes for worthy companion to anti-fascist works by Hannah Arendt and Jean-Paul Sartre. languages.
In addition, Sjón has written more than seven poetry collections, several opera librettos, and lyrics for various artists, including Björk. He was nominated for an Oscar for his lyrics in Dancer in the Dark, and he cowrote the script of the film The Northman with its director, Robert Eggers. In 2017 he became the third writer – following Margaret Atwood and David Mitchell – to contribute to Future Library, a public artwork based in Norway spanning one hundred years. He lives in Reykjavík, Iceland.
