Scandinavia House

MY FATHER'S DAUGHTER + SHORTS | WEST NORDIC FILM DAYS
2025-03-15 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join us on March 14 & 15 for the festival West Nordic Film Days, a celebration of cinema from Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands! Presented in partnership with Nordic National Museum in Seattle, in-person screenings will take place at Scandinavia House in New York and Majestic Bay Theatres in Seattle on Friday and Saturday. Curated by Birgir Thor Møller, the selection of films at West Nordic Film Days reflect the current development and tendencies in West Nordic cinema as well as the diversity, combining films by prolific, prizewinning directors and upcoming filmmakers, who all live in and tell their stories from very different parts of the region.
The 2 PM afternoon session on Saturday, March 15 will include My Father’s Daughter (Biru Unjárga, dir. Egil Pedersen, 2024) followed by the Faroese shorts Lið við lið (The Last straw, dir. Andrias Høgenn, 2023) and Einmin (dir. Rammatik [aka Rannvá Káradóttir & Marianna Mørkøre], 2024).
In My Father’s Daughter, self-confident teenager Elvira (Sarah Olaussen Eir) is convinced that her mother conceived her at a Danish fertility clinic — and when she daydreams about her father, she imagines him as the charismatic movie star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (who plays himself). But her world is turned upside down when her real biological father unexpectedly enters her life, in a film exploring teenage identity issues with empathy and warm irony. In Lið við lið, Ivor is stranded on a Faroese mountain road, and the only person he can ask for help is his estranged brother; a tightknit drama with low-key ironic humor. And Einmin, filmed in one continues take, evolves around a solitary dancer as she navigates a deserted space.

WHEN THE LIGHT BREAKS + O | WEST NORDIC FILM DAYS
2025-03-15 16:15 - 18:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join us on March 14 & 15 for the festival West Nordic Film Days, a celebration of cinema from Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands! Presented in partnership with Nordic National Museum in Seattle, in-person screenings will take place at Scandinavia House in New York and Majestic Bay Theatres in Seattle on Friday and Saturday. Curated by Birgir Thor Møller, the selection of films at West Nordic Film Days reflects the current development and tendencies in West Nordic cinema as well as the diversity, combining films by prolific, prizewinning directors and upcoming filmmakers, who all live in and tell their stories from very different parts of the region.
The 4:15 PM afternoon session on Saturday, March 15 will include the feature film When the Light Breaks (Ljóbrot, 2024), followed by the short film O (2024), both directed by Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson. In When the Light Breaks, a young woman loses her boyfriend in a terrible accident but must bear the grief alone, in a captivating and beautiful film set over the course of 24 hours. The 2024 short O is a poetic and powerful portrait of a man’s battle with his own demons during his daughter’s wedding.

WEST NORDIC FILM DAYS
2025-03-15 18:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join us on March 14 & 15 for the festival West Nordic Film Days, a celebration of cinema from Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands! Presented in partnership with Nordic National Museum in Seattle, in-person screenings will take place at Scandinavia House in New York and Majestic Bay Theatres in Seattle on Friday and Saturday.
The West Nordic countries have attracted foreign filmmakers since the dawn of cinema. In the late 1970s, however, Iceland began to develop a national film industry, gaining domestic and international attention and recognition. The history of Greenlandic, Faroese and Sami film production is of a bit later date, yet in recent years an increasing number of their films have attracted attention, both at home and abroad. Curated by Birgir Thor Møller, the selection of films at West Nordic Film Days will not only reflect the current development and tendencies in West Nordic cinema, but also the diversity, combining films by prolific, prizewinning directors and upcoming filmmakers, who all live in and tell their stories from very different parts of the region.
A full schedule and tickets will be announced shortly; check back for details.
Photo: Northern lights in Klaksvik, Faroe Islands; Photo by Alessio Mesiano / @Alessio Mesiano

THE BLACK ANGEL + 12 MINUTES | WEST NORDIC FILM DAYS
2025-03-15 18:30 - 20:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join us on March 14 & 15 for the festival West Nordic Film Days, a celebration of cinema from Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands! Presented in partnership with Nordic National Museum in Seattle, in-person screenings will take place at Scandinavia House in New York and Majestic Bay Theatres in Seattle on Friday and Saturday. Curated by Birgir Thor Møller, the selection of films at West Nordic Film Days reflect the current development and tendencies in West Nordic cinema as well as the diversity, combining films by prolific, prizewinning directors and upcoming filmmakers, who all live in and tell their stories from very different parts of the region.
The 6:30 PM afternoon session on Saturday, March 15 will include the Greenlandic feature film Inngili Qernertoq (The Black Angel, dir. Malik Kleist, 2024) and the Greenlandic short film 12 Minutes (dir. Christoffer Rizvanovic Stenbakken, 2024).
Inspired by The Blair Witch Project, Inngili Qernertoq juxtaposes personal and comical footage with creepy horror as investigators discover video recordings from a group of friends who have gone missing in the mountains near Nuuk. And in the black-and-white short 12 Minutes, a couple wake up one night to discover their drug-addicted son in the house, and must make a difficult decision.

MOVING STORIES | SCREENING & FILM TALK
2025-03-19 18:30 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join us for a screening and film talk on Moving Stories, an award-winning documentary about an acclaimed American dance company traveling the world to work with at-risk youth, teaching them the tools of choreography so they can tell their stories through dance. Filmmakers Mikael Södersten & Cornelia Ravenal will be present for a film talk and Q&A following the screening with Jonathan Hollander (founder, Battery Dance Company) and Tadej Brdnik (dancer/teaching artist). Erik Ullenhag, Counsel General of Sweden in New York, will also be present for an introduction before the screening. Reception to follow.
In this moving and inspiring documentary, six professional dancers from the acclaimed Battery Dance company travel the world, working with young people who’ve experienced war, poverty, sexual violence and severe trauma as refugees. The goal: to teach them the tools of choreography so that they can tell their stories through dance. With only a week to prepare for public performance, the film captures the struggle, frustration, determination, and transformation of students and teachers alike, ultimately unlocking feelings and stories in wellsprings of creativity (A film by Rob Fruchtman, Cornelia Ravenal, Mikael Södersten, and Wendy Sax).
“A brilliant new documentary that shows dance is a soft power supporting people that political and social failures have hurt” (Psychology Today).

HUMOR IN MUSIC
2025-03-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Internationally acclaimed pianist Jeffrey Siegel returns this fall for his ever-popular Keyboard Conversations® series at Scandinavia House. Each evening comprises an informal commentary on the music and its composers, a full performance of each work, and a short Q & A session. The engaging format both makes friends of classical music and enriches the listening experience for avid music lovers.
Tonight’s program will consist of the delightful music of Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and the Danish composer Niels Gade!

Thanks to a generous loan by Victor Borge’s grandson Finn, concerts will be performed on Victor Borge’s personal Steinway piano.
Purchase Tickets

SONS
2025-03-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On March 26, see the gripping Danish psychological prison drama Sons, Gustav Möller’s long-awaited follow-up to The Guilty, in New Nordic Cinema!
Sons stars Sidse Babett Knudsen (Borgen) as Eva, an idealistic officer working in an all-male prison, where she is compassionate towards her wards. But she is faced with the dilemma of her life when a young man from her past is transferred to her wing. Without revealing her secret, Eva asks to be moved to the young man’s ward — the toughest and most violent in the prison — leading to an unsettling psychological game. Eva’s sense of justice puts both her morality and future at stake.
“Grippingly claustrophobic” (IndieWire)

INTERCEPTED
2025-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
See three of the shortlisted finalists for this year’s LUX Audience Awards this season at Scandinavia House! On March 27 we’ll be screening Intercepted, a documentary by Oksana Karpovych contrasting quiet compositions of everyday Ukrainian life since the full-scale invasion with intercepted phone conversations between Russian soldiers and their families.
What drives the people who come to your country to wage war? Intercepted is an attempt to find an answer by showing two parallel worlds. The camera registers images of destruction in unhurried shots, in which we see Ukrainian villages, towns, houses and motorways after their liberation from the Russian occupation. We look closely – not into the abyss of destruction and death, but rather at landscapes being filled again with life. This gives hope and serves to balance out the media’s normalization of horror. They are frames set against the flood of images. Throughout the film, the soundtrack forms a shocking counterpoint. We listen to the recordings of telephone conversations intercepted in 2022 by the Ukrainian Secret Service between Russian soldiers in trenches in Ukraine and their families. It is hard to decide which element is more devastating: the soldiers’ confessions of the rape, looting and brutal torture of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war or the (mainly) female voices from “back home” that bear witness to chauvinism and hatred, disinformation and schizophrenic propaganda. Sound and image stare each other in the face, stunned, brought together in a cinematic space.
This event has been organized by the European Parliament in partnership with Scandinavia House. The LUX Audience Award is a joint initiative of the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in collaboration with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas. It is the largest audience award worldwide and the only film prize in the world where citizens together with Members of the European Parliament — with each group weighting 50 percent — can decide who the winner will be by rating the nominated films online. The LUX Audience Award fosters dialogue and engagement between politics and the public through the medium of film. The nominated films address European values and raise awareness about some of today’s main social and political issues such as mental health, poverty, climate change, freedom of expression, gender equality, and LGBTIQ+ rights.

GREENLAND: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE | VIRTUAL PANEL
2025-04-02 12:00 - 13:15 | NY
On Wednesday, April 2, ASF and Scandinavia House present a virtual panel discussion with panelists Ulrik Pram Gad (Senior Researcher on Arctic identity, diplomacy and security, the Danish Institute of International Studies) and journalist and historian Gordon F. Sander on the past, present and future of Greenland. With moderator Thorsten Wagner (Danish-German historian and Executive Director of FASPE), the panelists will discuss topics including Greenlandic history, current debates in relation to Denmark and global actors, the recent parliamentary elections, and their political implications.
Please note that this panel is now scheduled for 12 PM EDT.
This panel will take place via Zoom; advance registration recommended.
Register

HAMMARSKJÖLD - FIGHT FOR PEACE
2025-04-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“A stylish historical lesson and an homage (ScreenAnarchy)” — Iconic actor Mikael Persbrandt (The Kingdom Exodus) stars in the gripping true story of the man John F. Kennedy once called “the greatest statesman of our century,” Dag Hammarskjöld.
New York City, 1961. At the peak of the Cold War, the charismatic diplomat and economist Dag Hammarskjöld has reached the pinnacle of his power, serving in his seventh year as Secretary-General of the United Nations. During the process of decolonization, he takes it upon himself to bring peace to the African countries, thwarting plans to further exploit resources of both powerful entrepreneurs and world leaders. Meanwhile, a visit from his old friend Peter turns his life upside down, and Dag begins questioning his unprecedented devotion and dedication to his job and vision. But when UN peacekeepers are killed in open battle in the Congo, the Secretary-General sees no other way than to impose peace by new measures, leading the UN troops on their first war mission. As he boards a a plane to negotiate a case-fire, Hammarskjöld is aware that enemies are plotting against him…
Based on historical facts and including the results of the most recent investigations, this political thriller puts one of mankind’s most respected diplomats into the limelight (dir. Per Fly, Sweden, 2023).
“A measured, respectful drama…there is a crisp elegance to the storytelling that seeks to match Hammarskjold’s personality” (Allan Hunter, Screendaily)

SOLD OUT — BIRCH BARK STAR-WEAVING WORKSHOP
2025-04-05 11:00 - 14:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
*This event is now sold out.* Workshops will continue throughout the run of Nordic Echoes; see a full list here.
Discover the beauty and versatility of birth bark in a Nordic Echoes workshop with artist Beth Homa Kraus! Through careful folding, a bit of string, and plenty of patience, we’ll craft stunning Northern-inspired star ornaments to hang or gift. Learn about the harvest and process of birch bark while creating timeless treasures in this hands-on class!
All materials and tools will be provided. Students will each leave with one birch bark star. Note: a beeswax and walnut-oil mixture is used to condition the bark; please be mindful if allergies apply. This workshop is for ages 16+ and is limited to 10 participants; please enroll early to guarantee attendance.

WORKING WITH WOOD | NORDIC ECHOES PANEL DISCUSSION
2025-04-05 15:00 - 16:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
In celebration of the Opening Weekend of Nordic Echoes — Tradition in Contemporary Art, the first major traveling exhibition of contemporary Nordic artist traditions from the Upper Midwest, join us for a panel discussion with four artists featured in the show: Kjetil “K.J.” Groven, Beth Kraus, Peter “Pekka” Olson, and Sonja Peterson. Folklorist Victoria Stewart (Assistant Director, Wayne State University Humanities Center) will moderate a conversation about their works in the show and their respective practices, with a particular emphasis on wood.

WATCH WOODCARVER PEKKA OLSON AT WORK!
2025-04-05 16:00 - 18:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Come and watch Finnish-American woodcarver Pekka Olson as he brings a bird to life! Questions encouraged.

AURORA | ESTONIAN CULTURAL DAYS
2025-04-06 13:30 - 16:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Celebrate Estonian Cultural Days on April 6 with a screening of the suspenseful new love story Aurora! Director Rain Tolk will be present for a film talk and Q&A following the screening.
Aurora (Maarja Johanna Mägi), the daughter of the religious leader Valdek, enters into a secret extramarital affair with Lenny (Jörgen Liik), which ultimately ends with a discovery that collapses her world. Years later, at a family wedding anniversary celebration with her husband Joonas, Aurora receives a message that rips open old wounds; which doesn’t go unnoticed by Joonas. As Aurora strives to present a celebration of family values, an unexpected visitor arrives. As secrets come to light, the seemingly harmonious family’s facade shows its cracks, and she must make a difficult decision.
Aurora shows love as a tragic chasm between uncontrollable explosion of desire and love as a earthly, self-conscious decision. (Dir. Rain Tolk & Andres Maimik, Estonia, 2025)

THE UGLY STEPSISTER | SCREENING & FILM TALK
2025-04-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On April 7, see Norwegian director Emilie Blichfeldt’s sinister reimagining of the Cinderella story, The Ugly Stepsister! Emilie Blichfeld will be present for a film talk and Q&A following the screening.
Elvira (Lea Myren) is preparing to earn the prince’s affection, at any cost. But in a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira must compete with the beautiful and enchanting Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) to become the belle of the ball. The Ugly Stepsister is a chilling, visually stunning exploration of beauty, worth, and the societal systems that shape women’s lives (Norway, 2025).
“A fascinating exploration of beauty standards, and the way in which women are repeatedly placed into competition with one another” (THN).
“Emilie Blichfeldt blends the more brutal folktale elements with phantasmatic longing” (Sight & Sound).

SUN CITY BY TOVE JANSSON | NORDIC BOOK CLUB ONLINE
2025-04-08 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
Read and discuss literature with our Nordic Book Club Online! On April 8, we’ll be discussing Sun City, an off-beat novel about a retirement community in sunny Florida, from Moomins creator and Finnish literary icon Tove Jansson.
In The Summer Book and The True Deceiver, as in her many short stories, Tove Jansson was drawn again and again to the everyday life of the aged. Not as a group apart but as full-blooded people with as many jealousies, urges, and joys as any other group. It’s no wonder that in her travels through America in the 1970s she became fascinated with what was then a particularly American institution, the retirement home, where older people live in their particular tightly knit worlds.
In Sun City, Jansson depicts these worlds in a group portrait of residents and employees at the Berkeley Arms in St. Petersburg, Florida. As the narrative moves from character to character, so the characters move through an America riven by cultural divides, facing the death of its dream. The Berkeley Arms’s newest resident finds a place among the rocking chairs and endless chatter on the veranda, while other residents long for past glories, mourning their losses and killing time. Meanwhile one of their attendants, Bounty Joe, is eagerly awaiting a letter, or even just a postcard, alerting him to the imminent return of Jesus Christ. “Nobody’s normal anymore,” as the bartender says, “not the old geezers and not the newborn kids.”
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THE MISSILE
2025-04-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On April 9, see the Finnish absurdist dramedy The Missile in New Nordic Cinema!
Based on true events that took place in Finnish Lapland in the mid-1980s, The Missile (Ohjus; dir. Miia Tervo, Finland, 2024) stars Oona Airola as Niina, a single mother of two children and archivist for the local newspaper, who has recently escaped an abusive relationship. One day Niina hears an enormous bang from the sky — and the radio reports that the Soviet Union has shot a missile across the Finnish border to Inari. Soon the village is filled with foreign correspondents from around the world, but no one knows the area and its people as well as Niina. She is soon drawn into the investigation of the missile, and as the threat of nuclear war looms large, she meets a fighter pilot, Kai, who may know some of its secrets. As world audiences are captivated by the Finnish-Russian border incident, Niina must confront some boundary issues of her own.
“Pitches political satire against heartfelt comedy” (Variety)

STORMSKERRY MAJA
2025-04-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
See an epic, sweeping drama about a young couple’s survival on the remote island of Stormskär, Stormskerry Maja (dir. Tiina Lymi, Finland, 2024).
Based on the beloved books of Ålandic writer Anni Blomqvist, Stormskerry Maja stars Amanda Jansson as Maja, who at the age of 17 marries fisherman Janne (Linus Troedsson) and moves with him to a remote island. Here, her life is full of challenges and adversities: as a fisherman’s wife, she has to cope with her husband’s long absences at sea and take care of her family alone. As time passes, however, Maja grows into a strong-willed and independent woman, who is not afraid to tackle the barren archipelago. As Maja and Janne’s connection deepens across time, they face numerous challenges and upheavals, including the Åland War, along the way.
“An ample, epic, romantic and feminist drama… a beautiful mastery of time ellipses, a very touching portrait of a woman stronger than she thought she was and which easily resonates today” (Cineuropa).

EASTER PRIX-FIXE AT BJÖRK CAFE & BISTRO
2025-04-18 16:00 - 20:00, 2025-04-19 11:00 - 20:00, 2025-04-20 11:00 - 15:00 | Björk Cafe & Bistro at Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Celebrate Easter Nordic-style at Björk Café & Bistro! Prix-fixe specials throughout Easter weekend will be served on Friday, April 18 (4-8 PM), Saturday, April 19 (11-8 PM), & Sunday, April 20 (11 AM-3 PM); all prix-fixe guests are invited to take apart in Easter Egg painting and receive a surprise Easter Egg. Tickets are $70 ($59.50 ASF Members). Book now to guarantee seating!
Reservations

A FINNISH ARTIST IN NEW YORK: HUMAN ENCOUNTERS ACROSS CULTURES
2025-04-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join the Consulate General of Finland and Scandinavia House in cooperation with the Finnish & American Women’s Network, Inc. for an evening celebrating the work of award-winning Finnish photographer Jaakko Heikkilä.
In this artist talk, Jaakko Heikkilä will discuss his photographic process, which is rooted in meeting and getting to know people across cultures, from those of his youth in old fishing villages on the northern borders of Finland and Sweden, to the communities in Harlem in New York City, the subject of his recently published book, Sweet Song of Harlem (pub. Parvs, Finalnd.) Heikkila is also currently filming an autobiographical documentary, which is being produced by Swedish film director Bo Joan Sorensen of Brightnest Studios.
The talk will be followed by a reception. By participating you will automatically enter a rye bread raffle! We thank the Arctic Swan Bakery, and the Long Drink company for their sponsorship.

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THE TUNDRA WITHIN ME
2025-04-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“[A] frank and honest confrontation with questions of heritage, authenticity, exploitation and identity”—on April 23, see The Tundra Within Me in New Nordic Cinema!
After living for many years in Oslo, Sámi artist Lena (Risten Anine Kvernmo Gaup) moves back to Sápmi in Northern Norway with her young son to explore Sámi gender in an art project. While researching in the wintry tundra, she falls in love with hardworking reindeer herder Máhtte (Nils Ailu Kemi). Lena is suffocated by the expectations of others in the town who view her as an outsider, and Máhtte’s mother, the matriarch of the family, disapproves of the relationship. As decisions from the past come to haunt her and her art is questioned, Lena struggles to find out whether her and Máhtte’s lifestyles can ever be compatible.
A sincere directorial debut from writer/director Sara Margrethe Oskal, a former reindeer herder, The Tundra Within Me is a poignant exploration of heritage, authenticity, resilience and identity.
“A beautifully-crafted story…refreshingly honest and empowering” (AWFJ)

THE RIOT
2025-04-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Celebrate International Workers’ Day with The Riot, a historical action drama exploring the origins of the labor movement and workers’ rights in Norway, on April 30!
Directed by Academy Award-nominated director Nils Gaup (The Last King, 2016), The Riot tells the story of the struggle against oppression in the mining town of Sulitjelma, called Sulis, at the beginning of the 20th century. In this Wild West of the Nordic countries ruled by a mining company, slave labor and the brutality of capitalism run rampant, as workers struggle under inhuman conditions in the dark and dangerous mines. When 16-year-old Konrad arrives, his only goal is to return home to Sweden, having worked as a farmhand to support his widowed mother and sister. But as a ruthless new foreman named Wennström makes increasingly risky demands, Konrad must choose whether to stand with other suppressed workers to revolt against the mine.
A powerful film about the dream of a better life, the compromises and exploitation of capitalism, trust and the fight for justice, The Riot stars Otto Fahlgren (Beartown) and Simon J. Berger (Margrete – Queen of the North; Exit) in the true story of one of Norway’s most tumultuous, nation-defining events (Norway/Sweden, 2022).
“Vividly portrays how the relentless pursuit of wealth, power and prestige can erode basic human values and compassion” (Beat Magazine)

GULLAT, GULDALIT: TO HEAR, TO LISTEN AND TO ACT ACCORDINGLY
2025-05-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join professor of literature at the Sámi University in Norway, Harald Gaski, and American visual artist of Sámi descent, Tia Keobounpheng, for a conversation about Sámi values, views, and understandings through the lens of “Gullat, guldalit”—to hear, to listen and to act accordingly—in literary and visual art. This program is presented in coordination with Nordic Echoes: Tradition in Contemporary Art, the first major traveling exhibition of contemporary Nordic folk arts and cultural traditions from the Upper Midwest.

A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS
2025-05-01 19:30 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Internationally acclaimed pianist Jeffrey Siegel returns this fall for his ever-popular Keyboard Conversations® series at Scandinavia House. Each evening comprises an informal commentary on the music and its composers, a full performance of each work, and a short Q & A session. The engaging format both makes friends of classical music and enriches the listening experience for avid music lovers.
Tonight’s program will consist of well-loved masterpieces by Grieg, Rachmaninoff, Debussy and Chopin!

Thanks to a generous loan by Victor Borge’s grandson Finn, concerts will be performed on Victor Borge’s personal Steinway piano.
Purchase Tickets

IT STARTS WITH CIRCLES
2025-05-03 11:00 - 14:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Explore the world of geometry with artist, Tia Keobounpheng. In this workshop, you will learn more about the significant role geometry plays in Tia’s mixed-media artwork and move through the 4th grade geometry lesson (during pandemic distance learning) that changed the course of her career. With pencil, compass, and ruler you will build repeating geometric patterns of squares, triangles, and hexagons by first starting with circles. Play with color to complete and accentuate your own distinct pattern!

PUNISHED BY ANN-HELÉN LAESTADIUS | NORDIC BOOK CLUB ONLINE
2025-05-06 18:00 - 19:00 | NY
Read and discuss literature with our Nordic Book Club Online! On May 6, we’ll be discussing Punished, a searing new novel about loss, memory, cultural erasure and community by author Ann-Helén Laestadius!
From the internationally bestselling author of the “extraordinary” (Fredrik Backman) novel Stolen comes a harrowing story—inspired by true events—of five Indigenous children forced to attend a government-run boarding school in 1950s Sweden, revealing the emotional scars they carry 30 years later. In the 1950s near the Arctic Circle, seven-year-olds Jon-Ante, Else-Maj, Nilsa, Marge, and Anne-Risten are taken from their families. As children of Sámi reindeer herders, the Swedish state has mandated they attend a “nomad school” where they are forbidden to speak their native language. As the children visit home only sporadically, their parents know little about the abuse they face, much of it at the hands of the housemother, Rita. Those who dare to speak up are silenced.
Thirty years later, the five children have chosen different paths to cope with the past. Else-Maj holds strong in her Sámi identity but has turned to religion for comfort, while Anne-Risten now goes by Anne to hide her heritage from friends. Nilsa herds reindeer like his father but harbors a lot of anger, and Jon-Ante struggles with traumatic memories from the school. Then there’s Marge, who is about to adopt a daughter from Colombia, but can’t help questioning if it’s right to take a child from her homeland.
Suddenly, housemother Rita reappears. Now an old, frail woman claiming to have God on her side, she acts like nothing ever happened. But the five former students have neither forgotten nor forgiven her. As the narrative shifts between each of their perspectives, the novel asks: If you had the chance to punish the person who hurt you as a child, would you?
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MOTHER'S DAY PRIXE FIXE | BJÖRK CAFE & BISTRO
2025-05-11 11:00 - 16:00 | Björk Cafe & Bistro at Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Treat your mother to a culinary taste journey through Scandinavia this Mother’s Day with a prix-fixe celebration at Björk Cafe & Bistro at Scandinavia House! This five-course menu features dishes from each of the Nordic countries, including appetizers, entrees, a sparkling Nordic mimosa, and Princess Cake from Sweden. ASF Members receive a 15-percent discount.
MENU
Sparkling Nordic Mimosa
(Lingonberry, Elderflower or Black Current)
Chilled Green Pea Soup with Nettles & Smoked Trout Roe (Denmark)
West Coast Salad with Cold Water Shrimp & Creamy Dill Dressing (Norway)
Baked Turbot Filet with White Asparagus & Brown Butter Hollandaise (Finland)
Lamb Tenderloin with Roasted Spring Vegetables, mini Hasselback Potato & Lingonberry Sauce (Iceland)
Princess Cake (Sweden)
$85/pp ($72.25 ASF Members)
RESERVATIONS

ECHOES OF THE FJORDS: THE TIMELESS MUSIC OF THE HARDANGER FIDDLE
2025-05-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Join us on May 13 for a showcase on the legendary Hardanger fiddle, featuring a concert and discussion with Karen Rebholz and Lucy Jacobs!
Hardanger fiddles originated in Norway in the 1600s and are richly ornamented with intricate carving, inlaid fittings and black line drawing. An ethereal resonance is created by sympathetic understrings. Traditional Hardanger fiddle music is played with asymmetric rhythms, multiple tunings, and nonstandard tones which have been preserved by means of an unbroken aural chain. In today’s program, Lucy Jacobus and Karen Rebholz will introduce you to the Hardanger fiddle and perform traditional tunes that were the musical accompaniment to life in the Norwegian countryside. These tunes mark important events in the lives of the people and serve as an aural repository of history and traditions unique to each valley.
