Editor

Eight films ready for the Nordic Competition!

Celebrating its 30th jubilee Göteborg International Film Festival will be inaugurated January 26, 2007. Opening film will be the drama The New Man (Den nya människan) by director Klas Härö. Time to Go (Tid att gå) by Lisa Munthe, will be the opening short film. Both of these are in competition for the prestigous Nordic Film Award.
Eight new Nordic films are nominated for the Nordic Competition at the Göteborg International Film Festival. The award consists of an award sum of 100 000 SEK and the statuette the Film Dragon (Filmdraken) by Swedish artist Ernst Billgren.

Last year’s winner Icelandic Dark Horse by Dagur Kari (also winner in 2002, with Noi Albinoi) had a succesful year after the première in Göteborg, with screenings in Cannes and on other festivals all over the world, winning prices for example in Denmark, Ljubjlana and Brussels.

In 2007 the nominees are:

The Art of Crying (Kunsten at græde i kor) – Peter Schønau Fog (Denmark) a film about a tyrannic father in Jylland during the 1970s

Prague (Prag) – Ole Christian Madsen (Denmark), a drama where Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, Pusher etc) gets in contact with his, since long, absent father – posthumously

The New Man (Den nya människan) – Klaus Härö (Sweden), a story about a shameful chapter of Sweden’s history involving questions about race biology.

Darling – Johan Kling (Sweden), Eva is a guest in reality living her fancy life in one of Stockholms poshest neigbourhoods, but wakes up temporarily when she meets an older man and experiences another way of life

That Special Summer (Kid Svensk) – Nanna Huolman (Sweden), an emotional debut about Kid, who in spite of an absent mother and other difficulties finds his own way in life – and an identity of his own

Parents (Foreldrar) – Ragnar Bragason (Iceland), an intense drama and a report from a number of dysfunctional families in Reykjavík – the story started with Bragasons previous film Children

Rock’n Roll Never Dies – Juha Koiranen (Finland), a tall talk about 30 something Tiger, who still lives with his parents – whom unusually enough, are genuinely nice

The Bothersome Man (Den brysomme mannen) – Jens Lien (Norway), a stylish dystopia about a perfect community where all defects have been eliminated

As usual the festival also offers a number of Swedish world premières, among others the directing debut from actress Helena Bergström and the actual debut from Maria Blom (made before her acclaimed Dalecarlians (2004), but never screened before)

The Swedish premières in Göteborg are:

Mind the Gap (Se upp för dårarna), Helena Bergström

BitterSweatHeart (Linas kvällsbok), Hella Joof

Hating Gothenburg (Hata Göteborg), Robert Lillhonga

Leap and Bounds (Hoppet), Petter Næss

Fishy, Maria Blom

Lass (Barn av sin tid), Maj Wechselmann




Moira Sullivan, Nordic correspondent