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Psychosis in Stockholm to Open the festival, My Father Mary Anne to Close

This year's opening film is the world premiere of the Swedish film Psychosis in Stockholm by Maria Bäck. 20 years ago, Maria Bäck went on vacation to Stockholm with her mother. It ended with her mother having a mental breakdown – and the 14-year-old Maria wandering around the city alone. With the help of actors Josefin Neldén and Josefine Stofkoper, she has now processed the experience in this feature film debut (her documentary I Remember When I Die received an honorary mention by the jury at Göteborg Film Festival in 2016).

This year's closing film is the world premiere of the Swedish film My Father Mary Anne by Mårten Klingberg. How does it feel when your father turns out to be a woman? The aspiring journalist Hanna (Hedda Stiernstedt) finds out that things aren’t that easy. She is frustrated, pre-occupied with herself, and even if she claims to be open-minded, she doesn’t know how to deal with her cozy priest of a father buying dresses and wanting to be Mary Anne. Supported by a cast including Lena Endre and Nour El Refai, Swedish star Rolf Lassgård (A Man Called Ove) gives us a masterfully warm portrayal of how the most popular priest in the small town decides to follow his heart. 

Göteborg Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Nordic countries. Each year the festival’s program group travels around the world to track down choice films to bring back to Göteborg. These films are then presented during the ten-day festival at the end of January, creating a great banquet serving audiences nearly 450 films from some 80 countries.

Bringing the whole world to Göteborg has always been the festival’s motto, but the goal is also to be a springboard for new Nordic film out into the world. Every year the Nordic competition, Dragon Award Best Nordic Film, scrutinizes an upper-crust of competitors. The winner’s prize is among one of the film world’s largest: one million Swedish crowns.

Göteborg Film Festival began in 1979 and each year attracts more than 160,000 visits.

The festival’s industry section, with Nordic Film Market at the vanguard, is the foremost marketplace for Nordic film and TV drama as well as an important meeting place industry visitors from all over the world.

Yet the festival is not just about film: we also invite you to some 40 seminars as well as live music performances, art exhibits and many other activities.

Tickets for the upcoming festival will be released for sale on January 9 for members and on January 11 for general audiences. Click here to become a member and secure tickets to our most popular movies ahead of everyone else.