Now a much anticipated fixture on the festival calendar, the third Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival is now – or is just about to be – in full swing around Australia. The festival aims to present some of the most exciting and fresh movies from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland.
This year’s offerings include Finland’s official Oscar contender, and winner of Best Film at Finland’s 2016 Jussi Awards, The Fencer, a fictionalised take on a real-life fencing teacher who took a stand against Stalinist oppression in Soviet-era Estonia. Fleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a physical education teacher at a local school. However, the past catches up with him as he comes face to face with a difficult choice.
Meanwhile, more in the spirit of recent Nordic fare, tense suspense thriller Absolution starring Laura Birn tackles the moral questions of guilt and revenge after a hit-and-run accident spirals out of control. Mari Rantasila (2015 Festival film Armi Alive!), took the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in this film at Finland’s recent Jussi Awards
From Sweden, the documentary comedy Nice People is a real-life Cool Runnings which has won over audiences’ hearts worldwide. The predominantly white community of the rural Swedish town of Borlänge are confronted by the influx of Somalis who have fled war. Integrating has proven difficult, so entrepreneur Patrik Andersson decides that all the Swedes and Somalis need is something to talk about together, and so he encourages them to learn Bandy (a cross between ice hockey and soccer). This highly entertaining and touching documentary follows the young Somalis’ long journey from their first hesitant steps on the ice to the very first goal in the history of their country, coached by legendary former bandy player Per Fosshaug and Cia Embretsen, and accompanied and commented on by the well-known Swedish duo of entertainers Fredrik Wikingsson and Filip Hammar.
Our reviewer Greg King shares his thoughts on two of the big name films of the festival.
Land of Mine (Denmark) Written and directed by Martin Zandvliet, Land Of Mine is a powerful, intense and involving drama set in Denmark after the end of WWII. And as unlikely as it seems, it is based on a true story. After the war, some 1.5 million land mines littered Denmark’s beaches. They had been planted by the Nazis to deter allied landings. But there were so many mines that apparently the Danish government was unable to declare beaches safe until 2012, nearly seventy years after the war ended. Land Of Mine focuses one one group of German teens, captured by the Allies, who are forced to locate and defuse some 45000 mines. It is dangerous work as they could explode at any time. The boys were told that they would be repatriated to Germany after they had finished their work. An end title card informs us that half of those conscripted for this dangerous duty died. Slowly the boys begin to bond over their shared danger, and a few hijinks at the end of every day they survive. They are supervised by the embittered Danish sergeant Rassmussen (played by Roland Moller, from the tense drama A Hijacking, etc), a tough taskmaster whose feelings towards his charges slowly changes. He reluctantly begins to feel responsible for the boys. Director Zandvliet is a former editor who knows how to expertly ratchet up the tension. The film has been superbly shot by cinematographer Camilla Helm who captures some haunting images. Land Of Mine is a harrowing and emotionally draining drama as we come to genuinely feel for the fate of the boys, who are terrified and just want to go home. The characters are well drawn, and the largely unknown youthful cast deliver strong performances. This is a powerful war movie that ranks up there with The Hurt Locker.
The Wave (Norway) The Wave is the first disaster movie from Norway, and it is every bit as good as those epics served up by Hollywood (Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, etc), albeit on a limited budget (around $4 million) and without the star power. Norway is full of fjords and mountains, but several times in the past an avalanche has caused a tsunami which has wiped out low lying villages and wreaked devastation. Although the last such tragedy was over fifty years ago, geologists believe that another such disaster could occur at any time. Using this as a starting point, director Roar Uthuag (Applause) and writers John Kaare Raake and Harald Rosenlow-Eeg deliver a suspenseful and involving action film. Geologist Kristian (Kristoffer Joner, from The Revenant) is one of many specialists monitoring the mountain system above the picturesque town of Geiranger. At first Kristian is the only person who suspects that disaster is imminent. Flashing monitors warn of dropping water levels, that spell potential for catastrophe. Initially his warnings fall on deaf ears as apparently the tourism driven economy is more important. When disaster strikes, the massive 85 metre tidal wave sweeps towards the town of Geiranger. The population have ten minutes to evacuate and reach higher ground before the wall of water swamps it. Uthuag, a former director of music videos, brings plenty of visual style to the film and delivers plenty of suspense and action. He uses the usual tropes of the genre to serve up a wonderfully involving story that shows the full destructive force of mother nature. The special effects that create the wave and the devastation after a whole village has been virtually decimated are excellent. The film has been beautifully shot by cinematographer John Cristian Rosenlund. But Uthuag also serves up a more human story as Kristian tries to find and rescue his family in the aftermath. His wife and teenage son are trapped in the flooded bomb shelter beneath the hotel where she works. Although the film is admittedly cliched in its structure and ticks all the usual boxes, Uthuag develops some strong sense of character so that we feel for them. We feel for Kristian and his desperate efforts to save his family. Uthuag could teach Roland Emmerich a thing or two about restraint when it comes to disaster movie.
The Scandinavian Film Festival screens exclusively at Palace Cinemas nationally.
Sydney: Tues 5 – Wed 27 July Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona
Melbourne: Wed 6 – Wed 27 July Palace Cinema Como, Brighton Bay, Westgarth
Canberra: Tues 12 – Wed 27 July Palace Electric
Brisbane: Wed 13 – Wed 27 July Palace Centro & Barracks
Adelaide: Tues 19 – Wed 27 July Palace Nova Eastend
Hobart: Wed 20 – Wed 27 July State Cinema
Perth: Thu 21 – Wed 3 August Cinema Paradiso
For more information and to register for updates visit www.scandinavianfilmfestival.com
David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television