2017 Scandinavian Film Festival

2017 Scandinavian Film Festival

Presented by Palace Cinemas, the fourth Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival takes off nationally from 11 July with a spread of 20 films from the Nordic region. The exciting program opens with Aki Kaurismäki's THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE*, winner of the Silver Bear for Best Director 2017 at this year's Berlinale. Both important and hugely entertaining, the film reflects the modern day experience of one immigrant in Finland, providing an optimistic vision of a troubled world.

The festival is delighted to feature special presentations of THE KING'S CHOICE, Norway's official selection for the 2017 Academy Awards and FIPRESCI prize winner TOM OF FINLAND.

The Centrepiece Film THE KING'S CHOICE is a Norwegian historical drama that brilliantly depicts the machinations, principles and personal fallout of conflict. Also included in the program is a Special Event screening of TOM OF FINLAND, the outstanding biography of this Finnish homoerotic artist that serves as a worthy and humane homage to one of Finland's most unorthodox international heroes.
The festival will close with Ivica Zubak's A HUSTLER'S DIARY, featuring a breakout performance by star/co-writer Can Demirtas as the unlikely hero Metin, a petty criminal of Turkish descent whose misplaced journal is discovered by a publishing house that offers to turn him into a star. A vividly sketched comedy that touches on the topical issues of national identity and integration, Metin's volatile world is evoked with affection, sensitivity and hilariously accurate street-smart zap.

Alongside A HUSTLER'S DIARY, Sweden offers book to film adaptation ROOM 213, a mystery meets coming-of-age story for the whole family that beautifully captures young female friendship set against the backdrop of a summer camp ghost story; and Amanda Kernell's multiple award-winning SAMI BLOOD* blends the struggles of growing up within the rarely depicted cultural context of Sweden's oppression of Sami people, events that are familiar within the context of Australian history.

Denmark delivers a superb selection of films this year with ONE-TWO-THREE GO!, the bittersweet romance adapted from Jesper Wung-Sung's best-selling novel En-to-tre-nu!; A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH starring 2016 festival guest Jakob Oftebro is the third Department Q film and quite possibly the best Jussi Adler-Olsen adaptation to date; a fresh and thrilling portrayal of the -two worlds' of Denmark – the overworld and the underworld – is shown in DARKLAND; 1864 brings to the big screen one of the most popular Danish television series ever made, in a newly released theatrical cut; and Rasmus Heisterberg, writer of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009), makes his directorial debut with IN THE BLOOD, a film about a group of young men at a defining moment in their lives.

On the lighter side of Nordic cinema, Denmark's selection also includes THE MAN, Charlotte Sieling's (The Killing, Homeland) satire that explores an intergenerational rivalry in the trendy Copenhagen arts scene; the vibrant and thoughtful romantic comedy, SWINGER, that touches on midlife crises of people longing for long-vanished love; and SMALL TOWN KILLERS, a black comedy of the darkest kind about the unforeseen consequences of planning the perfect crime.

In addition to our Opening Night Film and Special Event, Finland also brings us the feature debut of Selma Vilhunen, an Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker. LITTLE WING is the tender coming-of- age story that centres on the resourceful Varpu as she struggles between fitting in with her friends and her family.

From Iceland, HEARTSTONE follows the lives of a group of youths as they explore sexuality and maturity over a summer in a small Icelandic village. Seasoned cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen paints a breathtaking portrait of Iceland in transition through the eyes of the young protagonists.

As well the festival's Centrepiece Film, Norway boasts the outstanding films HANDLE WITH CARE, a strongly moving drama about fatherhood and international adoption; a journalist's case turns dangerous in the classic Nordic thriller, KINGS BAY; MAGNUS is the eye-opening journey of the twenty-three-year-old World Chess Champion; and multi-award winning director Sara Johnsen helms an all-female cast of rising and established Norwegian stars for an entertaining exploration of love, sex and what it means to be family in ROSEMARI.

The festival will take place nationally from July in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Brisbane and Hobart.

NSW July 11 – August 2 Palace Verona & Palace Norton Street
VIC July 13 – August 2 Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay & Palace Westgarth
ACT July 18 – August 2 Palace Electric
WA July 20 – August 2 Cinema Paradiso
QLD July 20 – August 6 Palace Barracks
SA July 19 – July 30 Palace Nova Eastend
TAS July 20 – July 26 State Cinema

For updates and more information, visit scandinavianfilmfestival.com and join the mailing list.