October 23, 2010

Scandinavian Film Festival - Day 1 - Everlasting Moments & Patrik 1.5

Hi readers, I just came back from the first day of  the Festival and Im very happy I could find some time to see this movies, they were great. I will post some quick review of the movies, so stick around to see more updates of this Festival.

Director: Jan Troell
Cast: Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen
Writers: Maja Öman (memoirs), Niklas Rådström (screenplay), Jan Troell (story), Agneta Ulfasäter-Troell (story)
Music: Mattie Bye
Production: Sweden, 2008
Release Date: 24 September 2008 (Sweden)
Runtime:  131 Minutes
Original Name: Maria Larssons Eviga Ögonblick
IMDB Link: Everlasting Moments

In the early 1900s, Maria, a poor housewife, mother of six children and wife of an alcoholic husband, will try to hold his family together, as Sweden is shaken by social and economic changes. After discovering some old camera, she had won at a lottery; she will start to get caught in her new activity, as her husband feels resentment toward her.
It´s a very simple but deep story, it’s a story about family and showing that everybody has a good and a bad side, no one is perfect. One good thing is that none of the characters falls into stereotypes, the rhythm of the movie it´s a little bit slower than we are used to but you would never feel them as the movie will caught you.

Director: Ella Lemhagen
Cast: Gustaf Skargård, Torkel Petersson, Thomas Ljungman
Writers: Michael Druker (Play), Ella Lemhagen
Music: Fredrik Emilson
Production: Sweden, 2008
Release Date: 12 September 2008 (Sweden)
Runtime: 103 Minutes
Original Name: Patrick 1,5
IMDB Link: Patrick 1.5

After moving to their new suburban neighborhood Göran and Sven a homosexual Swedish couple decides to adopt a child. Because they are married, no country is willing to let a gay couple adopt any children. Soon after a Swedish orphan becomes available but this is when things start to get interesting. Due to some typographical error on the adoption papers, they received a 15-year-old teenager named Patrik, who has criminal background, violent history and is a homophobic. With nothing, they could do for a couple of days; they keep Patrick. After some back and forward Patrik changes his behavior and realize that this could be the only family that is willing to take him. Despite having a new family for adoption, Patrik decides to stay with Göran and Sven.
The movie has some good touches of humor but it also makes you think many things. Despite all the stereotypes attributed to the homosexual couples, they are better than those that live next door.

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