Scandinavian Films class

Movies to Scandinavia are like tech to Israel. Both regions have relatively small populations. But they have made outsized contributions in the respective industry with many world renowned productions. There are many well known legends like Ingmar Bergman and Lar von Trier. Last year I enrolled in the Coursera class Scandinavian Film and Television by University of Copenhagen. It is a perfect guide to Scandinavian cinema taking us through the history and also across different genres. I have done good on my part to watch a good number of movies. I counted 19 movies and 1 TV series in total last year. There are many good ones to share.

Carl Theodor Dreyer

Gertrud (1964)
Ordet (1955)

Ingmar Bergman

Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)

Fun and clever dialogs. Very enjoyable.

Lars von Trier

Melancholia (2011)
Antichrist (2009)
Dogville (2003)

I never really loved Lars von Trier. His works are just too disturbing and gruesome for me. But there is no denial he is an evil genius. Dogville looks innocent in the beginning. Then it turned cruel and sick and traumatic. Antichrist is horrifying but with a strangely alluring aesthetics.

Aki Kaurismäki

The Man Without a Past (2002)
The Match Factory Girl (1990)

Susanne Bier

In a Better World (2010)
After the Wedding (2006)

Susanne Bier is my favorite director of the recent generation. “In a Better World” is riveting. I feel very much the interpersonal conflicts, struggles and moral dilemmas the characters have gone through.

Jan Troell

Everlasting Moments (2008)
Hamsun (1996)

“Hamsun” portrays the life of the Norwegian Nobel laureates in Literature. We saw his personal life as distant to his family and a hard to approach person. He genuinely believed in Nazi in WWII. Whose downfall led to a difficult last chapter in his life.

Lone Scherfig

Italian for Beginners (2000)

One of the films from the Dogme 95 movement. I am not especially attracted to the dogme style. However “Italian for Beginners” is just a sweet, contemporary film that brings people in a small town together in the pretext of learning Italian. Very charming compared to other edgy dogme films.

Bille August

Pelle the Conqueror (1987)

Epic!

Vilgot Sjöman

I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967)

I have fallen asleep in this, despite its soft porn reputation.

Thomas Vinterberg

The Hunt (2012)

A thought provoking film about an innocent teacher whose life is ruined by a false accusation of child molestation.

Petter Næss

Elling (2001)

Roy Andersson

You, the Living (2007)

I love this dark comedy of many stories of desolated people

Gabriel Axel

Babette’s Feast (1987)

Surprisingly good I have a post a few weeks ago.

DR

Borgen (Season I)

One of the best TV dramas ever. The behind the scene struggle among the political parties and the characters are tense and dramatic. Every episode packs a moral punch. This makes it stand out from all the rest.

There are a few more I am still looking forward to see. Unfortunately not all of them are easily available.

Kitchen Stories (2003)
The Best Intentions (1992)
The Emigrants (1971)
Borgen (Season II, III)