Werewolves, swans and miners’ strikes

The first film about Nelly Rapp, Nelly Rapp Monster Agent, premièred at the world’s leading forum of film for young audiences: Generation in Berlin. It has achieved widespread success at festivals, and also following cinema release in several countries. And now, the sequel is here. In Nelly Rapp – Svartskogens hemlighet (English title TBA), directed by Johan Rosell with screenplay by Sofie Forsman and Tove Forsman, Nelly and her father go off to spend Christmas with Hannibal and Lena-Sleva, but Nelly plans to solve the secret of Black Forest. It’s a thrilling adventure involving trolls and werewolves, and it takes her far closer to the past than she could ever have imagined. The film has also been awarded market funding.

Norwegian–Swedish co-production Sulis, by two-time Amanda winner Nils Gaup, follows an event that happened over 100 years ago. It was Norway’s first strike and it happened at Sulitjelma, a Swedish-owned mine on land stolen from the Sámi people. On one side is Swedish mining company Sulitelma from Helsingborg, represented by the combative company representative Wennström. On the other are workers without rights from Sweden and Norway, represented by the legendary Stor-Rasmus.

Amongst the many short films is the notable dark film At the Window by Tomas Stark and Peter Larsson. In an animation/live action hybrid, the directors breathe life into poet Helen Adam’s scary, mysterious poem At the Window, about a young girl’s encounter with sickness, death and monsters. 

In the thriller The Musical Spider (Den musikaliska spindeln), Henry Moore Selder tells the story of a man and his wife living in a loveless marriage, with a child who is just a head. On his 18th birthday the boy decides to steal his father’s body. Henry Moore Selder’s previous ‘genre film’ A Living Soul (En levande själ), about a brain in a laboratory, screened at Clermont-Ferrand and many other genre film festivals.

Lia Hietala and Hannah Reinikainen have previously co-directed Always Amber (Alltid Amber), which was nominated for a Teddy in Berlin. Hietala was also featured in Berlin with My Gay Sister (Min homosyster). Their new documentary Night Shift (Nattpass) follows Becky and Sara, two very different friends. Had they not both worked at the strip club they would probably never have met, but their close friendship is vital to get through the long night shifts. We follow the friends during a normal night at work: backstage, at the stripper pole, and home to bed the morning after.

Jane Magnusson has several international successes under her belt, with films such as Bergman – A Year in a Life (Bergman – ett år, ett liv) in Cannes, Vox lipoma (Fettknölen) at Sundance, and Trespassing Bergman (Bergmans video) in Venice. She now writes and directs the documentary Swan Lady (Svanmön), which follows the police as they enter a small apartment in Stockholm and find eleven swans crowded on a sticky floor. One swan has a broken wing, which the woman who lives there has strapped to the swan with packaging tape. She is convicted of animal cruelty, despite really loving swans. What happened?

Feature film

From Nelly Rapp - Svartskogens hemlighet (English title tba). Photo: Per Larsson

Nelly Rapp – Svartskogens hemlighet (English title tba)
Director Johan Rosell
Screenplay Sofie Forsman, Tove Forsman
Producers Jon Nohrstedt, Niklas Lasson
Funding recipient SF Studios Production AB
Target group Children 7-12 age
Film type Fiction
Genre Adventure
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Jenny Gilbertsson
Funding granted 2 000 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: Nelly and her father go off to spend Christmas with Hannibal and Lena-Sleva, but Nelly plans to solve the secret of Black Forest. It's a thrilling adventure involving trolls and werewolves, and it takes her far closer to the past than she could ever have imagined.

Sulis 
Director Nils Gaup
Screenplay Christopher Gröndal
Producer Christer Nilson
Funding recipient Götafilm AB*
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre Drama
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Helen Ahlsson
Funding granted 1 500 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: Just over 100 years ago, Norway’s first strike took place and it happened at Sulitjelma, a Swedish-owned mine on land stolen from the Sámi people. On one side is Swedish mining company Sulitelma from Helsingborg, represented by the combative company representative Wennström. On the other are workers without rights from Sweden and Norway, represented by the legendary Stor-Rasmus.
* Swedish coproducer. Main producer: Storyline Nor AS, Tom Vidar Karlsen, Norway

Short film

At the Window. Photo: Picky Pictures

At the Window
Directors Tomas Stark, Peter Larsson
Screenplay Tomas Stark
Producer Gustav Ahlgren
Funding recipient Picky Pictures AB
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre horror
Technique Mixed
Film commissioner Ami Ekström
Funding granted 275 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: A young girl's encounter with sickness, death and monsters.

From Budö. Photo: Amanda Aagard

Budö
Directors Amanda Aagard, Alexander Toma
Screenplay Alexander Toma
Producers Amanda Aagard, Alexander Toma
Funding recipient Amsaga HB
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre Comedy
Technique Animated
Film commissioner Ami Ekström
Funding granted 300 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: On the outskirts of Tokyo lives Miho, a lonely old widow. One day on her way home from the supermarket she meets a red haired stray cat who follows her home. The cat has a big appetite and swiftly makes himself more comfortable in Mihos small apartment than she ever could have anticipated.

Common Room
Director Maja Maletkovic
Screenplay Maja Maletkovic, Sara Radojkovic
Producer Maja Maletkovic
Funding recipient Immersive Reality Studios Stockholm
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre Fantasy
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Ami Ekström
Funding granted 390 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: Close your eyes and imagine you are being admitted to the Beckomberga mental institution. You are left in the common room with some other patients and staff members. At first, everything they do feels odd but normal at the same time, and then they notice you and all hell breaks loose.

The Musical Spider (Den musikaliska spindeln)
Director Henry Moore Selder
Screenplay Henry Moore Selder
Producer Kalle Wettre
Funding recipient Malade AB
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre Horror
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Ami Ekström
Funding granted 450 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: A man and his wife live in a loveless marriage. They have a severely deformed child, who on his 18th birthday decides to steal his dad's body.

Lussy. Photo: Meryem Yavuz

Lussy
Director Ayse Handan Ipekci
Screenplay Ayse Handan Ipekci
Producer Ayse Handan Ipekci
Funding recipient Ayse Handan Ipekci
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre Drama
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Ami Ekström
Funding granted 100 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: Abandoned, distressed and angry stray dogs roam the streets of a seaside town but a far worse fate awaits them. Just like soldiers sent to combat, women slaughtered by gender inequality, refugees fleeing war and good-for-nothing elderly folk.

Night Shift. Photo: Milja Rossi

Night Shift (Nattpass)
Directors Lia Hietala, Hannah Reinikainen
Screenplay Lia Hietala, Hannah Reinikainen
Producer Melissa Lindgren
Funding recipient Story AB
Target group Adult
Film type Documentary
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Anna Weitz
Funding granted 350 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: Becky and Sara are an unlikely pair of friends. Were it not for the work at the strip club they would not have become so close. Their warm and humorous jargon is essential for the survival of a long night shift. We follow them during one regular job night: backstage, at the pole and home again the morning after.

Swan Lady. Illustration: Jonna Hallberg

Swan Lady (Svanmön)
Director Jane Magnusson
Screenplay Jane Magnusson
Producer Rebecka Hamberger
Funding recipient Art & Bob Film & Drama AB
Target group Adult
Film type Documentary
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Anna Weitz
Funding granted 470 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: When the police enter a small apartment in central Stockholm, they find eleven swans crowded on a sticky floor. One swan has a broken wing, and the woman who lives there has strapped it to the swan with packaging tape. She is convicted of animal cruelty, despite really loving swans.

Ten Years from Now. Photo: Basem Nabhan

Ten Years from Now
Director Basel Mawlawi
Screenplay Basel Mawlawi
Producer Basel Mawlawi
Funding recipient Kinana Films AB
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre Drama
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Ami Ekström
Funding granted 450 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: Rami is a determined young Syrian who has convinced himself that everything is normal with his new life in Sweden. But soon the pressure of life upended becomes unbearable, the haunting ghosts from his past inescapable. Slowly, the monster he has been running away from breaks through.

Hey Jav (Tjena Tjavo)
Director Alecio Araci
Screenplay Alecio Araci
Producers Alicia Hansen, Bitte Andersson
Funding recipient French Quarter Film AB
Target group Adult
Film type Fiction
Genre Drama
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Ami Ekström
Funding granted 500 000 SEK
Production company’s presentation: Tommy is a Romani man whose  worldview and pride were shattered when his son took his life. A year later, a teenage boy, Antonio, shows up at Tommy's restaurant and lingers until closing. Antonio is rumored to be 'that way' and has been kicked out of his home.

Market funding

Nelly Rapp - Svartskogens hemlighet (English title tba)
Director Johan Rosell
Screenplay Sofie Forsman, Tove Forsman
Producers Jon Nohrstedt, Niklas Lasson
Funding recipient SF Studios Production AB
Target group Children 7-12 age
Film type Fiction
Genre Adventure
Technique Live action
Film commissioner Jenny Gilbertsson
Funding granted 8 000 000 SEK