What better way to embrace Melbourne's bloody freezing winter than diving into the best Nordic cinema at the 2022 Scandinavian Film Festival.
The 2022 Scandinavian Film Festival is set to bring the best films from Cannes directly to Melbourne audiences across July and August. The film festival will be showing at Palace, Palace Nova and Luna Palace Cinemas this July with a line-up designed to warm the coolest of seasons. A selection of first highlights have been announced, with a glimpse into what’s in store for Scandi film lovers next month.
From the 2022 Cannes Film Festival critics’ week is Finland’s The Woodcutter Story (Metsurin tarina), the directorial debut from Mikko Myllylahti. In an idyllic village, Pepe the woodcutter’s quiet life is torn apart by a series of tragic events over the course of a few days but he seems to be fine with it, as if he held a secret to existence that is hard to grasp. This idiosyncratic black comedy direct from Cannes had many people talking and will certainly be a highlight of the festival.
Scandinavian Film Festival dates and venues
Sydney: 12 July – 7 august, Palace Norton, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema
Canberra: 13 July – 7 August, Palace Electric
Melbourne: 14 July – 7 August, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema and The Astor Theatre (selected sessions)
Adelaide: 19 July – 10 August, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Perth: 20 July – 10 August, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX & Palace Raine Square
Brisbane: 20 July – 10 August, Palace James St, Palace Barracks
Byron Bay: 22 July – 10 August, Palace Byron Bay
Keep up with the latest Melbourne film and television news here.
The Opening Night selection is an epic co-production between Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Czech Republic and Poland titled Margrete – Queen of the North (Margrete den første). A lavish historical drama set in 1402 from acclaimed director Charlotte Sieling, it explores the legacy and dilemmas faced by Denmark’s Queen Margrete, a visionary ruler who brokered the historic Kalmar Union, uniting Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
From Sweden comes a new version of the original classic epic, The Emigrants (Utvandrarna) from internationally acclaimed director Erik Poppe. Based on Vilhelm Moberg’s beloved story, it follows the emigration of a family from Sweden to the United States in the mid 1800s and stars Lisa Carlehed and Gustav Skarsgård.
Selected for many European film festivals including the 2022 Göteborg Film Festival is the absorbing mystery thriller from Iceland Quake(Skjálfti). Based on a best-selling Icelandic novel, the film stars Anita Briem as a single mother who is fighting to keep her young son while trying to piece together her life after losing her memory.
Nothing to Laugh About (Ingenting å le av) hails from Norway and tells the story of a successful stand-up comedian whose entire life changes in a single day. He sets out on a heart-warming journey to rediscover himself and his laughter in this charming dramatic comedy starring Norwegian comedian Odd-Magnus Williamson. The 2022 Scandinavian Film Festival will take place from 12 July to 10 August.
The full programme will be announced on 23 June when tickets go on sale.
