Nordic Film Festival

Friday 27 September 2019 at 20:00 – Darling, Denmark
DARLING is the moving love story of a dancer on the rollercoaster ride of her life, a drama about the rise and fall of a modern woman as she summons the courage to face her greatest trial.

Saturday 28 September 2019 at 15:00 – I am William, Denmark

William’s life is anything but easy. His mother is a nut, so he is staying with uncle Nils, who lives on his wits alone. Now that Uncle Nils has racked up a sizable gambling debt and gangsters are out to get him, William has to muster all his moxie and imagination to save both his uncle and himself, while also juggling three class bullies and his crush, Viola.

Saturday 28 September 2019 at 17:00 – Monky, Sweden

One day, Frank (11) finds a real live monkey in his family’s backyard. The monkey‘s name is Monky and her arrival is the beginning of a fun and exciting adventure for the entire family. However, it does not take long before the family realize that she is no ordinary monkey, and it was no coincidence that she showed up in their backyard. Who is Monky? Where does she come from? Will they be able to keep her a secret in the village? A thrilling journey leads the family from Sweden to the deepest jungles of Thailand in search of answers.

Saturday 28 September 2019 at 20:00 – What will people say, Norway

Nisha, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants to Norway, is first seen living a secret after-hours life as an Oslo teenager—running home after an evening with friends to sneak into her family’s apartment unnoticed by father Mirza (Adil Hussain), as he does his late night rounds, checking that everyone’s tucked in bed. Nisha loves hanging out with a mixed-race, mixed-gender crowd, playing ball, dancing, enjoying an after-school joint—but her secular self has to be rather more discreet than she’s always able to manage.

 It’s rather more euphoric than the tentative romantic moment that comes soon after, an altogether chaste moment of intimacy with high school boyfriend Daniel, who has climbed with her through her bedroom window. “Have you asked my parents if you can marry me?” she joke—but neither of them have taken the family’s sense of propriety seriously enough. A moment later, a shocked Mirza walks in on them and beats the living daylights out of the boy.  

Sunday 29 September 2019 at 15:00 – The Liverpool Goalie, Norway

If one judges a movie by its title, the 2010 Norwegian film by Arild Andresen, The Liverpool Goalie, could be easily mistaken for a sports oriented flick.

Jo is an introverted kid, shy (and slightly wimpy) with a vivid imagination — navigating through the peculiar world of middle school (where bullies lurk) and home (run by a single and ever working mom). To make things more complicated, a new girl, Mari (played by Susanne Boucher), joins Jo’s class and, thanks to her beauty and intellect, he falls madly in love with her. First loves are the strongest, or so they say.

To avoid trouble, Jo has agreed to do a classmate’s homework, a classmate who uses his superior physique to intimidate the already very daunted boy. And when Mari joins his class… things go completely out of control.

A story as quirky as its protagonist, yet terrific in showcasing the inner world of an adolescent boy. To some viewers, Jo’s fantasies and ideas about life might seem a bit wicked and funky, but most people will probably recall having similar thoughts at that age (nostalgia striking back). Or, if the viewer is younger (it’s a kid-oriented film after all), he will probably identify with like situations in his own life.

Sunday 29 September 2019 at 17:00 – One Last Deal, Finland

An elderly art dealer Olavi (72) is about to retire. A man who has always put business and art before everything–even his family–cannot imagine life without work. At an auction, an old painting catches his attention. Olavi suspects it is worth much more than its starting price, which is low because its authenticity hasn’t been confirmed. Olavi’s instincts kick in. He decides to make one last deal in order to earn some proper pension money.

At the same time, Olavi’s daughter Lea (42)–whom he hasn’t seen for years–asks him to help her with his teenage grandson Otto (15). Together with Otto, Olavi starts to investigate the background of the painting. They find out that the painting is called Christ and was painted by Ilya Repin. Olavi manages to buy the painting, but when the auction house realizes that there has been a mistake with the original pricing, they turn against him. To fulfill his dream, the old dealer must face both the auction house and his own past mistakes.

Sunday 29 September 2019 at 19:30 – Becoming Astrid, Sweden

Teenaged Astrid Lindren (Alba August), who later went on to write the Pippi Longstocking series, leads a carefree life with her family in the forests and fields of rural Sweden. Restless and eager to break free from the confines of her conservative upbringing, she accepts an internship at a local newspaper where she attracts the attention of its married editor, Blomberg (Henrik Rafaelsen).

After Astrid becomes pregnant, she leaves her childhood home and goes to Copenhagen to secretly give birth to a son, Lasse, whom she reluctantly leaves in the care of a foster mother, Marie (Trine Dyrholm). Astrid goes into self-imposed exile in Stockholm, refusing Blomberg’s offer of marriage and saving up her paltry salary for visits to see Lasse. When Marie falls ill, Astrid uses her imagination and flair for storytelling to reconnect with her son. In spite of her struggles, Astrid emerges with a newfound courage that will later form the foundation of a vast and beloved body of work.