Winter in the inner west means lots of things: Snuggling under donnas with another warm body, doing the Bay Run in a puffy black jacket and maybe even wishing that climate change would hurry up and start happening… But best of all, it signals the return of our favourite annual celebration of all things chilly – the Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival. Now in its 6th year, it kicks off at Palace Cinemas on July 9, showcasing the best of Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Icelandic cinema. The 21-film programme once again includes award-winning dramas to heart-warming comedies and the very best of Nordic Noir.
One of the highlights is sure to be the official selection at SXSW Film Festival and a nominee for Best Nordic Film at the Göteborg Film Festival, the wicked and tender rom-com Aurora (pic above) from Finland about a commitment-phobic party girl and Iranian refugee agree to help each other out after a strange encounter at a hot dog stand. The festival centrepiece A White, White Day promises to be a little darker. Acclaimed at Cannes, it’s a searing Icelandic drama about an off-duty police chief who begins to suspect a local man of having had an affair with his late wife. Another highly anticipated local hit is the apocalyptic Swedish sci-fi movie Aniara – set on board a luxurious spaceship manned by materialistic and consumption-obsessed humans fleeing a ruined Earth. As respected film magazine Screen International writes, it’s “a work of daunting ambition.”
Fans of Nordic noir are exceptionally well served – the last of the 4-part Depart Q series, The Purity of Vengeance will premiere this year, again reuniting actors Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares. The earlier three parts, 2013’s The Keeper of Lost Causes, The Absent One (2014) and A Conspiracy of Faith (2016) will be get an encore screening too, as will the entire 3-part the Swedish Millennium series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009), The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009) and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (2010).
There’s also a new documentary,Steig Larsson: The Man who Played with Fire, which did deep into late author’s archives, to reveal his crusading work as a journalist investigating extreme right-wing groups in Sweden.
But please don’t just stop at the noir. Head to the festival website for the full exciting and varied programme, where you can make bookings too. You’ll even find some light comedies, like the opening night special Happy Ending and the “epic and magical” Swoon (below) about illicit love set in two rival amusement parks involved in a raging feud.
In Sydney the festival screens at Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from July 9 to 31. The dates in the other capital cities are slightly different – listed below.
Win double passes
Thanks to Palace Cinemas we have 5 double in-season passes to giveaway. For a chance to win, email us at info@ciaomagazine.com.au and tell us one the name of any Scandinavian movie or TV show you’ve enjoyed recently. Winners will receive a pass valid for any film and session (except opening night, closing night and special events)* We’ll mail it out by priority post, so do include a postal address. Entries close midday Monday July 8.
* NB Passes are valid with “No Free Tickets” listings.
Sydney 9 – 31 Jul Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona & Palace Central
Canberra 10 – 31 Jul Palace Electric
Melbourne 11 – 31 Jul Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Balwyn & Palace Westgarth
Adelaide 16 Jul – 7 Aug Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas & Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
Perth 17 Jul – 7 Aug Palace Cinema Paradiso and Luna on SX
Brisbane 18 Jul – 7 Aug Palace James Street and Palace Barracks
Byron Bay 17 – 31 Jul Palace Byron Bay
Hobart 25 – 31 Jul State Cinema
For more information, visit scandinavianfilmfestival.com
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