Sci-fi, queer and WW2

From Leila. Photo: Ginestra Film

Klaus Härö shoots Nie Allein, a hidden story from the Second World War. The short documentary Leila by Fariba Haidari follows a transgender teacher in Afghanistan. The documentary Labor by Tove Pils is set among sex workers in San Francisco’s queer community, and Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja do sci-fi in The Egghead Republic. These are just some of the latest projects to be granted funding.

The Egghead Republic is Kågerman and Lilja’s upcoming film following their earlier success with Aniara. A satirical coming-of-age sci-fi movie about a young club kid, who is asked to report from inside the forbidden zone for one of the world’s coolest magazines. The cast includes Arvin Kananian (Triangle of Sadness, Opponent) and the film is edited by Martin Hunter (Full Metal Jacket). The film is partly based on Kågerman’s experience as a reporter for VICE Magazine.

Kevlar Soul (Kevlarsjäl) is the long-awaited first feature by Maria Eriksson Hecht, following earlier success with shorts such as Schoolyard Blues. The film is produced by Ronny Fritsche and Lizette Jonjic for the internationally successful Zentropa.

Labor by Tove Pils screened at CPH:DOX earlier this year. It follows Hanna, who wants to explore who she is and her sexuality, which takes her to San Francisco and its queer community. There she meets sex workers who help her get started on her inward journey.

Danish-Swedish co-production Kingmaker (Mørkeland) by Mikkel Serup is the sequel to the successful political thriller King’s Game (Kongekabale, 2004). In Stormskerry Maja (Stormskärs Maja) by Tiina Lymi, Maja and her family live on the stark, remote island of Stormskär in the 1800s. An awareness awakens in Maja that a woman can be more than just an observer. The film is a Finnish-Swedish co-production based on the novels by Anni Blomqvist, which have already achieved great success as a Finnish TV series.

Klaus Härö directs Ville Virtanen in the Finnish-Swedish Nie Allein, with screenplay by Härö and Jimmy Karlsson. The film follows the Jewish community in Helsinki during the Second World War, when Finland was allied with Nazi Germany – a story never before told.

Sigrid Johnson, awarded for her appearance in Comedy Queen, stars in the short film Liv by Hillevi Gustafsson. It’s the night before starting high school, and 16-year-old Liv wants to make a good first impression. In the morning, she realises she has to face the new world as herself – and that there’s something good in that.

The short documentary Leila is the portrait of a 64-year-old transgender teacher in Herat, Afghanistan. Director Fariba Haidari trained in Iran, and the film world premièred at the LGBTQIA+ Flare Film Festival in London.

Stills and more about all projects here