Swedish Film at Toronto Film Festival

Shame on Dry Land and Together 99. Photos: Josua Enblom / SF Studios

Today sees the start of Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF. Two Swedish films have been selected: Lukas Moodysson’s Together 99 and Axel Petersén’s Shame on Dry Land. As many as six Swedish co-productions are also screening.

Shame on Dry Land by Axel Petersén – world premiere in competition

Against the backdrop of Malta’s scorching sun, on the outskirts of the Swedish online gaming community, con man Dimman shows up to surprise his former friend and colleague ahead of his wedding –kicking off a desperate and decadent quest to make amends. The leading roles are played by Joel Spira and Christopher Wagelin. This is director Axel Petersén’s second film at TIFF – his first feature, Avalon, world premiered at the festival and won the FIPRESCI Critics’ Discovery Award in 2011.

Shame on Dry Land – screening in the competition section, Platform – is produced by Sigrid Helleday / Fedra, with production funding from the Swedish Film Institute, Feature Film Commissioner Hanna Lejonqvist. It will open at Swedish cinemas on 24 November via TriArt. Sales by LevelK. Publicist: Hook Publicity / Jessica Uzzan.

Together 99 by Lukas Moodysson – world premiere

A story about the friends who lived in the Together commune back in 1975. Twenty-four years on, it is now 1999 and the commune is the smallest one in the world, with the collective reduced to just two people: kind-hearted Göran, and Klasse who weaves rag rugs. They feel a bit lonely, so they come up with the idea of a reunion with their old friends. Lukas Moodysson has reunited the ensemble cast from Together (Tillsammans) 23 years later, including Gustaf Hammarsten, Shanti Roney, Anja Lundqvist and Jessica Liedberg with new additions David Dencik and Jonas Karlsson rounding out the cast. At TIFF, the film is screening in the Special Presentations section.

Together 99 is produced by Lars Jönsson and Anna Carlsten / Memfis Film in co-production with (amongst others) Film i Väst and SF Studios, with funding from Swedish Film Institute Film Commissioner Hanna Lejonqvist. Distribution by SF Studios, Swedish cinema release 13 October. Sales by Reinvent. Publicist: Obscured Pictures / RJ Millard.

Swedish co-productions

Mother, Couch – Director Niclas Larsson
Swedish director Niclas Larsson presents his first feature with an adaptation of a novel by Jerker Virdborg. The cast includes Ewan McGregor, Ellen Burstyn and Rhys Ifans. Swedish co-producer Film i Väst. World premiere in the Special Presentations section. Sales by Charades.

The Promised Land – Director Nikolaj Arcel
Mads Mikkelsen plays the lead in Arcel’s historical drama, currently screening in Venice, which also features Swedish actors Gustav Lindh and Magnus Krepper. Swedish co-producers Lizette Jonjic / Zentropa Sweden and Film i Väst, with production funding from the Swedish Film Institute. Canadian premiere in the Special Presentations section. Sales by TrustNordisk.

Sweet Dreams – Director Ena Sendijarevic
Swedish co-producers Erik Hemmendorff / Plattform Produktion and Film i Väst, with production funding from the Swedish Film Institute. North American premiere in the Centrepiece section. Sales by Heretic.

Unicorns – Directors Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd
Swedish co-producers Sean Wheelan / Filmgate Films and Film i Väst. World premiere in the Special Presentations section. Sales by Filmax.

About Dry Grasses – Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Swedish co-producers: Nadir Öperli and Beata Gårdeler / Second Land and Film i Väst. World premiere in Cannes earlier this year, North American premiere in the Toronto festival’s Centrepiece section. Sales by Playtime.

The Settlers – Director Felipe Gálvez Haberle
Chile’s Oscar submission, which world premiered in Cannes earlier this year. Swedish co-producer Film i Väst. North American premiere in the Centrepiece section. Sales by mk2 Films.

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) runs 7–17 September. Read more here.