Three nominations for Sweden's Oscar submission

The Swedish Oscar Committee has presented the shortlist for Sweden's submission to the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Selected for the shortlist are Tarik Saleh's Cannes winner Boy from Heaven, Jens Sjögren's Ibrahimovich biopic I Am Zlatan and Magnus Gertten's Teddy Award-winning documentary Nelly & Nadine.

– Boy from Heaven, I Am Zlatan and Nelly & Nadine are three films that show the tremendous breadth that exists in Swedish film. These are films that, while being deeply personal, also speak to the viewer on a universal level. Films dealing with the fight against injustice, corruption, traditions and the right to live your life on your own terms. They are all visually striking and tell stories that touch the soul, says Petter Mattsson, head of the International Department at the Swedish Film Institute and chairman of the Oscar Committee.

The shortlist:

BOY FROM HEAVEN

Adam, the son of a fisherman, is offered the ultimate privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the epicenter of power of Sunni Islam. Shortly after his arrival in Cairo, the university’s highest ranking religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies and Adam soon becomes a pawn in a ruthless power struggle between Eqypt’s religious and political elite. Starring Tawfeek Barhom as lead character Adam and Fares Fares in the other key role, writer-director Tarik Saleh's follow-up to Sundance winner The Nile Hilton Incident picked up the award for Best Screenplay at this year's Cannes film festival. Boy from Heaven was produced by Atmo Rights/Kristina Åberg and Fredrik Zander, in co-production with Memento Production, Bufo, Film i Väst and Sveriges Television amongst others, and with support from the Swedish Film Institute. TriArt Film in cooperation with Atmo Media Network are distributing the film domestically, with a cinema release set for November 18. Sales by Memento International.

I AM ZLATAN

I Am Zlatan is a coming-of-age story depicting Zlatan Ibrahimovic's upbringing in a rough Swedish suburb. Born to Balkan immigrants, football was Zlatan's release in a tough environment where his remarkable talent and self-reliance catapulted him against all odds to the top of international football playing for clubs like Ajax Amsterdam, Juventus, Inter, Milan, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United. Directed by Jens Sjögren, the film had its international premiere at last year's Rome Film Fest. I Am Zlatan stars Dominic Bajraktari Andersson as the young Zlatan and Granit Rushiti as the football star in his early adult years. Screenplay by Jakob Beckman and David Lagercrantz, based on the latter's best-seller I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović. The film was produced by Frida Bargo, Mattias Nohrborg and Fredrik Heinig for B-Reel Films in co-production with Nordisk Film, Film i Skåne and Film i Väst amongst others, and with support from the Swedish Film Institute. The film had its theatrical premiere on March 18, distributed by Nordisk Film. Sales handled by Trust Nordisk.

NELLY & NADINE

Magnus Gertten's documentary Nelly & Nadine was handed the Jury Award at Berlinale’s Teddy Awards earlier this year. It is the unlikely love story between two women falling in love on Christmas Eve, 1944, in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. For many years Nelly and Nadine’s lifelong relationship was kept a secret, even to some of their closest family. Now Nelly’s grandchild, Sylvie, has decided to open Nelly and Nadine’s unseen personal archives and finally read Nelly’s personal diary from the Nazi camps. Gradually Sylvie uncovers their remarkable love story. The film was produced by Ove Rishøj Jensen, Auto Images, with support from the Swedish Film Institute. Nelly & Nadine had its domestic premire on March 18, distributed by Doc Lounge. Sales handled by Rise and Shine World Sales. 

The final Swedish Oscar submission for Best International Feature Film will be presented on September 22.

The 95th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 12, 2023.

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About the selection

Each year the Swedish Oscar Committee nominates a Swedish candidate for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Swedish films that have had their domestic premiere between January 1 and November 30, 2022, and meet the requirements for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), have been eligible for the 2023 Oscars.

Members of the Swedish Oscar Committee:

Cicci Renström Suurna, The Swedish Film Critics Association
Goran Kapetanović, The Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film – Directors
Agneta Fagerström-Olsson, The Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film – Directors
Sara de Costa, The Swedish Film and Television Cooperation Committee
Lena Rehnberg, The Swedish Film & TV Producers Association
Christer Nilson, The Swedish Film & TV Producers Association
Jonas Holmberg, Göteborg International Film Festival

Chairman: Petter Mattsson, Head of the International Department at the Swedish Film Institute.

For more information, please contact:
Theo Tsappos, Festival Manager at the International Department: theo.tsappos@sfi.se, phone: +4686651133

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