Presented by VTIFF
Venue Host: Main Street Landing
Written & Co-Written & Directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen
Sweden/Denmark | 2018 | Fiction | 123 mins | Swedish & Danish w/English subtitles
Film Source: Music Box Films
*** NY Times Critics Pick***
Teenager Astrid Lindgren, future author of “Pippi Longstocking”, leads a carefree life in
rural Sweden. Eager to break free from her conservative upbringing, she accepts an
internship at a local newspaper where she attracts the attention of its married editor.
After Astrid becomes pregnant, she leaves home to give birth to a son, whom she
reluctantly leaves with a foster mother. When the foster mother falls ill, Astrid uses her
imagination and flair for storytelling to reconnect with her child.
Fluid use of loosely handheld camerawork and a superb cast — Maria Fahl Vikander (mother of Oscar-winner Alicia) and young lead Alba August (daughter of director Bille) — make this film “a gorgeous piece of heritage filmmaking” as written by Alissa Simon of “Variety”.
“This film about an exemplary woman, made by women, is as much a pleasure as it is a lesson.” — Glenn Kenney, RogerEbert.com
About the director: Pernille Fischer Christensen, one of Denmark’s most successful directors, received the
Cinéfondations 3rd Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her short film India (1999),
which she made during her training at the National Film School of Denmark. In 2003,
she received the Best Short Film Award at the Danish Film Academy for Habibti My Love. Her debut feature film, A Soap (2006), had its world premiere at Berlinale and
was awarded the Silver Bear (the Jury Grand Prize) and Best Debut Film Award. A
SOAP also received Best Script at San Sebastian and won the Danish Film Critics Award
(Bodil) for Best Film in 2007. Fischer Christensen is also known for Someone You Love (2014) and A Family (2010), both honored at Berlinale.