Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [18]
Mikael Niemi’s (1959–) novel Populärmusik från Vittula (Popular Music; 2003), a coming-of-age story of a wannabe rock star in Sweden’s remote north, became an international cult hit, as well as a 2004 film directed by Iranian-born Swedish director Reza Bagher. Nonfiction meister Sven Lindqvist (1932–) is famous for his hard-hitting, sometimes controversial titles. His most famous offering is arguably Utrota varenda jävel (Exterminate All the Brutes; 1992), exploring the holocaust-like devastation European colonists wrought on Africa. More recently, his book Terra Nullius (2005, translated into English in 2007) is a powerful, moving history of colonial Australia and the attempted destruction of Aboriginal culture.
Cinema & TV
Sweden led the way in the silent-film era of the 1920s with such masterpieces as Körkarlen (The Phantom Carriage), adapted from a novel by Selma Lagerlöf and directed by Mauritz Stiller. In 1967 came Vilgot Sjöman’s notorious I Am Curious – Yellow, a political film that got more attention outside Sweden for its X rating. With a few exceptions, one man has largely defined modern Swedish cinema to the world: Ingmar Bergman. With deeply contemplative films like The Seventh Seal, Through a Glass Darkly and Persona, the beret-topped director explores human alienation, the absence of god, the meaning of life, the certainty of death and other light-hearted themes.
More recently, the towns of Trollhättan and Ystad have become filmmaking centres, the former drawing the likes of wunderkind director Lukas Moodysson, whose Lilja 4-Ever, Fucking Åmål and Tillsammans have all been both popular and critical hits. Lebanese-born Josef Fares (Jalla! Jalla!, Kopps, Zozo, Leo) is part of a new guard of ‘second generation immigrant directors’. Alongside Iranian-born directors Reza Bagher (Wings of Glass) and Reza Parsa (Before the Storm), Fares has flung the spotlight on the immigrant experience in Sweden. His latest feature, the uncharacteristically dark Leo, also marks Fares’ on-screen debut.
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The trademark red used to paint so many Swedish summer houses and barns is called Falu Rödfärg (Falun red paint). The pigment is actually a waste product of the now-defunct Falun copper mine, first referred to in 1570 and originally deployed by the upper classes to mimic the red bricks used on the continent.
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Another Swedish award-winner is director Roy Andersson, once dubbed a ‘slapstick Ingmar Bergman’. His film Du levande (You, the Living) scooped up three prizes (including best picture) at Sweden’s prestigious Gulbagge (Golden Beetle) Awards in 2008.
Music
Not only is Sweden the third-largest exporter of music in the world, but Swedes also buy more recorded music per capita than any other nationality.
Swedish songwriters and producers are sought-after commodities: Denniz Pop and Max Martin have penned hits for pop divas like Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez, while Anders Bagge and Bloodshy & Avant (aka Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg) co-created Madonna’s 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor.
Most local pop bands sing in English, which often masks their Swedish identity: who knew the Caesars (‘Jerk It Out’) were Swedish? Or September, Alcazar and one-hit wonder Emilia (‘Big Big World’)?
Riding the current wave of Swedish successes are pop icon Robyn, indie melody-makers Peter, Björn & John and the exquisitely mellow José González, whose cover of The Knives’ track ‘Heartbeats’ (famously used in a Sony Bravia ad) catapulted the Göteborg native to international stardom.
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THE STORYBOOK WARRIOR
Long before the Spice Girls cashed in on ‘girl power’, a Vimmerby-born, Stockholm-based secretary was psyching up little girls with tales of the red-headed, pigtailed strongest