Focus: Sweden – Queer films from the North
Sweden once gave the world Ingmar Bergman, Scandinavian minimalism and melancholic poetry; but in recent decades, it has also given rise to exceptionally open-minded and sensitive queer cinematography. The Focus: Sweden – Queer films from the North section at this year’s Slovak Queer Film Festival showcases a unique cross-section of the most interesting titles Swedish cinematography has to offer.
The section will begin with the documentary film Prejudice & Pride: Swedish Film Queer (Eva Beling, 2022), a rainbow colored roller coaster ride through a stunning collection of films. From Mauritz Stiller’s filming of the world’s very first gay romance in 1916 up to Sweden’s exciting new wave of Scandinavian transgender films, Prejudice & Pride is an invitation on a journey through the decades which have changed both the society as well as the ways cinema speaks on the issues of desire, otherness and the courage to be oneself. Special festival guest Jan Göransson, representative of the Swedish Film Institute, will present the film on November 21st, 2025.
The legendary romantic drama Show Me Love (Lukas Moodysson, 1998) is one of the most iconic works of queer cinematography not only in Sweden, but also worldwide. Showing the story of teenage Elin from the small town of Åmål falling in love with her classmate Agnes, the film has become a manifesto for the generation which grew up believing that love is love. Moodysson manages to capture the chaos of adolescence, the need for revolt and the courage to go against societal expectations with both humor and tenderness – creating a film that feels fresh and honest even today.
Family as love
A decade later, Kiss Me (Alexandra-Therese Keining, 2011), another important piece of Swedish queer cinematography, was filmed. A seemingly orderly life of the main character, Mia, is turned upside down when she falls in love with Frida, the daughter of her father’s new fiancée. This intimate drama about desire transcending all boundaries combines the classic atmosphere of romance with the particular Scandinavian sensitivity and visual elegance typical of Swedish cinema. Staying in the context of the family life, the film My Father Marianne (Mårten Klingberg, 2020) explores the topic of transgender identity. When Hana’s father, a respected priest, confesses that his real name is Marianne, the daughter’s world comes crumbling down – as she is faced with a difficult and painful, but ultimately loving journey toward acceptance and understanding. My Father Marianne is a story proving that a family can withstand any challenges, as long as it guided by love.
The comedy drama Patrik, Age 1.5 (Ella Lemhagen, 2008) plays with the idea of how a bureaucratic misunderstanding can change peoples’ lives, bringing some humor and irony to our Swedish section. When a gay couple adopts a “1.5-year-old” Patrik, expecting a toddler, and instead are met with a fifteen-year-old troubled teenager, a hilarious but also heartwarming story of prejudice and acceptance begins, showing that a family does not have to be “traditional” in order to be functional.
Strong stories and stronger characters
The legendary director Lasse Hallström contributes to the section with the biography Hilma (2022) exploring the life and art of Hilma af Klint – a visionary artist and one of the world’s first abstract painters. Hallström creates a poetic portrait of a woman who refused to conform to the rules of a male-dominated world and instead went her own way – a a deeply familiar experience for the queer community as well. In a more contemporary setting, Nova and Alice (Emma Bucht, 2024) shows two female singers: one a former fading star, the other one a chaotic new icon; who embark together on a joint tour. Their rivalry and tension slowly grow into a relationship which will change not only their careers, but also their understanding of love, friendship, and freedom as such.
The film Hammarskjöld (Per Fly, 2023) offers a captivating portrayal of one of the most respected Swedes of the 20th century: a diplomat and Secretary-General of the UN, Dag Hammarskjöld. While the film focuses mainly on the political and moral dilemmas of his Cold War tenure, it also subtly unfolds the story of his loneliness and suppressed identity, adding another layer of the queer experience to the Focus: Sweden section. And of course, the section would not be possible without the legendary Ingmar Bergman title Persona (1966) with Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson in the lead roles.
We are thankful for the support of the Section’s partners: Embassy of Sweden, Swedish Institute, Swedish Film Institute