Swedish film 2012 #2 - Swedish Film Institute

Welcome
Looking for insight
So, we have gathered once again at the
world’s foremost film festival. Few films have
managed to pass through the eye of the
needle to reach the competition for the
Palme d’Or. We Swedes must take comfort
from the fact that we have two short films in
Critics’ Week, Crossed Out (De bortklippta,
2012) by Roberto Duarte and Ştefan Constantinescu’s
Family Dinner (Middag med familjen,
2012). Two fine Swedish films which are well
worthy of their place.
Yet in other respects this year’s festival
programme can be seen as a reminder of how
hard it is to make films that the festival
management likes (especially hard for women,
it would seem: the fact that not one single
female director is represented is nothing short
of a scandal). And obviously, that it’s hard to
make films at a consistently high level.
In Sweden we have a new set of objectives for
Swedish film. During the period 2013–2015 we
will not only have an even division between
the sexes of Film Institute allotted funding, we
also intend to be a leading film nation in
Europe. It’s fortunate that we’re able to
combine both of these objectives: to be at the
cutting edge, every talented individual needs
to be given a chance to develop.
But Sweden concentrates on more than just
the content of films. This year our Minister for
Trade, Ewa Björling, will be visiting the film
festival in Cannes as part of a special initiative
to promote the creative sector. In Cannes the
upshot of this includes a better-resourced
pavilion for Sweden Film Commission to help
to encourage all interested parties to come
and shoot their films in Sweden.
Our successful Swedish films of recent
years have shown us just what film actually
does when it is successful. Swedish directors,
cinematographers, sound engineers, editors
and actors are getting more and more
international engagements. International
production companies are utilising Swedish
production centres and choosing Sweden as a
location.
we’re all aware that film can contribute to
the infrastructure of a country in many ways.
But in my view, it’s important not to lose
sight of the fact that the core function of film
is not to generate jobs, but to generate
insight. Insight which both develops us as
individuals and strengthens our democracy.
Through insight we understand each other’s
situations, feelings and history. Through film
narratives a person becomes more than a
portrayal of a happy individual, an immigrant
or one of a pair of lovers. We become more
complex and, at the same time, more
understandable. (This is why it’s important
to see films that are not only made by white
men.)
Thoughts like these give me even more
energy to take a leading role in Europe. So look
out, you others – we will be back!
anna Serner
CEO, Swedish Film Institute
Issued by The Swedish Film Institute Publisher Pia Lundberg
Editors Mattias dahlström, Bo Madestrand Art Director Markus Edin
Contributing Editor Josefina Mothander
Contributors Anders dahlbom, Jenny damberg, niklas eriksson, Camilla larsson, elin larsson, Jan
Lumholdt, Magnus Västerbro, Alexandra Sundqvist, Per Zetterfalk
Photography Johan Bergmark, Frans Hällqvist, sara mac key, sandra Qvist, ylva sundberg
Illustration dennis Eriksson Cover photo Johan Bergmark Image editing kuba rose
Translation derek Jones Print norra skåne offset, Hässleholm Advertising philip otter philip@annonshuset.se
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ISSN 1654-0050
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