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Forget about Netflix and their binge inducing docu-series because we have discovered a documentary that will blow your mind and have your theorising with your friends and inside your head for days after witnessing it.
The Gullspång Miracle is the type of documentary one longs to get sucked into, a roller coaster of thoughts and feelings towards what is unfolding in front of you.
The film has its European premier this week at Sheffield Doc Fest and we spoke to the film’s director Maria Fredriksson.
Nordic Watchlist: To start with give us a quick synopsis of your new documentary, The Gullspång Miracle?
Marie Fredriksson: A divine premonition leads two sisters to buy an apartment in the small Swedish town of Gullspång. To their surprise, the seller looks identical to their older sister who died by suicide 30 years earlier. What begins as an eerie story of family reunification soon becomes a Pandora’s Box as all three women’s lives spiral out of control.
NW: The story that unfolds is absolutely fascinating – did you have to pinch yourself sometimes in actually believing it all?
MF: Documentaries is of course about reality, but never could I have imagined being thrown into these extaordinary real-life events. There have been times when I have questioned what to believe, and truly a jaw-dropping experience to follow these ladies. I think that’s obvious when watching the film.
NW: What are you hoping audiences take from this film?
MF: I hope they feel that the 109 minutes they spent on the film was worth hanging in for. What they take from it, it’s entirely up to the audience.
NW: Tell us about the production company you work for and how that came to life.
MF: Ballad Film is an all-female documentary film production company, based in Stockholm. It’s Ina Holmqvist, Martina Carlstedt and myself. We all started off as three directors who were also producing our own films, and since being a documentary filmmaker often can be very lonely, we decided to start working together and have developed the company since. We all work tight on each other’s projects and also produce and co-produce for other filmmakers.
NW: After Sheffield Doc Fest what is next for The Gullspång Miracle?
MF: With this project so far, there has been a lot of unpredictable turns, so who knows what happens next!? But we are looking forward to the coming theatrical releases in the Nordic countries and there are also more festivals coming up.
The Gullspång Miracle will be having its screening on the 15 June and don’t miss out. We will keep you posted on any future screenings too!
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