Here we are again, the start of a new year and wondering which Nordic films we might get the opportunity to see. We have collected as much information as we can on Nordic film releases coming in 2024 – please note that is based on the UK, however, the Netflix films will be worldwide.
When we learn about further new releases we will update this page so be sure to bookmark it and always be aware that dates and releases can change.
Fallen Leaves (Finnish) | 19th January | MUBI
Fallen Leaves continues to have a phenomenal year, with its award nominations catapulting the super talented Alma Pöysti into the world’s eye (from Nordic Watchlist to Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone)!
For those that didn’t manage to catch Fallen Leaves in the cinema then you will be able to watch the film over on MUBI and it won’t be the only Aki Kaurismäki film you will be able to access on there, as the streamer has released nine other films by the famous Finnish director!
Read our interview with the two stars of Fallen Leaves.
Liberation (Danish) | 29th January | Digital on Demand
With a strong Danish cast including Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones), Katrine Greis-Rosenthal (A Fortunate Man), Morten Hee Andersen (Carmen Curlers), Peter Kurth (Babylon Berlin), and the excellent Ulrich Thomsen (The Celebration), this historical drama, which is based on true events, will make you question how far you’d go to help someone in need.
When a high school transforms into a detainment facility for German refugees, Jakob and Lis, the headmaster couple, along with their children, find themselves in a challenging predicament. Confronted with an impossible choice, the family must decide whether to aid the refugees or stand resolute in the Danish resistance against the Germans.
Birthday Girl (Danish) | TBC | Digital On Demand
We know that the wonderful guys at Signature Entertainment have picked up this film and it will be released later this year.
The team here are very excited to see the pairing of the great Trine Dyrholm (Queen of Hearts) and upcoming superstar Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl (As In Heaven) as a mother and daughter who head off on a cruise to the Caribbean as part of 18th birthday celebrations, but things take a tragic twist from the first night leading to the mother taking things into her own hands.
CINEMAS
The Promised Land (Danish) | Cinema | 16th February
In 18th-century Denmark, Captain Ludvig Kahlen, an impoverished war hero, embarks on a mission to cultivate a vast, seemingly uninhabitable land where nothing appears to thrive. This stunning yet formidable region falls under the dominion of Frederik De Schinkel, a ruthless nobleman who perceives the threat posed by Kahlen to his authority. As a burgeoning community takes root, De Schinkel vows revenge, sparking a fierce and dramatic clash between the two men.
The Promised Land boasts a stellar cast with the likes of Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round), Amanda Collin (Raised by Wolves), Gustav Lindh (Love Me), and Kristine Kujath Thorp (Sick of Myself) and the film is directed by Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair). The film has already picked up a lot of film award buzz too. We can’t wait to see this on the big screen!
Driving Mum (Icelandic) | Cinemas | 1st March
Finally this beautiful Icelandic film will get a full cinema release in the UK in March 2024 – we have made much of a song and dance about this one after getting to see the film early in 2023 where I got to speak to the films director Hilmar Oddsson.
The film follows the journey of a man, his dog, and his dead mother. One of her wishes was to have her photo taken at some famous tourist spots and so her son heads out to fulfil this wish and in doing so embarks on a personal journey of discovery that leads to facing the ghosts of his past.
Four Little Adults (Finnish) | Cinema | 5th April
As if Alma Pöysti hadn’t done enough in 2023 there was also her work on the fantastic Four Little Adults which finally gets a release in the UK in 2024.
The film follows the lives of a middle-aged couple who, amid a marriage crisis after an infidelity, decide to open up their relationship and try polyamory.
Questioning societal norms and what love is, the film is a touching comedy drama, as the character’s complex lives and emotions become entangled with one another.
We spoke with director Selma Vilhunen last year about her work on the film.
Opponent (Swedish) | Cinema | 12th April
One of our favourite films of 2023, Opponent is an absorbing thriller that takes us from Iran to the frosty urban world of northern Sweden as we follow the lives of Iman and his family. Stuck in a refugee centre and feeling helpless, Iman turns to a local wrestling club to help heighten their chances of asylum – but the decision has major repercussions.
Created by the incredibly talented Milad Alami, the director behind episodes of When The Dust Settles and his feature The Charmer – look out for our interview with the director later in the year.
Fantastic Machine (Swedish) | Cinema | 12th April
This is another film that has been having an incredibly successful year at the film festivals, and we are delighted to share that the film will get a UK release in April next year. The film focuses on the rapid evolution of photography and film. From the first ever image captured or person caught on film, to people participating in life-threatening stunts to get a viral photo on the ‘gram amongst the billions of images uploaded to the internet now each day.
The film incorporates a whole collection of classic clips from the internet that feel both nostalgic but also prompt you to contemplate how much we live through our devices now. What is it that compels us to document our lives in this way and what are the positives and negatives?
NETFLIX
We are aware of a large number of titles coming to Netflix so it is going to be a very exciting year but here are a few titles that we believe will be coming to the streamer in 2024.
An Honest Life (Swedish) | Netflix
Simon arrives in Lund with eager anticipation, hopeful for the true commencement of his life; however, his enthusiasm is swiftly dashed by the disappointments of law school. Amid a tumultuous protest march, he encounters Max, a young woman with anarchistic tendencies, and quickly falls in love.
Max enthralls him into a realm of extravagance, deceit, and significant risks, leading Simon down a path where the repercussions become apparent only when escape is no longer an option.
An Honest Life unfolds as a thriller, exploring themes of betrayal, societal class, and the allure of living beyond the bounds of the law.
The film is directed by Mikael Marcimain (Hunt For a Killer) and stars Simon Lööf (Threesome) and Nora Rios (Caliphate).
A Part of You (Swedish) | Netflix
A Part of You unfolds as a tale of life and death, capturing the essence of being 17 years old and experiencing the sensation that your heart is on the verge of bursting from your chest.
Agnes finds herself in the shadow of her older sister Julia, who possesses everything Agnes yearns for: the epitome of coolness at school, the life of every party, and the romantic involvement with Noel. Agnes harbors a deep desire to emulate her.
However, when a devastating event shatters Agnes’ world, she is compelled to reconstruct herself. In this process, she stands on the brink of attaining everything she has ever longed for, yet she must grapple with the question of what price she is willing to pay.
The film is directed by Sigge Eklund and stars Edvin Ryding (Young Royals), Felicia Maxine (also Young Royals), Ida Engvoll (Love & Anarchy) and famous Swedish pop star Zara Larsson.
Stolen | Netflix
In the novel “Stolen,” acclaimed author Ann-Helén Laestadius depicts the challenges faced by a young woman as she strives to protect her indigenous heritage in a world witnessing a surge in xenophobia, climate change jeopardizing reindeer herding, and the unsettling choice of suicide by young individuals in the midst of collective despair.
However, the narrative also exposes the conflicts arising when contemporary ideologies clash with a traditional culture entrenched in deeply rooted patriarchal structures.
The film is directed by Elle Márjá Eira with a debut performance from Elin Oskal as the lead.
Which films are you most excited to see in 2024?
