Another month of incredibly good series, movies, and books has flown by. Once again, there has been an exciting mix for us to jump into and explore. Here is our Nordic Spotlight: Best in Screen and Page for April.
TV SERIES: Deliver Me | Netflix
ALEX & CLAIRE: When we heard that director Anna Zackrisson was working on a new series, we were immediately interested. Her previous work on the dark but brilliant thriller Snow Angels was an incredible piece of work that has haunted us ever since we saw it.
Zackrisson has a great vision and style that allows you to be totally immersed in the narrative, and it is the way she always presents this narrative that stands out. Nothing is as obvious as it might seem—a skill so essential in thrillers, yet sometimes too predictable. However, this is not the case when Zackrisson is involved.
Ardalan Esmaili is a man who can’t do anything wrong at the moment—he is everywhere and, once again, he puts in a fine performance here. But it is the young cast, around whom this tragic story is built, that really steals the show. The harrowing and horrendous reality of gang culture, which so many people dismiss or even refuse to believe could happen right under their noses, is vividly brought to life. This one is going to be hard to beat!
TV SERIES: Midsummer Night | Netflix
ALEX & CLAIRE: “There was a lot of doom and gloom in April, so it was refreshing to lighten things up a bit with Midsummer Night—a welcome change after immersing ourselves in the mercurial misery of Baby Reindeer. Director Per-Olav Sørensen, possibly one of the busiest men on the planet, shifts from a Christmas to a summer vibe in his follow-up to A Storm for Christmas. His brilliant ensemble comes together for Midsummer, where all sorts of family secrets and feelings are unleashed in a flurry of schnapps, stunning strawberry pavlovas, and flashbacks. This film is highly recommended as a feel-good piece of light relief after some of the heavier series you might be digesting!
FILM: Stolen | Netflix
GLEN: Many wondered how Netflix would transfer Ann Helen Laestadius‘ Stolen, a tale of Sámi oppression, onto the screen. Director Elle Márjá Eira, however, pulls it off superbly, drawing on her own heritage to bring to life a community constantly on the edge. Elin Kristina Oskal’s central performance as Elsa may grab attention for its beautifully nuanced details but this is a true ensemble piece evoking community life in the frozen north. It may be a slow burn, and those expecting a fast-paced thrill a minute action feature may be disappointed, but Stolen packs a punch that is hard to ignore. The film may focus, rightly, on the struggle of the Sámi, but its universal themes of oppression and cultural heritage resonate far wider than northern Sweden.
FILM | Opponent
ALEX & CLAIRE: We waited so patiently for this one to get a UK release—we knew it was coming but weren’t sure exactly when. Hopefully, many of you got the opportunity to see Opponent in the cinema. If you missed it, we will keep an eye out for when it might get a release online through digital on-demand or even Blu-ray/DVD.
Director Milad Alami delivers an exciting thriller that totally hooks you from the moment it starts, whisking you into the mysterious life of Iman and his family. They are stuck in Northern Sweden waiting to get asylum, when all of a sudden, Iman’s past begins to catch up with him
BOOK | The Widows by Pascal Engman
GLEN: The second English translation of the successful Vanessa Frank series, Pascal Engman’s The Widows is a fast-paced gripping thriller as the police battle to solve a double murder and foil a terrorist plot that threatens to cause carnage in the streets of Stockholm. There’s an ending that wouldn’t seem out of place in a James Bond film but there’s also plenty of humanity here, with Engman taking a look at the challenges of fitting into a society that already has their own preconceived perceptions about you. A gripping thriller that will have you turning the pages compulsively!
What else happened in March?
- Alex spoke to the director Milad Alami about his film Opponent which finally got a UK release
- We put together a 2024 Nordic Film Wishlist – what were the films you would love to see?
- Glen took did a lot of coverage with the Netflix release of Stolen which included a book review, a film review of the Netflix release, and an interview with the film’s director!
- Tim shared his monthly Home & Design Update.
- Nordic Watchlist spoke to Icelandic comedian Ari Eldjarn about his first UK tour
- We continued our Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival Coverage
- Glen reviewed The Mermaid and The Widows as two new thrilling book releases.
What series did you discover and enjoy this month? Anything we have missed and need to catch?
