Beyond (2010)
"Svinalängorna" (original title)

A drama set in 1970s Sweden and centered on a young woman's experiences growing up in a home riddled with abuse and alcoholism.

Director:

Pernilla August

Writers:

Susanna Alakoski (novel), Pernilla August (screenplay),

Stars:

Noomi Rapace, Ola Rapace, Outi Mäenpää

10 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Noomi Rapace	...	Leena
Ola Rapace	...	Johan
Outi Mäenpää	...	Aili
Ville Virtanen	...	Kimmo
Tehilla Blad	...	Leena - as child
Junior Blad	...	Sakari
Alpha Blad	...	Marja
Selma Cuba	...	Flisan
Minna Haapkylä	...	Helmi
Håkan Bengtsson	...	Veikko
Julia Öhrström-Jönsson	...	Riita
Lotten Roos	...	Inga-Lill
Rasmus Troedsson	...	Sten Hård
Simon J. Berger	...	Bengt Brink
Kerstin Andersson	...	Margareta Persson

Storyline

A drama set in 1970s Sweden and centered on a young woman's experiences growing up in a home riddled with abuse and alcoholism.

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Plot Keywords:

abuse | 1970s | sweden | repressed memory | estranged mother | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Sweden Denmark Finland Norway

Language:

Swedish Finnish

Release Date:

10 December 2010 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Beyond

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kamoli Films, Blind Spot Pictures Oy, Drak Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tehilla Blad and Junior Blad plays siblings in the film and are siblings in real life. Mid sister Alpha Blad is also in the film as the main character Leena's (Noomi Rapace/Tehilla Blad) child Marja.

User Reviews

"Deeply moving family drama..."

Swedish actress and director Pernilla August's feature film debut which she co-wrote with Swedish screenwriter Lolita Ray, was shot at Ystad studio in Sweden and is an adaptation of a novel from 2006 by Swedish-Finnish author Susanna Alakoski. It premiered in Sweden, was shown at the 67th Venice Film Festival in 2010 and is a Swedish production which was produced by Swedish director, screenwriter and producer Ralf Karlsson and Swedish producer Helena Danielsson. It tells the story about Leena, a thirty-four year old woman who is about to celebrate Christmas with her husband Johan and their two young daughters when she receives a call from Ystad county hospital. The voice on the other end of the line is her mother Aili who she has not seen or had any contact with in a long time. Talking her mother again brings back memories from a past that Leena has carried with her since the day she was separated from her younger brother Sakari, and when she learns that her mother is dying, Leena has to travel back to the small town where she grew up. As Leena's memories becomes more vivid, she begins to show Johan and their children a part of herself that she has kept private.

Finely and engagingly directed by first-time director Pernilla August, this deeply moving family drama which is set against the backdrop of a town in Southern Sweden in the 1970s, draws an intimate, involving and afflicting portrayal of a woman, emotionally scarred by her childhood, who has to try reconciling with her mother who is terminally ill and a past marked by her parents turbulent relationship. While notable for it's naturalistic milieu depictions, the brilliant production design by Swedish production designer and art director Anna Asp and the fine cinematography by Swedish cinematographer Erik Molberg Hansen, this compassionate story depicts an incisive and internal study of character which examines themes like coming-of-age family relations, immigration, betrayal and class distinctions.

This finely tuned, moderately humorous and atmospheric psychological drama which was the Swedish submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards in 2011, is reinforced by the efficient narrative structure and the heartfelt and involving acting performances by Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, Swedish actor Ola Rapace, Swedish actress Tehilla Blad, Finnish actor, director and screenwriter Ville Virtanen and Finnish actress and screenwriter Outi Mäenpää. A humane and emotionally gripping independent film which gained, among other awards, the International Critic's Week Award at the 67th Venice Film Festival in 2010 and the Nordic Council Film Prize in 2011.