Becoming Astrid (2018)

Biopic of Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, the author of numerous children's books and creator of Pippi Longstocking.

Director:

Pernille Fischer Christensen

Writers:

Kim Fupz Aakeson, Pernille Fischer Christensen

Stars:

Alba August, Maria Bonnevie, Trine Dyrholm

2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alba August	...	Astrid
Maria Bonnevie	...	Hanna
Trine Dyrholm	...	Marie
Henrik Rafaelsen	...	Blomberg
Magnus Krepper	...	Samuel
Björn Gustafsson	...	Sture Lindgren
Marius Damslev	...	Lasse tre år
Willy Ramnek Petri	...	Gunnar
Liv LeMoyne	...	Saga
Sofia Karemyr	...	Madicken
Mira Mitchell	...	Berta
Maria Fahl-Vikander	...	Astrid 1987 (as Maria Fahl Vikander)
Maria Alm Norell	...	Olivia
Lars Väringer	...	KAK direktör
Eric Ericson	...	Läkare (as Eric Ericsson)

Storyline

Astrid Lindgren is shown growing up with her parents, a brother and two sisters in the countryside near Vimmerby Sweden on their farm, from age 16 up: going to church, attending dances, helping on the farm. She is offered an internship with the local newspaper after they published her essay. She has an affair with the unhappily married and older newspaper editor. When she becomes pregnant, he sends her to Stockholm for secretarial school. She gives birth in Denmark so as to help him avoid divorce complications. She ultimately decides not to marry him. She falls out with her family over her decision to keep her child and not leave him with his foster mother. She continues working as a secretary in Stockholm in an auto club and finally affords her own flat. When her boy finally comes to live with her, he is several years old. Finally in the end,, she reconciles with her family and they welcome their grandson home to visit.

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Plot Keywords:

sweden | coming of age | pregnancy | 1920s | 1930s | 

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Taglines:

Be the author of your own story.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Alba August is the daughter of Danish director Bille August and Swedish actress and director Pernilla August.

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Goofs

In the film Astrid speaks with a Stockholm-accent, while in real life she spoke with a noticeable Småland-accent.

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Quotes

Astrid: [screaming of joy] Good morning! Limonade!

User Reviews

Partial Biopic Has Solid Acting & Wonderful Cinematography

Powerful deliberately paced drama with strong acting and wonderful cinematography.

Alba August is excellent in her lead role as Astrid Lindgren (nee Ericsson) who pays a heavy price in moralistic 1920's Sweden, for getting involved with her much older married boss and becoming pregnant. The partial biopic only covers Lindgren's life essentially from her mid-teen into her 20's.

Thus, we get only hints, such as her ability to make up fascinating stories to her siblings and her creative writing, as to how she would go on to create the extremely popular children's book series "Pippi Longstocking" among other works. Lindgren would become the 4th most prolific children's author to be translated globally.

Overall, a solid intense drama but I would have liked to have seen more of how Lindgren transformed into one of the most acclaimed children's authors of all time.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

Sweden Denmark

Language:

Swedish Danish

Release Date:

14 September 2018 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Becoming Astrid

Filming Locations:

Västra Götaland, Sweden

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,361, 25 November 2018

Gross USA:

$120,486

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$938,766

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nordisk Film Production Sverige AB, Avanti Film, DCM Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1