From June 5 to 7, the fourth edition of the Swedish film festival on the island of Capri will be inaugurated at Villa San Michele. Film premieres on the panoramic terrace preceded by meetings/presentations with guests, introduced by superintendent Kristina Kappelin.
"This year's festival ," she explains, " is divided between celebration and reflection. We'll have the actress who captivated millions of children with the adventures of Pippi Longstocking to celebrate the 80th anniversary of her birth, and artists who, in front of and behind the camera, courageously denounce the injustices of the present and the past, sowing a seed of hope for the future."
The program
We start, therefore, on Thursday 5 June at 20 pm with the film Becoming Astrid biopic of the writer Astrid Lindgren, author of one of the most beloved children's books of all time: Pippi Longstocking. The film, directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen is a faithful portrait of the society of the early twentieth century. On this special occasion, to pay homage to the brave little girl, symbol of freedom and emancipation, who turns 80, will be the historic actress Inger Nilsson who lent her face in the TV series with global success, guest together with the Swedish ambassador to Italy Jan Björklund.
We continue on Friday 6 June at 20 pm with the Italian preview of the documentary It could have been us, (Sweden, 2024), by Björn Tjärnberg and Rebecca Blander. A tortuous journey between darkness and light, between small things and big questions. But also a story of reconciliation, told by Emma Örtlund and Ida Johansson, two friends both born with intellectual disabilities, but with even more courage.
In an old but charming camper, they embark on a historical journey with their friend and mentor Pär to discover what it was like to live with Down syndrome in another era. At the beginning of the 20th century, thousands of people with disabilities were separated from their families and placed in institutions, isolated from society. Who were these people and what happened to them?
The feature film - among the 10 most viewed films in Sweden last year - will be preceded by a debate that will see on stage the actors Ida Johansson and Pär Johansson and the Councilor for Social Policies of the Municipality of Naples, Luca Trapanese. Known for being the first single man in Italy to obtain custody of a child with Down syndrome, Luca spreads, through his work, his books and his associations, values of inclusion and solidarity. And it is precisely from one of his novels, "Nata per te", that the film of the same name directed by Fabio Mollo will be released in 2023 in theaters, which tells his story of strongly desired fatherhood.
On Saturday, June 7 at 20 pm, The Reindeer Maiden (Sweden, 2024) by director Elle Márjá Eira, distributed by Netflix, will be screened for the first time on the big screen. A multifaceted artist from Kautokeino, musician and activist, Elle Márjá will present herself to the public in traditional Sami clothing, giving a “jojk” musical moment and telling her origins and her life, linked to the family of reindeer herders.
On stage with her, the Italian-Georgian actor and singer-songwriter Luca Chikovani, launched on the big screen by the film “Happy as Lazzaro” by Alice Rohrwacher and currently in theaters with the feature film “Arsa” directed by Masbedo.
Organization of the review
The event is organized by the Axel Munthe Foundation with the patronage of the Consulate of Sweden, Campania Turismo, the City of Capri, the Municipality of Anacapri, the Embassy of Sweden and in collaboration with Jumeirah Capri Palace, Capri Pasta, Bar Grotta Azzurra and Staiano Tour Capri.
The event is free and open to the public, subject to availability. For information and reservations: tel. 0818371401, email events@sanmichele.org
This Swedish film festival looks very interesting and offers many opportunities for reflection. But I wonder if there will be other similar events in the future to promote culture and cinema. I hope people will participate.