2022 Carlsberg Scandinavian Film Festival: Interview with Christof Wehmeier

Palace Cinemas invites cinephiles to go north winter with the 2022 Carlsberg Scandinavian Film Festival. The Melbourne leg of the festival kicks off on Thursday 14 July at select Palace Cinemas. Celebrating the very best of Nordic cinema, this year’s programme features a superb selection of comedy, drama, thrillers and award-winning classics. Milk Bar chatted with Christoph Wehmeier, Promotions Manager, at the Icelandic Film Centre, who gave an overview of what to expect at this year’s festival.

The 2022 Carlsberg Scandinavian Film Festival kicks off in Melbourne in July and will provide cinephiles with a superb showcase of the best new Nordic cinema. Can you tell our readers what are some of the must-see films this year? And are there any films that are close to your heart? 

Well, you should try to see most of the Nordic films. I think the Palace Cinema team has done a great selection of different Nordic films. I would definitely recommend Nothing to Laugh About from Norway and Quake is an excellent debut film from Icelandic female director Tinna Hrafnsdottir. But, then you have the epic costume drama Margrete – Queen of the North from the Danish-acclaimed director Charlotte Sieling. It‘s an epic Nordic co-production and it‘s actually very big in scope, production, and cinematic-wise, a true dramatic epic film. But Trine Dyrholm is magnificent in this film and the film is also very timely although it‘s a period piece. The Emigrants from Erik Poppe is also spellbinding and kind of a new take on the older version of The Emigrants from 1971 with Liv Ullmann and Max von Sydow. The new version is breathtaking and offers memorable performances. 

By watching The Emigrants, Margrete – Queen of the North and Quake, you‘ll see some similarities in that respect, meaning you see very strong female characters that kind of stun you because their performances are so believable, authentic and their performances will stay within your subconcious mind long after the screenings.

But I have to say that I cried my eyes out when I saw the Norwegian film Nothing to Laugh About. I was still crying after the screening because the director (Peter Næss) manages to do this exquisite mixture of drama meets comedy … well, you cry and you‘ll laugh. But the subject matter is something that you can easily relate to. The film is so heartfelt, sad but uplifting at the same time. You will leave the cinema with a big heart.

 The Festival opener is the Australian premiere of Margrete – Queen of the North, an exploration of one of the most powerful women in Nordic history. In terms of an epic biopic, how does this movie hit the mark? 

Well, I wish some of my Danish colleagues would be able to answer this question but I would say that that the film is fantastic in every aspect because it shows such a strong female part, and also Trine is so strong in this role that I would say, as I said earlier on, even though the film is a period piece, it‘s so timely. The film tackles politics, family matters and what it‘s at stake in the world we are living in.

In your role as Promotions Manager at the Icelandic Film Centre, some may consider you to be a key expert in Scandinavian cinema. Can you tell our readers a little bit about your background? And what makes Nordic cinema so captivating and unique? 

Well, I don‘t know whether I‘m an expert in that sense. I love cinema, I love Nordic cinema, I love world cinema. I have been a film lover, film geek, and film nerd ever since I was born into this world. My parents always joked that I was born with big eyes so I could start watching films at an early age. My dear mother, that has passed away, gave me my kind of love for cinema. I started going to the movies when I was relatively young, I was in my early teens. Cinema was my haven of magic, beauty and love for the world we live in. But I have now been in this business for 30 years so this is what I love. I would love to be able to discuss films until I‘m 110 years old. But during my career, I have seen so many films from different corners of the world so yes, I guess I‘m still exploring. 

What Nordic films are doing very well, is that they are so authentic and real to the core. They show daily life that we know and can easily relate to. Yes, they are sometimes very dramatic but they are uplifting at the same time. You believe what you see when you are watching Nordic films. That‘s my take on Nordic films. Maybe I‘m wrong…

The Woodcutter Story has been selected for the 2022 Cannes Film Festival Critics’ Week. What are your thoughts on this film? 

I still haven‘t seen it [The Woodcutter Story]. I hope I will get the chance to see it. But yes, I was in Cannes last May and there was a lot of great WOM (Word of Mouth) about it. I would say that the Icelanders and the Finns have loads in common, especially the kind of sarcastic humour, but then also, both of our languages are strange and well, we are not part of Scandinavia. Therefore I‘m always referring to Nordic Films where I‘m including Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Quake is the only Icelandic film included in this year’s programme. Described as an absorbing psychological drama, can you give our readers a sneak peek of this film? 

I don‘t want to spoil anything. You have to see it for yourself. This is Tinna‘s first film. And the way she tackles the theme and subject matter is out of this world. It‘s an adaptation of a novel and things in the book are so intangible but Tinna makes it so tangible film-wise. The actress from that film, Anita Briem is mesmerizing. Fantastic performances all through. Quake will stir your mind … mind and body.

2022 Carlsberg Scandinavian Film Festival
Thursday 14 July to Sunday 4 August 2022
Select Palace Cinemas in Melbourne
scandinavianfilmfestival.com