Four world premieres for Film i Väst’s co-productions in Venice

Star power, standing ovations, and cheers from the audience summed up the screenings of Film i Väst’s co-productions at the Venice Film Festival. Four co-productions were screened at the festival, all of them having their world premieres.

Mona Fastvold’s "The Testament of Ann Lee", starring Amanda Seyfried, was screened in the Official Selection, competing for the Golden Lion. Anders Thomas Jensen’s The Last Viking (Den Sidste Viking), starring Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, was presented in the Official Selection – Out of Competition. The opening film in the Orizzonti competition section was "Mother" by Teona Strugar Mitevska, with Noomi Rapace in the lead role as Mother Teresa. The animated short film "Rukeli", directed by Alessandro Rak, was screened in the Orizzonti Short Films Out of Competition.

The Last Viking

"The Last Viking" is about Anker, who is released after 14 years in prison for robbery. Anker’s brother, Manfred, is the only one who knows where the money from the robbery is hidden. However, he has developed a mental illness that causes him to no longer remember where it is concealed. Together, the brothers embark on a surprising journey — not only to find the money but also to discover who they really are. The Last Viking is a humorous, clever, and unsettling fable about identity, starring Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Mads Mikkelsen, and Sofie Gråbøl, among others.

"The Last Viking" is directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, produced by Zentropa in co-production with Film i Väst and Zentropa Sweden, with support from, among others, the Swedish Film Institute and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Parts of the film were shot near Tollered in Västra Götaland.

The Testament of Ann Lee

"The Testament of Ann Lee" is an epic fable about Ann Lee, one of the founders of the American Shaker movement. She was depicted by her followers as the female Christ and played a key role in building one of the largest utopian communities in U.S. history. Lee is one of the rare female religious leaders of the 18th century, and her followers worshipped her through expressive song and dance.

At the world premiere of "The Testament of Ann Lee", the actors received fifteen minutes of standing ovations and cheers from the audience after the screening.

The film is directed by Mona Fastvold, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Brady Corbet. It is produced by Kaplan Morrison, Intake Films, and Proton Cinema. The Swedish co-producer is Daniel Lägersten, GötaFilm, in co-production with Film i Väst. In the leading roles we see, among others, Amanda Seyfried, best known for her role in Mamma Mia. Several scenes were filmed in the Port of Gothenburg, the Gothenburg archipelago, and on the East Indiaman Götheborg in Eriksberg.

Mother

In "Mother", we follow the religious icon Mother Teresa during a few days when her faith is put to the test, facing the most challenging moments of her spiritual life. Noomi Rapace portrays one of the Catholic Church’s most beloved figures. It’s a thought-provoking and introspective portrait of devotion and sisterhood, as well as a captivating and exciting story.

Written and directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska. Produced by Sébastien Delloye and Labina Mitevska in co-production with Piodor Gustafsson, Rainy Days, and Film i Väst.

Rukeli

"Rukeli" is a short film directed by the renowned Italian director and animator Alessandro Rak. In Rukeli, Johann Wilhelm Trollmann becomes the middleweight champion of Nazi Germany and the first Sinto to win the title. His dancing boxing style makes him famous, but the Nazis strip him of the title and send him to a concentration camp. There, emaciated and dying, he defeats a Nazi kapo in one final match.

Produced by Parsifal Reparato in co-production with Samir Arabzadeh and Fredrik Svensson, Sideways Studios and Film i Väst.

Photo credits header: IPA Agency