March 2023: Nordic Events & Films at The Oscars

Welcome to the newest listing of Nordic events happening this month!

With the Oscars around the corner (March 12), there’s no time like the present to watch the films with Nordic connections, most of which you can watch from the comfort of your own home. Two Nordic films are nominated for Best Short Film (Live Action) – Norwegian film Night Ride filmed in Trondheim (YouTube, free), and Danish film Ivalu filmed in Greenland (Amazon Prime Video or Vimeo). Triangle of Sadness, directed by Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund, is nominated for three awards – Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture (Fandango). Animated short film My Year of Dicks directed by Icelandic director Sara Gunnarsdóttir (Vimeo, free) and documentary A House Made of Splinters directed by Danish filmmaker Simon Lereng Wilmont (Amazon Prime Video) are nominated in their respective fields. Have you seen any of them?

While on the topic of films, there’s a new Norwegian movie available to stream at Netflix. At the beginning of February, Netflix released Viking Wolf (Vikingulven), an original Norwegian horror/mystery movie that premiered in Norway in the fall of 2022. It’s about a teenager who starts having strange visions and bizarre desires after witnessing a grotesque murder at a party in her new town. The movie is directed by Stig Svendsen from a screenplay co-written by him and Espen Aukan. Will you watch it?

In music news, Norwegian singer-songwriter Anna of the North has a US and Canada tour happening in March and April. “Anna Of The North makes the kind of music you can take along with you on the dancefloor, on a long drive with a loved one, or in the dead of night when you’re alone and need someone to understand how you feel.” Read more about her here. Her North American tour celebrates the release of her third full-length album, “Crazy Life.” Visit her site for schedule and ticket information. She will be in Los Angeles at El Rey Theatre on Wednesday, March 29.

Are you a reader? Expand your Nordic reading repertoire by joining my 2023 Nordic Literature Reading Challenge. Or join an online book club meeting. Visit Online Nordic Book Club Meetings for details on reading selections and meeting dates for March and upcoming months.

What’s on your calendar for March?


Virtual Events in March

Rønnaug Petterssen Presentation (Saturday, Mar. 4, 3:00 p.m. CT, Free)

Join Vesterheim and Bodil Petterssen Meleney for an online presentation about beloved dollmaker Rønnaug Petterssen. Petterssen’s dolls are featured in Vesterheim’s exhibition, Dolls: Playing with Identity. Rønnaug Petterssen was born in 1901 into a rural fishing community in Eidsfjorden in Vesteralen, Norway, north of the Arctic Circle. Growing up, time to play was scarce and toys were a luxury. Rønnaug made herself a doll and she would make repairs and fashion new clothes as needed. In 1934, Rønnaug started her own dollmaking business and by 1936-37 she had two or three employees. She developed dolls with Norwegian costumes, studying costumes in the collection of the Norwegian Folk Museum. Rønnaug Pettersen made a variety of dolls (pressed felt and plastic) and was the leading maker of Norwegian costume dolls from 1934 to 1979. The 8-inch costume dolls were particularly popular with American tourists.

Introduction to Swedish (Sunday, Mar. 5, 1:00 p.m. CT)

Are you curious about the Swedish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Sweden? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Jean Hanslin is the perfect way to get a feel for Swedish — pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.

Billedvev Frame-Loom Weaving Workshop with Allyce Wood (Sunday, Mar. 5, 1:00 p.m. ET)

Learn the basics of weaving through the use of humble materials and step-by-step instruction. A common picture frame, with glass and backing removed, becomes the ultimate structure with which to create upon. Learn how to wind it with cotton thread to create your warp, and build up your piece weft by weft with a variety of yarns. Discover how color blocking, thread patterns, and textured effects can yield endless possibilities!

Virtual Nordic Language Café with The Scandinavian School in San Francisco (Sunday, Mar. 5, 5:00 p.m. PT)

Get ready to practice your Danish, Finnish, Norwegian or Swedish! This is a perfect opportunity for you to practice your speaking and listening skills and meet other people who share your passion for all things Nordic. Are you a beginner? No worries! All levels are welcome. The Cafés are very relaxed and friendly, and if you feel more comfortable listening rather than speaking there is a spot for you in the Café too. Participants will be divided up into different breakout rooms in their chosen Nordic language. You don’t have to be a student at The Scandinavian School & Cultural Center to join.

Lecture: Handweaving in Sweden Today (Tuesday, Mar. 7, 6:30 p.m. CT)

Are you curious about the state of handweaving in Sweden today? Weaver Christine Novotny of CAN Goods traveled through the Nordic countries summer 2022 as part of North House Folk’s Artisan Development Program and is here to report on her trip! In particular, Christine has takeaways from visiting the new generation of weavers coming out of Sweden’s largest craft education schools, Handarbetets Vänner in Stockholm and Sätergläntan Institute for Craft in Dalarna. She will share the stories of some of the younger weavers she met, the work they are doing, and how they are both pushing the boundaries of traditional Swedish weaving as well as preserving knowledge of techniques and materials. Christine will also share some of her other favorite travel highlights (textiles and beyond) from her time in Stockholm and Dalarna.

Swedish Weeknight Dinners (Thursday, Mar. 9, 5:00 p.m. CT)

Need some fun ideas for simple, creative weeknight dinners? Look to the Swedes for some unique flavors that are easy to pull together even on those busy nights. You’ll make an American version of västerbottensostpaj (cheese pie), embrace the Swedish motto “Tacos, not just for Friday’s anymore” with taco paj, and you’ll dive into the oddly delicious Swedish hotdish called flygande jakob. Menu will include signature cocktails that every age can enjoy.

Introduction to Finnish (Sunday, Mar. 12, 12:45 p.m. CT)

Are you curious about the Finnish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Finland? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Joona Sundström is the perfect way to get a feel for Finnish — pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.

Scandinavian Modern Design in Norway (Tuesday, Mar. 18, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Join the Sons of Norway Washington D.C. lodge and Vesterheim Chief Curator Laurann Gilbertson for this online presentation on Norway’s contributions to the Scandinavian Modern Design movement. There were many, but the artists and products were not as well known as their Danish, Swedish, and Finnish counterparts. During the presentation, Laurann will introduce some of the most important designers of the mid-twentieth century and learn about their work in furniture, textiles, silver, glass, ceramics, and enamel.

Demo: Scandinavian Waffle Day with Kristi Bissell (Thursday, Mar. 23, 1:00 p.m. CT)

Get ready for våffeldagen (Waffle Day) on March 25 by watching how Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen makes a batch of Scandinavian style waffles with festive toppings. Kristi will demo how to mix and cook the typical thin, heart shaped Scandinavian waffles and share fun ideas for making them into the centerpiece of a meal for this unique holiday. Students will leave with the recipes and lots of tips, inspired to bake their own batch of waffles at home!

Tropical Aquavit Cocktails with Emily Vikre (Friday, Mar. 24, 7:00 p.m. CT)

Although you may not expect it, aquavit pairs deliciously with tropical fruits! Whether or not you have taken a class with us already, you will enjoy learning some new cocktail recipes in this new class featuring aquavit, the traditional Scandinavian spirit with centuries of tradition and celebration. Emily Vikre of Vikre Distillery will inspire you with her Nordic twist on classic tropical cocktails and her storytelling about the history of aquavit, as well as her contemporary lifestyle as a dual Norwegian citizen living in Duluth, Minnesota. Be prepared to concoct delicious tropical aquavit drinks while engaging with Emily and other cocktail enthusiasts during this fun evening class.

FamilieTid: Baking with Kristi Bissell (Sunday, Mar. 26, 1:00 p.m. CT)

Gather the family and join Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen as you make two classic Scandinavian cookie recipes together: Raspberry Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies (Hallongrottor) and No Bake Chocolate Oat Balls (Chokladbollar). These are two fun, family-friendly sweet treats you will want to make again and again.

 


Looking Ahead and Planning for April

Påskebord, Easter Table (Saturday, Apr. 1, 4:00 p.m. CT)

Across Scandinavia, Easter/Påske fare includes all of the familiar suspects: chocolate, eggs, chocolate eggs, and chocolate bunnies. There is also påskeøl (Easter beer) and egg hunts in the garden. But other traditions look a little more like Halloween, especially as Swedish children dress up like witches and go door to door asking for treats. Join Patrice Johnson and learn about these traditions while whipping up a Påskebord (Easter table) that includes Not-so-devilish eggs, gjetost cider soup with rye croutons, trout with horseradish butter and mushrooms, an orange-almond dessert, and a signature cocktail/mocktail.

The Mystery of the Missing Swans and Maidens: A Frida Hansen Tapestry Tale (Sunday, Apr. 2, 4:00 p.m. CT, Free)

Southward, a tapestry of swans and maidens with shimmering threads from the famous Art Nouveau artist Frida Hansen, was an important, often-displayed monumental tapestry, so when the curators for the blockbuster show, Scandinavian Design in the United States, 1890-1980, sought key textiles, Frida Hansen’s tapestry was top of mind. But where was this 11’ x 10’ weaving now? Only a few grainy black-and-white photos and many glowing descriptions remained. In January, 2021, nearly ninety years after Southward was last displayed publicly, noted rug dealer Peter Pap opened a Tupperware container in a storage building in Maine. He unfolded a woven treasure in dusty, but pristine condition, and with a quick google search, he learned it was a long-lost Frida Hansen tapestry. Join Robbie LaFleur for this timely webinar to celebrate the life and work of Frida Hansen, and especially to hear about the Southward tapestry mystery as it unfolded.

Virtual Book Talk with Erika Fatland on High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China (Tuesday, Apr. 4, 12:00 p.m. ET, Free)

In April, join Scandinavia House for a virtual discussion with bestselling Norwegian author Erika Fatland (The Border and Sovietistan) on her epic new book High: A Journey Across the Himalaya, Through Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China, out now from Pegasus Books. The Himalaya weaves through five very different countries, where the world religions of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism are mixed with ancient shamanic religions. Countless languages and vastly different cultures live in the secluded mountain valleys; modernity and tradition collide, and great powers fight for influence. Fatland will discuss this captivating new travelogue, which invites us into her close encounters with the many peoples of the region while also taking us on a dizzying, high-altitude trip through incredible landscapes and their dramatic, unknown histories.

Scandinavian Flat Plane Carving: Figure with Cap and Cane (Wednesdays, Apr. 5-19, 6:00-7:30 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim and carver Charles Banks as he guides you through the creation of your very own flat plane figure. A Scandinavian classic, a stylized old man with cap and cane will be the character you create. Following the tradition of flat plane figure carving, students will use only a single knife to carve out this character. Students will receive an overview of the history and traditions of this style of carving, be introduced to the cuts and techniques of the reductive carving process, and learn finishing techniques – all culminating in their very own carving. Live instruction and video tutorials will be utilized as educational tools, as well as practice sticks, a unique “head study,” and printed imagery of your character. A complete kit of materials (blanks, a knife, safety gloves, a strop and stropping compound, try sticks, and a sweet treat from Vesterheim) is included and will be mailed to you.

Nordic Spirit Classics’ Second Friday Series (Friday, Apr. 14, 7:30 p.m. PT)

Save the date for the next session of Nordic Spirit Classics’ Second Friday Series presented by the Scandinavian American Cultural & Historical Foundation in Thousand Oaks, California. The program will feature West Coast history and Scandinavian immigrant history that was essential for building the West.

Lecture: Sámi  Silver Traditions of Northern Norway (Sunday, Apr. 16, 1:00 p.m. CT)

Join Liz Bucheit, a Minnesota silversmith and recent recipient of an American Scandinavian Foundation fellowship to study Sámi silverwork in Norway, to hear more about her spring 2022 trip. As one of the pre-eminent American silversmiths working in the Norwegian bunad tradition, Liz has also held a long and deep interest in Sámi silverwork; she has studied both forms along traditional jewelers in Norway and maintains close ties with Norwegian and Sámi colleagues. Her 2022 trip allowed her to broaden her knowledge of historic and contemporary Sámi silverwork design, tools, and techniques in the context of her studies of Scandinavian ornament traditions. In this hour lecture, Liz will share stories and lessons from her journey through northern Norway that enrich our understanding of Sámi silverwork and its place in historic Scandinavian folk culture as well as its vibrant present.

Virtual Book Talk with Barbara Sjoholm on From Lapland to Sápmi (Tuesday, Apr. 18, 7:00 p.m. ET, Free)

Join Scandinavia House for a virtual talk with Barbara Sjoholm on From Lapland to Sápmi, out in March 2023 from University of Minnesota Press. She’ll discuss the book’s exploration of the cultural history of Sápmi and the Nordic countries as told through objects and artifacts. Material objects—things made, used, and treasured—tell the story of a people and place. So it is for the Indigenous Sámi living in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, whose story unfolds across borders and centuries, in museums and private collections. The objects created by the Sámi for daily and ceremonial use were purchased and taken by Scandinavians and foreign travelers in Lapland from the 17th century to the present, and the collections described in From Lapland to Sápmi map a complex history that is gradually shifting to a renaissance of Sámi culture and craft, along with the return of many historical objects to Sápmi, the Sámi homeland.


Which events or experiences look interesting to you?

Be sure to visit previous months’ listings of virtual Nordic events. Many of the events are now available to view as saved recordings.

Celebrating a Norwegian Christmas: Watch, Read, Listen, Do & Consume!

In Norway, the Christmas season is stretched over several weeks. It starts on the first Sunday of Advent, usually at the end of November. The Advent period lasts about four weeks until Christmas Eve. During Advent, a new candle is lit in a four-candle Advent wreath every Sunday. It’s a time of Christmas preparations – baking, decorating, shopping, and parties. On Christmas Eve, there are church services and families get together for the main Christmas meal. Presents are exchanged, and Julenissen may even visit and distribute presents. After Christmas Eve follows the period called “romjulen”, a quiet time until New Year’s Eve.

Would you like to experience a touch of Norwegian jul? Here are some ideas of what to watch, read, listen, do, and consume in these last few days of Advent and during romjulen that follows. God jul!

(Some of the links below are affiliate links. Any purchases you make through links on my blog may result in a small commission to me. I greatly appreciate it when you support my blog by clicking on these links to make purchases.)


Watch 👀

Home for Christmas (Netflix Original Series, 2 Seasons, 2020 & 2021)

A fun and atmospheric rom-com set in a Christmasy, winter wonderland in Norway! (It’s a bit raunchy at times, so beware if watching with young children.) Frustrated by all her friends being a part of couples and families and her family constantly commenting on her single status, Johanna rashly and falsely announces at a family dinner on the first Sunday of Advent that she has a boyfriend. Now she has to find one to introduce on Christmas Eve.

A Storm for Christmas (Netflix Limited Series Released Dec. 16, 2022)

I was hoping for a third season of Home for Christmas, but instead there’s a spin-off of sorts with this limited series. The main character and her father from Home for Christmas return but in totally different roles. The story takes place at the Oslo airport. Per Netflix’s description, “Destinies collide when extreme weather traps travelers and workers at an airport, forcing them to spend the final hours leading up to Christmas together.”

Three Wishes for Cinderella (Available through Amazon Prime Video)

Apparently, it’s a Christmas tradition for many Norwegians to watch the Norwegian dubbed version of the 1973 Czech movie Three Wishes for Cinderella. Last year, an updated Norwegian retelling was made by director Cecilie A. Mosli. The movie features spectacular shots of Norwegian winterscapes and architecture as well as glimpses of Norwegian culture. Consider putting it on your watch list!

Grevinnen og hovmesteren / Dinner for One (YouTube, Skit begins at 2:25)

This is a bizarre Norwegian tradition! Every year on Little Christmas Eve (Dec. 23) at 9:00 p.m., NRK, the Norwegian national TV station, shows this short black and white comedy skit (first released in 1963) about a butler and an elderly countess hosting a dinner for four imaginary guests. The link above includes an introduction in German. The skit begins at 2:25. “Same procedure as last year?” and “Same procedure as every year” are now common phrases in Norway.


Read 📚

There’s no better time to read books set during Christmas or winter than now. Below you’ll suggestions, and it wouldn’t be a Norwegian book list without some crime fiction as well.

For a list of Christmas books for families, visit my page Book List: Christmas in Scandinavia.

   

A Very Scandinavian Christmas: The Greatest Nordic Holiday Stories of All Time (2019)

From the publisher: This collection brings together the best Scandinavian holiday stories including classics by Hans Christian Andersen of Denmark; Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf, August Strindberg and Hjalmar Söderberg of Sweden; as well as the acclaimed contemporary Norwegian authors Karl Ove Knausgaard and National Book Award nominee Vigdis Hjorth. These Nordic tales―coming from the very region where so much of traditional Christmas imagery originates―convey a festive and contemplative spirit laden with lingonberries, elks, gnomes, Sami trolls, candles, gingerbread, and aquavit in abundance.

Berlin Poplars by Anne B. Ragde, translated from the Norwegian by James Anderson (First published in Norway in 2004)

Taken from the publisher: Aware of their 80-year-old mother’s failing health, three brothers reluctantly reunite over the winter holidays, where unexpected guests and the question of inheritance prompt the revealing of some bizarre, and devastating, truths.

Winter Stories by Ingvild H. Rishøi, translated from the Norwegian by Diane Oatley (First published in Norway in 2014)

I don’t often read short story collections, but at a virtual event with Norwegian authors, this particular author was mentioned as a must-read and I was drawn to the serene winter cover. It’s a collection of three long short stories, all of which take place during winter time in Norway and are about vulnerable people (a young single mother, an ex-convict, and a teenager) trying to do their best for the young children in their lives, but with difficulty. The author does a compelling job of exploring their struggles, and in every story there’s an unexpected stranger whose compassion makes a significant difference. A five-star read for me.

   

The Caveman (William Wisting Mystery) by Jørn Lier Horst, translated from the Norwegian by Anne Bruce (First published in Norway in 2013)

Jørn Lier Horst is my favorite Norwegian crime writer. The Caveman was the first of his that I read. Wisting is a likable and respectable police investigator who works in a smalltown, coastal community south of Oslo. His daughter Line, a journalist, is also a main character in this story. This installment takes place during the holiday season. Horst’s books usually tackle a greater social issue; this one reflects on forgotten and marginalized members of society. The Caveman won the the 2016 Petrona Award for the Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year.

The Snowman (Harry Hole #7) by Jo Nesbø, translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett (First published in Norway in 2007)

I had read the first Harry Hole book a few years ago and wasn’t a fan of him (a too damaged alcoholic with poor judgement), but I wanted to give the series another try since it’s such a popular one both at home and abroad. I’m glad I did; this book was a fun ride! I really enjoyed that it took place in Oslo (November with the first snow). Also, Harry Hole’s character was much more likable; he doesn’t drink in this installment and his skills as a detective really shine. In this story, Harry is on the hunt for a serial killer who’s been targeting married women with children and leaves a snowman behind as a calling card. It was very engaging and suspenseful with a satisfying resolution.

The Redeemer (Harry Hole #6) by Jo Nesbø, translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett (First published in Norway in 2005)

This Harry Hole installment is even more of a Christmas crime read, though it does venture outside of Norway. From the publisher: Shots ring out at a Salvation Army Christmas concert in Oslo, leaving one of the singers dead in the street. The trail will lead Harry Hole, Oslo’s best investigator and worst civil servant, deep into the darkest corners of the city and, eventually, to Croatia. An assassin forged in the war-torn region has been brought to Oslo to settle an old debt. As the police circle in, the killer becomes increasingly desperate and the danger mounts for Harry and his colleagues.


Eat & Drink 😋

Norwegian Christmas Cookies – Syv slag kaker

Christmas cookies are an important part of a Norwegian Christmas. The baking starts early and long standing tradition calls for syv slag, or seven varieties. The number seven was believed to bring luck and is an important religious number often symbolizing completion or perfection. The seven types are chosen based family preferences. Norwegian Christmas cookies all generally have the same basic ingredients (butter, flour, sugar, eggs) and are either baked, fried, or made with a special tool. My favorite type is krumkaker, a cone-shaped cookie made with a special flat iron. Berlinerkranser is another good one. This year I plan to try making serinakaker. Read more about Norway’s syv slag kaker at The Great Norwegian Christmas Cookie Extravaganza and 21 Norwegian Christmas Cookies for a Scandinavian Holiday.

Gløgg

Gløgg is a very popular warm beverage (may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic) served throughout the Christmas season. You’ll find it in homes, at parties, and out at Christmas markets. It’s usually made with red wine along with various mulling spices and served with raisins and almonds. You can make it from scratch or buy readymade gløgg (and potentially add your own wine or spirits) or you can buy mulling spices to add to your own seasonal beverage.

Risengrynsgrøt (Rice Porridge)

A popular food during Christmastime is risengrynsgrøt or rice porridge. It is served with butter, cinnamon, and sugar on top, and during Christmastime, it is traditional to hide a peeled almond in it. The person who finds it receives a marzipan pig as a prize (though my family is not a fan of marzipan so we have Norwegian chocolate as prizes instead). You can make it from scratch or buy a premade mix you heat up with milk.

For more inspiration related to eating and drinking, visit the websites of favorite Scandinavian food writers.


Do 👐

Listen to Norwegian Christmas music.

For me it’s not Christmas without my playlist of Christmas music which of course includes various Norwegian artists. Among my favorite songs are Kim Rysstad’s 2017 album Snøen laver ned (The snow is falling down) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. I also enjoy songs from trumpeter Ole Edvard Antonsen’s 2010 Christmas album Desemberstemninger (December Moods). And finally, it’s not Christmas without some Sissel Kyrkjebø, Norway’s Queen of Christmas Music. Sissel has a new Christmas album out this season, Winter Morning. It was recorded in Utah with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.

Make heart baskets.

Paper heart baskets are popular not only in Norway but also in Denmark and Sweden. During Christmas time, they are used as decorations on trees or in garlands and may even hold candies and small treats. They can be simple and extremely complex. All you need is paper, scissors, and a little tape for the handle. Single color wrapping paper and construction paper work fine for this. See instructions here and watch this video to help with the weaving.

Go on a virtual visit to Oslo during Christmas time!

In the video Christmas in Oslo: Festive Highlights from Oslo, Norway, it’s early December 2022 and winter has arrived in Oslo, though not the snow that is currently there now (at time of publication). The days may be short and dark, but the city is bright with festive decorations. Consider also taking a walk through the Oslo Christmas Market. For more glimpses of Christmas time in Oslo, watch Visit Norway’s photo series, The Christmas Town, Oslo, which covers everything from Christmas markets to ski jumping.

Watch St. Lucia celebrations with Rick Steves on a visit to Drøbak and Oslo.

In Rick Steves’ European Christmas, Rick visits Drøbak and Oslo to explore the Scandinavian Christmas tradition of Santa Lucia (December 13). Candle-bearing Santa Lucias bring light to the middle of winter and the promise of the return of summer. To capture the celebration, he traveled to Drøbak where kindergarteners bring light and saffron buns to a senior home and to Oslo where the Norwegian Girls’ Choir perform by candlelight in Gamle Aker Kirke, a tiny, heavy-stone, Viking Age church in Oslo (skip to 14:43 for segment on Norway). For some background information on the celebration, visit Life in Norway’s The Scandinavian Santa Lucia Celebrations Explained.


Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season! God jul og godt nytt år!

October 2022: Virtual Nordic Events Plus Art, Music, & Film in SoCal

Happy fall! The offerings for virtual Nordic events continue with presentations, cooking classes, book talks, and book clubs. If you’re a reader interested in seeing what online Nordic book clubs around the country are reading, visit my page Online Nordic Book Club Meetings to see reading selections and meeting dates. In addition to the virtual offerings, this month also offers some exciting in-person art, music, and film events in Southern California.

2022 Nordic Council Literature Prize Nominees

A special virtual event happening this month is Scandinavia House’s literary series with nominees for the 2022 Nordic Council Literature Prize. This prize has been awarded annually since 1962 to a work of fiction (poetry, prose, or drama) written in one of the Nordic languages. This year’s nominees span the entire Nordic region with works from all countries and language areas. The winner will be announced on 1 November in Helsinki, Finland.

In-Person Experiences

Are you local to the Los Angeles area? The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents a new exhibition, Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890–1980, co-organized by the LACMA and the Milwaukee Art Museum in collaboration with the Nationalmuseum Sweden and the Nasjonalmuseet in Norway. It is the first exhibition to examine the extensive design exchanges between the United States and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) during the 20th century. It will be open October 9, 2022 through February 5, 2023.

Two Norwegian musical performances will be in the area next month. First Norwegian pop star Sigrid will be in California as part of her “How To Let Go” tour. She’ll be performing with guest Ber first in San Francisco at Bimbo’s 365 Club on October 11, followed by October 12 in Los Angeles at The Novo, and then October 13 in San Diego at Music Box. Wardruna, a Norwegian “music constellation dedicated to creating musical renditions of ancient Norse and Nordic traditions” will be in California November 1 through 4 with concerts in Oakland (Nov. 1), El Cajon (Nov. 2), and Los Angeles (Nov. 4).

   

Another special event happening this month is the Newport Beach Film Fest at which both a Norwegian film and a Swedish film are being screened on Tuesday, October 18. Either watch the Norwegian film Long Flat Balls III: Broken Promises directed by Harald Zwart (followed by Q&A with cast and crew) or the Swedish film Tisdagsklubben (Food and Romance) directed by Annika Appelin, and then if you’d like, attend the Newport Beach Film Festival’s European Showcase Celebration honoring the best in European filmmaking.

What’s on your calendar for October?


The Way Further West (Sunday, October 2, 1:00-2:15 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim and the Slooper Society of America for this free 75-minute webinar, open to the public. Norwegian storyteller Anne Elisebeth Skogen will join the webinar from Ryfylkemuseet at Sand, Norway, to tell the story The Way Further the West. This story is the sequel to the program With Restauration through Hell Gate to the Promised Land, which Anne Elisebeth presented online with Vesterheim in October 2020. The first part of the story told about the initial Norwegian emigrant entourage that left Stavanger, Norway, on July 4, 1825. During The Way Further West, you will hear about what awaited the immigrants in Kendall, New York, and how their lives turned out there. Then you will follow them in new upheavals and their travels further west. Where did they settle and what happened to them? Storyteller Anne Elisebeth Skogen has followed in the footsteps of several of the Sloopers herself, and she looks forward to sharing their story with you.

The Nordic Council Literature Prize Nominees: Finland (Tuesday, October 4, 1:00 p.m. ET, Free)

One of this year’s Nordic Council Literature Prize nominees from Finland is Kaj Korkea-aho’s Röda rummet (Red Room, 2021). Korkea-aho, a Finnish-Swedish author, columnist, and comedian, will discuss his novel with critic and essayist Sara Abdollahi. This event will take place as a Zoom webinar. You may ask questions in the chat or send them in advance to info@amscan.org. Registration is required; please sign up at the link above. This conversation will be recorded and available later to stream on their Virtual Programming page and on their YouTube channel.

Vesterheim Benefit Auction (October 8, 12:00 p.m. CT – October 16, 9:00 p.m. CT)

Items are available to view now at www.biddingforgood.com/vest-auction. Each year this auction is full of one-of-a-kind folk art by artists working in the Norwegian tradition. Many of the pieces in the Benefit Auction are donated by Vesterheim Gold Medalists and exhibition ribbon winners from Vesterheim’s annual judged competition, The National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition. Proceeds from the auction benefit Vesterheim’s Folk Art School, which has provided classes since 1967 in fiber arts, woodworking, painting, cooking, jewelry, blacksmithing, knifemaking, and more.

Pears in the Nordic Kitchen (Saturday, October 8, 3:00-5:00 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim and Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen for a delicious afternoon of cooking and baking with pears. Begin by making a fragrant Roasted Pear Compote with Cardamom, Vanilla, and Fresh Ginger, and then Kristi will show you how to turn that compote into a savory appetizer with blue cheese and hazelnuts and a show stopping pear bundt cake.

New Nordic Grain Bowl (Sunday, October 9, 4:00-5:30 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim and instructor Hannah Garry in making a delicious grain bowl featuring traditional Nordic ingredients like barley, dill, and beets that makes for the perfect dinner party offering or lunch on the go. Use fresh vegetables that are in season in your region to top the bowl. Each participant’s meal will be a beautiful reflection of their own local food web. Class participants will also learn to make a creamy, vegan, herb-packed dressing that can be used on just about anything, as well as a Nordic-inspired apple cocktail (or mocktail) perfect for early fall.

The Nordic Council Literature Prize Nominees: Faroe Islands (Tuesday, October 11, 1:00 p.m. ET, Free)

One of this year’s Nordic Council Literature Prize nominees is Faroe Islands’ Beinir Bergsson’s poetry collection Sólgarðurin (Forlagið Eksil, 2021). In this talk, Bergsson will discuss the collection with translator Randi Ward, a 2021 ASF Translation Prizewinner. This event will take place as a Zoom webinar. You may ask questions in the chat or send them in advance to info@amscan.org. Registration is required; please sign up at the link above. This conversation will be recorded and available later to stream on their Virtual Programming page and on their YouTube channel.

Nordic Spirit Classics’ Second Friday Series—Margi Preus & West of the Moon and Other Places You Can’t Get Get to with GPS (Friday, October 14, 7:30 p.m. PT)

Join the Scandinavian American Cultural & Historical Foundation in Thousand Oaks, CA, for a live virtual presentation by children’s author Margi Preus from Duluth, Minnesota. An old family diary, true immigrant stories, and Scandinavian folk and fairy tales combine to tell the story of West of the Moon, a “mesmerizing tale of Astri’s treacherous and harrowing mid-19th century emigration to America.” (Booklist, starred review). Preus’s research into Norwegian immigration led her to startling revelations about the role of women healers, the relationship between a common 19th century childhood ailment and the belief in changelings, and the reverence and fear our Norwegian ancestors had for The Black Book, “whose pages teach how to recover lost goods, find buried treasure, turn back the attacks of snakes and dogs, and more.” Preus will discuss how she combined history, fiction, and folklore in this novel and may give a sneak preview of her brand new book Windswept, also inspired by Norwegian fairy tales and populated by trolls. Participation is free; registration is required.

Meet the Author: Nancy Marie Brown, Looking for the Hidden Folk (Sunday, October 16, 1:00-2:00 p.m. PST)

Join author Nancy Marie Brown in virtual conversation with filmmaker Sara Dosa, as she discusses her book, Looking for the Hidden Folk: How Iceland’s Elves Can Save the Earth. In exploring how Icelanders interact with nature—and their idea that elves live among us—Brown shows us how altering our perceptions of the environment can be a crucial first step toward saving it.

The Nordic Council Literature Prize Nominees: Iceland (Tuesday, October 18, 1:00 p.m. ET, Free)

One of this year’s Nordic Council Literature Prize nominees from Iceland is Elísabet Jökulsdóttir’s Aprílsólarkuldi. She will discuss her novel with translator Larissa Kyzer. This event will take place as a Zoom webinar. You may ask questions in the chat or send them in advance to info@amscan.org. Registration is required; please sign up at the link above. This conversation will be recorded and available later to stream on their Virtual Programming page and on their YouTube channel.

Cooking Class: Swedish Meatballs (Tuesday, October 18, 4:00-5:00 p.m. CT)

Join Swedish American Museum in Chicago, IL, for a cooking class to learn how to make variations to the Swedish meatball. What other Swedish dishes can be prepared with similar ingredients? You will receive the recipe in advance. You can then either cook alongside or watch and try later. It is an interactive Zoom so you will be able to ask questions.

The Nordic Council Literature Prize Nominees: Sámi Language (Thursday, October 20, 1:00 p.m. ET, Free)

One of this year’s Nordic Council Literature Prize nominees is Sámi language areas’ Mary Ailonieida Sombán Mari’s poetry collection Beaivváš mánát (Mondo Books, 2020). It draws readers into the Sámi experience of abuse of power, racism, and contempt on the part of public authorities. Written in two languages — Norwegian in the first part and Northern Sámi in the second — the collection empowers Sámi readers while offering insight to non-Sámi readers through its portrayal of moments in time. The author will discuss the collection with moderator Lisa Monica Aslaksen. This event will take place as a Zoom webinar. You may ask questions in the chat or send them in advance to info@amscan.org. Registration is required; please sign up at the link above. This conversation will be recorded and available later to stream on their Virtual Programming page and on their YouTube channel.

Demo: Fall Fika Favorites with Kristi Bissell (Thursday, October 20, 1:00 p.m. CT)

Apples, squash, and warm spices—what more do you need for fabulous fall treats? Join American Swedish Institute and Kristi Bissell of True North Kitchen for three delicious fall fika favorites to add to your baking repertoire. Kristi will demonstrate her takes on the Swedish apple cake, a sweet and quick Pumpkin Rye Bread with Cinnamon Sugar topping, and her grandmother’s pepparkakor (ginger snaps) recipe. This class is designed as a demonstration, so students can watch the entire process and ask questions before tackling the recipes at home at a later date. The recipe packet will be shared via email and available for download one week in advance.

Looking Across the Atlantic: Swedish-American Relations in the 20th Century (Thursday, October 20, 6:00 p.m. ET, Free)

Join the House of Sweden in Washington, DC, for a panel on Swedish-American relations and how ideas, conceptions and images travel between the two countries. Even though Sweden and the United States are separated by an entire ocean, the two nations have a close and longstanding relationship. Cultural, social, political and economic links bind the two countries together across the Atlantic. Dag Blanck, Director of the Swenson Center in Illinois, and Professor of North American Studies at Uppsala University, Sweden, will present in-person at the House of Sweden, but the event will be live-streamed on YouTube as well.

Workshop: Filmkväll – Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter (Thursday, October 20, 5:00-7:00 p.m. CT)

Join American Swedish Institute and Patrice Johnson for this one-of-a-kind Nordic Table class: cook a thematic menu in your own kitchen with Patrice’s guidance, then settle in for a filmkväll (movie night) at home with the classic 1984 Ronja Rovardotter. Patrice will pull inspiration from Ronja’s life in the castle and woods to build a menu that can be assembled over the two-hour class, before everyone settles in for the film at home over dinner.


Which events or experiences look interesting to you?

Be sure to visit previous months’ listings of virtual Nordic events. Many of the events are now available to view as saved recordings.

Virtual Nordic Events for January 2021 + Scandinavian Film Festival LA #SFFLA

A new slate of virtual Nordic events is available for all to enjoy. There are exciting opportunities to explore Nordic film, books & authors, cooking & baking, arts & crafts, languages, music, and history. What interests you?

This is the month when Angelenos would normally gather in Beverly Hills to enjoy and discuss movies from the Nordic and Baltic countries. This year, however, film enthusiasts from all over can enjoy the Scandinavian Film Festival L.A. (SFFLA) with Baltic Film Expo (@SFFLA). It will take place virtually over three weekends in collaboration with Scandinavia House in New York, NY. Starting this Thursday, January 7, view films chosen by the Nordic and Baltic countries to compete for an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film from the comfort of your own home on your own time. Explore the schedule and plan your weekends. You can buy a Festival Pass for access to all screenings or individual tickets.

Finally, have you set a goal to learn or improve a Scandinavian language? This is the time to consider registering for a class that you normally wouldn’t be able to attend. See In-Person Scandinavian Language Classes Now Online to explore classes that normally meet in person, but now due to COVID restrictions, they are meeting online and available to you. I’ll be joining a language and literature class offered by Mindekirken Norwegian Language & Culture Program in Minneapolis that’s being conducted in Norwegian and will be reading a Norwegian crime fiction book. I’m so curious to see how that will work out for me.


The 22nd Scandinavian Film Festival LA (SFFLA) with Baltic Film Expo @ SFFLA: Weekend One (January 7 – 10)

For three weekends this month, SFFLA and Scandinavia House in New York, NY, will bring you “top films from the top of Europe.” Weekend One offers Oscar submissions from Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, and Estonia. Weekend Two you can watch Oscar submissions from Sweden, Norway, Lithuania, and Finland. Weekend Three offers an animated feature submission from Norway/Latvia plus possibly additional programming. Support the festival with a Festival Pass or you can purchase single tickets.

Weekend One film talks/Q&As available to watch include:

Virtual Nordic Stories (for Kids): Miss Hazeltine’s Home for Shy and Fearful Cats (Thursday, January 7, 10:00-10:30 a.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, for story time and craft with their special guest, librarian Sara Jensen. Listen to the story Miss Hazeltine’s Home for Shy and Fearful Cats by Alicia Potter. The story is illustrated by Icelandic artist Birgitta Sif. After the story, Sara will teach kids how to make a craft with items found at home.

Virtual Nordic Table Demo: Home Baked Limpa (Saturday, January 9, 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT)

Slightly sweet and aromatic limpa bread is a familiar Swedish-American standby. Simply the word for “loaf” in Swedish, it makes a great accompaniment to soups, a yummy sandwich base and excellent toast. The American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, MN, invites you to tune in to watch Erin Swenson-Klatt walk through this loaf from start to finish in an hour. This is a live virtual class taught over Zoom. The recipe packet will be provided via email one day before class with login information. This workshop will be recorded and available to all registrants after class to watch later.

Virtual Intro to Finnish (Sunday, January 10, 12:45-2:45 p.m. CT)

Are you curious about the Finnish language, but not yet ready to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited about a new language? This two-hour introductory workshop offered by the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, MN, is the perfect way to get a feel for Finnish — pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.

Vesterheim’s Family Heritage Cooking Series: Kringle with the Mineck Family (Sunday, January 10, 2:00-3:00 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim in Decorah, IA, as they celebrate Scandinavian heritage, share family stories, and make memories in the kitchen together. In this live, family-led cooking demonstration, you’ll learn about traditional Nordic holiday recipes, passed down from one generation to the next. Upon registration, you will receive a list of ingredients and equipment needed, a recipe, and the Zoom link for the event. This event is free.

Virtual Intro to Swedish (Sunday, January 10, 3:00-5:00 p.m. CT)

Are you curious about the Swedish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Sweden? This two-hour introductory workshop offered by the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, MN, is the perfect way to get a feel for Swedish — pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.

Vesterheim Bokprat (Book Group): Growth of the Soil (Sunday, January 10, 5:30-6:45 p.m. CT)

Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a monthly bokprat discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. Join her in January to discuss the classic Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun.

Race in the Colonial Past and Present (Tuesday, January 12, 12:00 p.m. EST)

American-Scandinavian Foundation invites you to a virtual conversation between artists Jeanette Ehlers and La Vaughn Belle on “Race in the Colonial Past and Present,” moderated by Ursula Lindqvist. In the mid-17th century, Denmark established a colonial presence in the Caribbean and participated in the transatlantic slave trade until the early 19th century. Listen to the two artists discuss colonialism and how commemorative representations can impact the public discourse surrounding Danish colonial history. The event will take place as a Zoom webinar.

Online Nordic Book Club: A Drop of Midnight (Tuesday, January 12, 6:00 p.m. ET)

The Nordic Book Club at Scandinavia House in New York, NY, selects novels from some of the best Nordic literary voices. At this meeting, they’ll be discussing the book A Drop of Midnight by world-renowned hip-hop artist Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité, who joined Scandinavia House last fall for the online panel “Equity, Inclusion, and Immigration in the Nordic Countries,” available to stream here. Visit the event page for more information and to register.

The 22nd Scandinavian Film Festival LA (SFFLA) with Baltic Film Expo @ SFFLA: Weekend Two (January 14 – 17)

For three weekends this month, SFFLA and Scandinavia House in New York, NY, will bring you “top film from the top of Europe.” Weekend One offers Oscar submissions from Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, and Estonia. Weekend Two you can watch Oscar submissions from Sweden, Norway, Lithuania, and Finland. Weekend Three offers an animated feature submission from Norway/Latvia plus possibly additional programming. Support the festival with a Festival Pass or you can purchase single tickets.

Q&A with Norway’s Official Academy Awards Entry Hope (Premieres Thursday, January 14, 8:00 p.m. ET)

Join American Scandinavian Foundation + Scandinavia House for a virtual Q&A with Norway’s official Academy Awards entry Hope (Håp)’s director Maria Sødahl and lead actors Stellan Skarsgård and Andrea Bræin Hovig, moderated by Scandinavian Film Festival LA director Jim Koenig. Hope, along with Norwegian Oscar short The Kicksled Choir (Sparkekoret), is virtually screening as part of the second weekend of the Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders series, available across the U.S. January 14-17, organized by ASF + Scandinavia House and Scandinavian Film Festival LA.

Q&A with Best Live Action Short Film Academy Award Contender The Kicksled Choir (Premieres Thursday, January 14, 9:00 p.m. ET)

Join American Scandinavian Foundation + Scandinavia House for a Q&A with the Best Live Action Short Film Academy Award contender The Kicksled Choir (Sparkekoret, Norway, 2020) director Torfinn Iversen, producer Julia Andersen, and lead actor Benoni Brox Krane, moderated by the Scandinavian Film Festival LA director Jim Koenig. The short film is virtually screening with the Norwegian feature Hope as part of the second weekend of the Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders series, available across the U.S. January 14-17, organized by ASF + Scandinavia House and Scandinavian Film Festival LA.

Virtual Lecture: Head to Head—Edvard Munch, August Strindberg, and Photographic Self-Representation (Thursday, January 14, 6:00-7:00 p.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, for a lecture that will focus on the relationship between Edvard Munch and August Strindberg, and each artist’s engagement with photographic self-portraiture. This talk is presented by Linda Rugg, PhD, of UC Berkeley.

Q&A with Sweden’s Official Academy Awards Entry Charter (Premieres Friday, January 15, 8:00 p.m. ET)

In coordination with the Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders 2020 film series, held as virtual cinema this year by Scandinavia House with Scandinavian Film Festival L.A. & BalticFilmExpo@SFFLA, see an interview with director Amanda Kernell & lead actor Ane Dahl Torp on Charter, Sweden’s submission for the Best International Feature Film Academy Award.

Q&A with Marja & Ingir Ane Bål Nango about Njuokcamat/The Tongues (Premieres Friday, January 15, 9:00 p.m. ET)

In coordination with the Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders 2020 film series, held as virtual cinema this year by Scandinavia House with Scandinavian Film Festival L.A. & BalticFilmExpo@SFFLA, see an interview with directors Marja Bål Nango and Ingir Ane Bål Nango on Njuokcamat/The Tongues, submitted for the Academy Award for Best Short Film (Live Action). They’ll discuss the making of the film about an attack on a Sami woman and revenge in the tundra.

Virtual Nordic Handcraft Workshop: Faroese Knitted House Slippers (Saturdays, January 16 & 23, 1:00 p.m. CT)

Tackle a unique knitting project from the Faroe Islands while learning new skills in this multi-session virtual class. Skóleistar are the woolen soft shoe liners from the Faroe Islands, traditionally worn inside wooden clogs or rain shoes, but also doubling as a cozy house slipper. In this class offered by American Swedish Institute, explore some of the knitting traditions of the Faroe Islands and choose among two charted designs to make our own pair of skóleistar. For skill, materials, and registration information, visit the ASI’s event page.

The Habbestad Ensemble: Echoes of Norway (Sunday, January 17, 2:00-3:30 p.m. CT)

Norway House’s Edvard Grieg Society of Minnesota is proud to present a family of musicians from Oslo, representing three generations of talent. The Habbestad Ensemble has been making music together since 1996. In 1997, they toured the United States for the first time, and they have performed extensively throughout Scandinavia and Europe. This online event will feature a 45-minute streamed concert by the Habbestad family from their home in Norway and a happy hour post-concert talkback in which guests will be able to chat and ask questions of the ensemble.

Virtual Nordic Table Demo: Kroppkakor and Beyond (Wednesday, January 20, 6:30-8:00 p.m.)

Dumplings are common across many cultures, but few are as imposing as the Swedish versions: whether klimp, kroppkakor or palt, Swedish potato dumplings are not for the faint of heart. Patrice Johnson will lighten up the foreboding kroppkakor to suit modern tastes, preparing students to tackle this hearty winter meal on their own. This class offered by American Swedish Institute is designed as a demonstration so students can see several recipes and prepare them later.

Kaffe and Cocktails with Impact Coffee (Thursday, January 21, 7:00-8:15 p.m. CT)

Kaffe (coffee) has long been used as an ingredient in spirits and cocktails, and it has a special place in the hearts of Norwegians and Norwegian-Americans. Participants in this class will learn how to make three coffee cocktails at home: a Hot Maple Whiskey Coffee, a Chocolate Espresso Martini, and a Norwegian Snow, a variation on the White Russian. Class participants will learn a bit of the history behind these classic coffee cocktails, as well as how to make your own coffee liqueur with cold brew you make at home using Impact Coffee (roasted in Decorah, IA). Cost of class includes a kit shipped to your home. No special equipment is necessary. Registration deadline is January 11.

Virtual Lecture: Caring & Curing—Edvard Munch in the Clinic, 1908-09 (Thursday, January 21, 6:00-7:00 p.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, for a lecture exploring Edvard Munch who recorded his stay at a private nerve clinic in Copenhagen (1908–09) in numerous photographs, representing himself laid out for a bath, but also dressed and “at work.” He photographed, sketched, and painted the clinic’s doctor, as well as the nurses, care-workers, and patients who populated his world during his months-long rest cure. This talk explores the world of the clinic through Munch’s work, revealing not only one artist’s experience, but also a new kind of medical institution for caring and curing.

The 22nd Scandinavian Film Festival LA (SFFLA) with Baltic Film Expo @ SFFLA: Weekend Three (January 21 – 24)

Concluding the festival on Weekend Three are two special feature film screenings as well as a pass for multiple short films. Feature films include My Favorite War (Norway/Latvia, 2020; dir. Ilze Burkovska-Jacobsen), submitted to compete for the Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film, and Life After Death (Finland, 2020; dir. Klaus Härö). Short films include:

  • Dummy / Atkūrimas (Lithuania, 2020; dir. Laurynas Bareiša)
  • Ivo (Norway, 2019; dir. Christina Lande)
  • My Dear Corpses / Mu kallid laibad (Estonia, 2020; dir. German Golub)
  • The Kicksled Choir / Sparkekoret (Norway 2020; dir. Torfinn Iversen)
  • Njuokčamat / The Tongues (Norway 2019; dir. Marja Bål Nango & Ingir Ane Bål Nango)
  • The Weight of All the Beauty /Süda Sõrve Sääres (Estonia, 2019; dir. Eeva Mägi)

Weekend Three film talks available to watch include:

  • My Favorite War – Live virtual film talk will take place on Saturday, January 23, at 2:00 p.m. ET via Zoom webinar. To learn more and register, please click here.
  • Life After Death – A film talk with the director will premiere on Friday, January 22, at 8:00 p.m. ET; click here to watch on YouTube.

February Family Norwegian Language Adventure: Eventyr! (Deadline to join: Friday, January 22)

Join Vesterheim in February for some family fun and learn some Norwegian language along the way! The February adventure will focus on eventyr, or fairy tales. Through hands-on activities, fun crafts, light-hearted games, and short videos, you and your family will learn and practice your new Norwegian skills. A kit will be delivered right to your home containing supplies for these language activities, a helpful reference sheet for all the new words and expressions you will be learning, a fun craft, and a yummy treat. Gather your family to share in the fun as you gain a new understanding of the Norwegian language and Norwegian culture. Enrollment deadline is January 22.

Virtual Book Talk: Meet the Author w/ Ingrid Wall and Joachim Wall (Saturday, January 23, 10:00-11:00 a.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, for the next talk in their new series Meet the Author. On January 23, Swedish authors Ingrid Wall and Joachim Wall will discuss their book A Silenced Voice: The Life of Journalist Kim Wall (2019), a moving memoir of an inexplicable crime, a family’s loss, and a legacy preserved. The talk is moderated by Dr. Elizabeth DeNoma.

Vesterheim’s Family Heritage Cooking Series: Hardanger Lefse with the Miller Family (Sunday, January 24, 2:00-3:00 p.m. CT)

Join Vesterheim as they celebrate Scandinavian heritage, share family stories, and make memories in the kitchen together. In this live, family-led cooking demonstration, you’ll learn about traditional Nordic holiday recipes, passed down from one generation to the next. Upon registration, you will receive a list of ingredients and equipment needed, a recipe, and the Zoom link for the event. This event is free.

Virtual Panel —Tove Ditlevsen’s The Copenhagen Trilogy (Tuesday, January 26, 7:00 p.m. ET)

American-Scandinavian Foundation invites you to a virtual panel discussion on Tove Ditlevsen’s The Copenhagen Trilogy, in celebration of its publication in English translation by Tiina Nunnally and Michael Favala Goldman. In this event, translator Michael Favala Goldman and authors Morten Høi Jensen (A Difficult Death), Rachel Kushner (The Mars Room), and Ben Lerner (The Topeka School) will discuss this courageous and honest trilogy from literary icon Tove Ditlevsen, a pioneer in the field of genre-bending confessional writing, explores themes of family, sex, motherhood, abortion, addiction, and being an artist. The panel will take place as a Zoom webinar. More information and to register, click here.

Travel Seminar — Møre og Romsdal: Land of Contrasts (Wednesday, January 27, 6:30-8:30 p.m. CT)

Join Mindekirken’s Norwegian Language & Culture Program to learn about Norway’s county of Møre og Romsdal in the northernmost part of Western Norway.

Sølje-Inspired Earrings (Thursday, January 28, 6:00-7:30 p.m. CT)

Learn to create your own silver- and gold-washed earrings in this short class designed to introduce you to the beauty of Scandinavian silverwork. Ever wonder why sølje pins have those shiny dangles with silver disc drops? These discs are called “spoons” or “shells” in Norwegian. Silver has long been a protective element against evil and abduction by the hulder folk in Scandinavia. Legend has it that should you run into the devil while wearing your sparkling sølje, he would see his own reflection and run away! A complete kit of supplies for two pairs of earrings is included in the cost of enrollment. Enrollment deadline is January 14.

Marcus Samuelsson Cook-Along & Virtual Book Talk: “The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food” (Thursday, January 28, 6:00 p.m. CT)

Join the American Swedish Institute as they, in partnership with Cooks of Crocus Hill, welcome back acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson with an evening celebrating his newest book, The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food. In the first of the two programs at 6 p.m. CT, Marcus will join the team at Cooks of Crocus Hill in a cook-along live from his kitchen. Then at 7 p.m. CT, Marcus will join former Star Tribune Taste Editor Lee Dean for a virtual conversation on his new book The Rise. For registration details, visit ASI’s event page.

Virtual Crafts & Cocktails (Thursday, January 28, 6:00-7:00 p.m. PST)

Join National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, for their monthly Virtual Crafts & Cocktails event to craft your own winter wonderland. This month, make intricate snowflakes, taught by local artist Jaffrey Bagge.

Scandinavian Fest: All Hearts Day Market (Friday & Saturday, January 29 & 30)

The Scandinavian Fest brings Nordic shops and businesses together from around the globe, in one online location during the absence of in-person festivals. Need a little Nordic cheer and love this month, then join the next Scan Fest, All Hearts Day Market. The event theme is Valentine’s Day, but products won’t just be themed-based. Event will include 30+ Nordic vendors, giveaways, new products and more. To participate, mark that you are “interested” or “going” to the event.

Cooking from the Heart of Norway: A Conversation with Nevada Berg of North Wild Kitchen (Saturday, January 30, 12:00-1:00 p.m. CT)

Join celebrated New Nordic chef and author, Nevada Berg of North Wild Kitchen, to learn about her journey into Norwegian food culture and what it means to make Nordic food today. Norwegian cuisine has been defined by centuries of trade, migration, and the adoption of culinary dishes from other regions and cultures. For a long time, Norwegian cuisine has combined these overlaps and influences with its own strong traditional food culture. Today, there is growing interest in applying traditional techniques and using local ingredients to combine both the past and the present into new, innovative, and inspired meals. This exclusive Vesterheim conversation with Nevada will surely inspire! This event is free.


Which January events or experiences sound interesting to you?

Be sure to visit previous months’ listings of virtual Nordic events. Many of the events are now available to view as saved recordings.

Films and TV Series to Stream Now: Denmark

Welcome to my third and final post of Scandinavian films and TV series to stream now while you’re staying safer at home. Here I feature films and TV shows from Denmark. Previously, I shared films and TV series from Norway and Sweden.

Denmark has won three Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film over the years – Babette’s Feast (1987), Pelle the Conqueror (1989), and In a Better World (2011) – all of which can be streamed now. See below for details.

As I mentioned in my previous posts, for streaming options, you have, of course, the usual suspects – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more – but don’t forget that you may have free streaming options available from your public library through hoopla and kanopy as well. These two services offer plenty of free foreign and domestic films and TV shows at no charge.

Please note that availability of films and TV shows on these streaming platforms may change at any time.

** Movies/TV series with double asterisks are ones I’ve enjoyed and recommend, assuming you’re in the mood for that genre.


Films from Denmark

A Fortunate Man (Lykke-Per)

A Hijacking

A Royal Affair

  • Director: Nikolaj Arcel (2012)
  • Genre: Historical, Based on True Story
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2012
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, Amazon Prime Video (included with Magnolia Selects)

A Second Chance

A War

  • Director: Tobias Lindholm (2015)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2015
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, Amazon Prime Video (included with Magnolia Selects)

Across the Waters

Adam’s Apples

Applause

  • Director: Martin Zandvliet (2009)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, kanopy

April 9th

  • Director: Roni Ezra (2015)
  • Genre: Drama, Historical
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (included with Prime)

Armadillo

 

 

Babette’s Feast

 

** Cold Case Hammarskjöld

Flickering Lights

In a Better World

  • Director: Susanne Bier (2011)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film, 2011
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Land of Mine

  • Director: Martin Zandvliet (2016)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2016
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Pelle the Conqueror

  • Director: Bille August (1987)
  • Genre: Drama, Historical
  • Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film, 1989
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, kanopy, Amazon Prime Video

Pusher

Pusher II: With Blood on My Hands

Pusher III: I’m the Angel of Death

  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn (2006)
  • Genre: Drama, Suspense
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Queen of Hearts

Smilla’s Sense of Snow

Summer of ’92

  • Director: Kaspar Barfoed (1987)
  • Genre: Historical, Sports
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

Teddy Bear

The Commune

** The Guilty

The Hunt

  • Director: Thomas Vinterberg (2012)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2013
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, Amazon Prime Video (included with Magnolia Selects)

You Disappear

 

 

 


TV Series

1864

  • Genre: Drama, Historical
  • Director: Ole Bornedal (2014)
  • 8 episodes about 60 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

Borgen – Seasons 1, 2, & 3

  • Genre: Drama (2010, 2011, 2013)
  • Each season 10 episodes about 60 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

Lulu: The Bankrobber’s Wife

  • Genre: Mystery, Drama
  • Director: Jannik Johansen (2009)
  • 12 episodes about 45 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

Straight Forward

  • Genre: Suspense, Thriller
  • Directors: Riccardo Pellizzeri, Charlie Haskell, Peter Burger (2019)
  • 8 episodes about 45 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

The Eagle – Seasons 1, 2, & 3

  • Genre: Crime, Drama (2004, 2005, 2006)
  • Starring: Jens Albinus
  • Each season 8 episodes about 60 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

The Legacy

  • Genre: Mystery, Drama
  • Director: Permilla August (2014)
  • 10 episodes about 60 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

The Rain –  Seasons 1 & 2

  • Genre: Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic
  • 8 and 6 episodes about 45 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

Unit One – Seasons 1, 2, & 3

  • Genre: Crime, Drama (2000, 2001, 2002)
  • Seasons 1 & 2: 12 episodes about 60 minutes each
  • Season 3: 8 episodes about 60 minutes each
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

 

 


Which films and TV shows have you seen and recommend? Do you have others to add to the list? Share in the comments or email me. I’d love to hear.

Films and TV Series to Stream Now: Sweden

Welcome to my latest post of Scandinavian films and TV series to stream now while you’re staying safer at home. Here I feature films and TV shows from Sweden. Previously, I shared Films & TV Series to Stream Now: Norway. Stay tuned for Denmark.

Over the years, Sweden has won three Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film – The Virgin Spring (1960), Through the Glass Darkly (1961), and Fanny & Alexander (1983) – all of them directed by Ingmar Bergman and which can all be streamed now. See below for details.

In the case of Sweden, I found it interesting that I had not seen many of the movies and TV shows listed, but I had read many of the books upon which they were based. I enjoyed the books (I even consider them among my favorite Scandinavian reads) but I am often hesitant to see movies that are based on books I’ve read and enjoyed. But maybe that will change during this coronavirus self-quarantine time.

As I mentioned in my previous post, for streaming options, you have, of course, the usual suspects – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more – but don’t forget that you may have free streaming options available from your public library through hoopla and kanopy as well. These two services offer plenty of free foreign and domestic films and TV shows at no charge.

Please note that availability of films and TV shows on these streaming platforms may change at any time.

* Movies/TV series with one asterisk are ones I’ve watched but don’t necessarily recommend unless you’re up for something a bit out of the ordinary.

** Movies/TV series with double asterisks are ones I’ve enjoyed and recommend, assuming you’re in the mood for that genre.


Films from Sweden

A Man Called Ove

  • Director: Hannes Holm (2016)
  • Based on book by Fredrik Backman, A Man Called Ove
  • Genre: Drama, Comedy
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2016
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (Sundance Now)

As It Is in Heaven

  • Director: Kay Pollak (2004)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Starring: Michael Nyqvist
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2004
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

Becoming Astrid

  • Director: Pernille Fischer Christensen (2018)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (included with Prime)

* Border

Britt-Marie Was Here

Fanny & Alexander

  • Director: Ingmar Bergman (1982)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film, 1983
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Force Majeure

** The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy #1)

** The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium Trilogy #2)

** The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Millennium Trilogy #3)

Sami Blood

  • Director: Amanda Kernell (2017)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

Simon and the Oaks

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared

  • Director: Felix Herngren & Måns Herngren (2016)
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

* The Square

  • Director: Ruben Ostlund (2018)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2018
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, Amazon Prime Video

 

 

The Virgin Spring

  • Director: Ingmar Bergman (1960)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film, 1960
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

 

 

Through a Glass Darkly

  • Director: Ingmar Bergman (1961)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film, 1962
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

 

 


TV Series

Quicksand

Wallander: The Original Episodes

Wallander: Season 2

Wallander: Season 3

 


Which films and TV shows have you seen and recommend? Do you have others to add to the list? Share in the comments or email me. I’d love to hear.

Films and TV Series to Stream Now: Norway

Are you looking for fresh ideas of what to watch while you’re staying safer at home? In this post, I’m featuring films and TV series from Norway. Sweden and Denmark will follow shortly.

For streaming options, you have, of course, the usual suspects – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, etc. – but don’t forget, you may have free streaming options available from your public library through hoopla and kanopy as well. These two services offer plenty of free foreign and domestic films and TV shows at no charge.

And finally, for Norwegian film and TV enthusiasts, another streaming option is Films of Norway, a subscription service that offers only Norwegian movies, TV series, documentaries, children’s programs, and more. The programs are in original Norwegian language. English subtitles are available. Trial memberships are available. Many programs not available elsewhere can be found at Films of Norway. I’ve included the programming that intrigued me the most in the lists below.

Please note that availability of films and TV shows on these streaming platforms may change at any time.

* Movies/TV series with asterisks are ones I’ve watched and enjoyed.


Films from Norway

* 1001 Grams (1001 gram)

22 July

Beatles

  • Director: Peter Flinth (2014)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Based on book by Lars Saabye Christensen, Beatles
  • Where to Watch: Films of Norway

Elling

  • Director: Petter Næss (2002)
  • Based on book by Ingvar Ambjørnsen, Elling
  • Genre: Drama
  • Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, 2001
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Headhunters

I Am Yours (Jeg er din)

  • Director: Iram Haq (2013)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Where to Watch: kanopy

In Order of Disappearance (Kraftidioten)

  • Director: Hans Petter Moland (2014)
  • Genre: Action
  • Starring: Stellan Skarsgård
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

* King of Devil’s Island (Kongen av Bastøy)

  • Director: Marius Holst (2010)
  • Genre: Drama
  • Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Kristoffer Joner
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, Amazon Prime Video (included with Prime)

Kon-Tiki (1950)

  • Director: Thor Heyerdahl
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary (Feature), 1952
  • Where to Watch: kanopy, Amazon Prime Video (included with Prime)

* Kon-Tiki (2012)

Kristin Lavransdatter

Max Manus: Man of War

Pioneer

  • Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg (2015)
  • Genre: Historical, Suspense
  • Where to Watch: hoopla

Sonja: The White Swan

  • Director: Anne Sewitsky (2018)
  • Genre: Drama, Biographical
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (included with Prime)

The Almost Man (Mer eller minder mann)

  • Director: Martin Lund (2012)
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Where to Watch: kanopy

* The King’s Choice (Kongens nei)

The Last King

The Quake (Skjelvet)

  • Director: John Andreas Andersen (2018)
  • Genre: Action
  • Starring: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

The Snowman

* The Wave (Bølgen)

Thelma

Valley of Shadows

  • Director: Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen (2018)
  • Genre: Drama, Suspense
  • Where to Watch: hoopla, Amazon Prime Video (included with Prime)

* What Will People Say (Hva vil folk si)

 


TV Series

* Borderliner

  • Drama, Crime (2017)
  • 1 season of 8 episodes
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

* Home for Christmas

  • Comedy (2019)
  • 1 season of 6 episodes
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

Home Ground

  • Drama, Sports (2020)
  • 2 seasons
  • Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video (PBS Masterpiece)
  • Starring: Ane Dahl Torp

* Lilyhammer

  • Drama, Comedy, Crime (2014)
  • 3 seasons
  • Where to Watch: Netflix
  • Starring: Steven Van Zandt

Nobel

  • Nordic Noir, Drama (2016)
  • 1 season of 8 episodes
  • Where to Watch: Films of Norway

Norsemen

  • Comedy (2018)
  • 2 seasons
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

Occupied

Ragnarok

  • Drama (2020)
  • 1 season of 6 episodes
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

The Cheese Journey (Ostereisen)

  • Documentary (2018)
  • Food blogger and cookbook author Nevada Berg takes viewers on a journey through Norway to learn about cheese varieties.
  • 1 season of 3 episodes (about 10 minutes each)
  • Where to Watch: Films of Norway

* The Heavy Water War

The Oslo Killing

The River

The Valhalla Murders

  • Drama (2020)
  • 1 season of 7 episodes
  • Where to Watch: Netflix

Varg Veum

Wisting

 


* Movies/TV series with asterisks are ones I’ve watched and enjoyed.

Which shows are ones you’ve seen and recommend? Do you have others to add to the list? Share in the comments or email me. I’d love to hear.

Scandinavian Film Festival LA #SFFLA 2020 Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!

The 21st annual Scandinavian Film Festival LA returns to the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills the first two weekends of January. Start the new year with “top films from the top of Europe.” Despite its name, the scope of the festival actually extends beyond Scandinavia. Besides films from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, you can view films from the Nordic countries of Iceland and Finland as well as Baltic neighbors Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.

A highlight of the festival is the opportunity to see all the Nordic and Baltic countries’ submissions for the upcoming Oscars 2020’s International Feature Film category (formerly known as Foreign Language Film). (However, only Estonia’s selection made it to the shortlist of ten.)

  • NorwayOut Stealing Horses by Hans Petter Moland
  • SwedenAnd Then We Danced by Levan Akin
  • DenmarkQueen of Hearts by May el-Toukhy
  • IcelandA White, White Day by Hlynur Pálmason
  • FinlandStupid Young Heart by Selma Vilhunen
  • LatviaThe Mover by Dāvis Sīmanis Jr.
  • EstoniaTruth and Justice by Tanel Toom
  • LithuaniaBridges of Time by Kristine Briede, Audrius Stonys

On Saturday, January 4, at 6:00 p.m., join other film enthusiasts at the Opening Gala for drinks and a Scandinavian buffet meal. Gala tickets (a great deal at only $40 each) also include Opening Ceremonies at 7:15 p.m. and the screening of Norway’s only feature film selection at the festival, Out Stealing Horses, at 7:30 p.m. Buy your gala tickets now!

Below you’ll find a list of films by country. Descriptions are taken from the festival’s website, where you can also find a chronological schedule. Consider purchasing a SFFLA Festival Passport which allows admission to all screenings and the Opening Gala (available for $140), or you can buy tickets for individual films for $12 each online or at the door. Please confirm the schedule with SFFLA as it may change after this post is published. Hope to see you there!


* NORWAY *

Out Stealing Horses (Ut og stjæle hester)

  • Feature Film by Hans Petter Moland (2019)
  • Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Per Petterson
  • Saturday, January 4, 7:30 p.m. (123 min)
  • https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7319496/

67-year-old widower Trond Sander (Skarsgård) transitions to a lonely retirement in the breathtaking but desolate landscape of eastern Norway. As winter arrives, he finds a neighbor who he once knew during the summer of 1948. Trond reflects back on that bucolic and childhood summer, the last one he spent with his father as they rode wild horses and chopped wood.

The Tent (Teltet)

A dysfunctional family of four is going camping, and poor communications skills make it a struggle to cooperate when trying to put up a complicated tent. The kids are reacting badly to the increasingly uncomfortable tension, as an underlying conflict between the two parents is slowly forced to the surface – and a shocking secret is finally revealed.


* SWEDEN *

And Then We Danced

A passionate tale of love and liberation set amidst the ultraconservative confines of modern Georgian society, And Then We Danced follows Merab, a devoted dancer who has been training for years with his partner Mary for a spot in the National Georgian Ensemble. The arrival of another male dancer, Irakli, gifted with perfect form and equipped with a rebellious streak, throws Merab off balance, sparking both an intense rivalry and romantic desire that may cause him to risk his future in dance as well as his relationships with Mary and his family.

The Unpromised Land (Till drömmarnas land)

Sabina has traveled from Romania to the small Swedish town Holmsund with her Roma brothers. They work in a garage and Sabina is looking for a job. Elin, born and raised in Holmsund, is in the church singing at the graduation ceremony. A summer is about to start and Sabina will get to know Elin. Together they will revolt against the old ways and find something new in each other. At the same time the society around them collapses in fear and Elin’s dad becomes insane by sorrow. Because there is a madness in the Swedish idyll.

Se7en Dayz till Payoff

An arrogant working actor of low budget horrors hears about a recurring role as a homeless person on an Emmy nominated cop show that he badly wants to land. His agent is against it, but challenges the actor that if he could show him that he could be homeless for seven days, he’ll get him an audition.

Cold Case Hammarskjöld

Danish director Mads Brügger and Swedish private investigator Göran Bjorkdahl are trying to solve the mysterious death of Dag Hammarskjöld. As their investigation closes in, they discover a crime with even farther reaching consequences.

Greta’s Bed and Breakfast

A successful business woman living in New York decides to go back to her home country Sweden after many years to support her best friend who is newly divorced. They make a trip together to a magical place where they meet odd people that change their lives forever.

King of Atlantis (Kungen av Atlantis)

When a young man who takes care of his schizophrenic father meets a young woman he tries to break free from his father to live his own life.


* DENMARK *

Ida

Set in Poland in 1962, it is about a young woman on the verge of taking vows as a Catholic nun. Orphaned as an infant during the German occupation of World War II, she must now meet her aunt. The former Communist state prosecutor and only surviving relative tells her that her parents were Jewish. The two women embark on a road trip into the Polish countryside to learn the fate of their family.

Collision (Kollision)

A married couple, Leo and Olivia, are facing a crisis in their marriage. Their nine-year old daughter, Liv, becomes a messenger between her mother and father. The film explores the break-up of a family and the decisions parents make in trying to find meaning and hope when everything is falling apart.

Confirmation (Konfirmanden)

It’s the big day of Mathias’ confirmation. The Danish tradition where young people say yes to being a Christian and enters adulthood. Mathias is transgender and just wants to be a normal teenage boy. His mother does everything to protect him, but who is this day really about?

Queen of Hearts (Dronningen)

Anne, a successful lawyer and doting mother, places both her family and career at risk when she becomes involved with her teenage stepson.

The Dead Soldier

In Afghanistan, the Danish soldier Jacob Panton is shot five times by a sniper, is hit by a grenade and dies in the operation room. Miraculously he is brought back to life and survives the attack from the Taliban that occurred during his very last patrol. Back in Denmark a long and hard struggle awaits Jacob, his wife Charlotte and their daughter Dina. The former tank commander’s injuries are so severe that it is impossible for him to return to the army. Jacob struggles with a feeling of identity loss and is frustrated with the public treatment of injured soldiers. He slowly starts to find a new purpose in life by helping other war veterans get a tolerable existence.

Before the Frost (Før frosten)

For years, Jens has been fighting to survive on a harsh, unyielding piece of land. The family’s decline in fortune is deeply felt and underscored by the local burghers. The parish priest humiliates them by moving them further back in the church, and Jens is now being targeted by Gustav, a wealthy Swede looking to expand his holdings. With winter coming, Jens must choose between marrying off his beloved daughter or losing his family’s only means of survival.

Daniel (Ser du månen Daniel)

The story of Danish photographer Daniel Rye, who was captured by ISIS in Syria in 2013 and held hostage for 398 days.


* ICELAND *

Little Moscow (Litla Moskva)

During the Cold War, Iceland was part of the West. They became a member of NATO and the United States operated a military base there. Center right coalitions ran the national government and municipalities all across the country, with one exception: In Neskaupstadur, a town of 1,500 people in the east of the country, socialists ran the show. They came to power in 1946 and maintained control for 52 years.

A White, White Day (Hvítur, hvítur dagur)

In a remote Icelandic town, an off duty police chief begins to suspect a local man for having had an affair with his wife, who recently died in a car accident. Gradually his obsession for finding out the truth accumulates and inevitably begins to endanger himself and his loved ones. A story of grief, revenge and unconditional love.


* FINLAND *

Stupid Young Heart (Hölmö nuori sydän)

An edgy, warm, and raw drama about the first love between the skinny and carefree Lenni and the gorgeous and popular Kiira. Not yet in a relationship, nor out of high school, they discover that they are expecting a baby. Lenni has nine months to become a man. Having grown up without a father figure, Lenni finds longed-for adult attention and guidance from an unlikely friend Janne, a member of a right wing group that has recently moved into Lenni’s diverse neighbourhood. After taking part in a scrambled attack on a local Mosque, while Kiira is rushed to the hospital to give birth, Lenni realises that he must learn to be a man in his own way, even though he never had a chance to be a child himself.

Project Rockin’ High

The Finnish heavy metal band Ancara wishes to enter the Guinness Book of Records by organizing a rock concert in the mountains, and in order to obtain global coverage, they decide to try and reach Everest Base Camp. However, from the moment they make this decision, everything will start to go wrong and all the contradictions of a crazy and visionary project will begin to emerge.

Maria’s Paradise (Marian Paratiisi)

The orphan Salome is the servant and devout follower of Maria Åkerblom, a charismatic sect leader. But as Salome befriends a rebellious outsider and starts to have doubts, Maria turns dangerous.

Someone, Somewhere

A tragicomedy set in the true Hollywood where the only spotlight is a malfunctioning streetlight, and the people least likely to make it are the most likely to give everything they got — for a chance to get a shot.


* BALTIC COUNTRIES *

Immortal (Surematu)

Russian documentary filmmaker Ksenia Okhapkina’s essay portrait looks at the strict order that governs life in a small industrial city in Russia. With her talent for visual composition and perceptiveness regarding local events, she puts together an audiovisual collage of seemingly minor details that enable us to observe a society bound by the regime and political power. Scenes of young girls learning about discipline at ballet school or adolescent boys training for the army are eloquent examples of citizen indoctrination, but the filmmaker avoids psychologizing the participants. Instead she portrays the dangerous ideology without excessive words or narration, thus perfectly capturing its furtive omnipresence and inconspicuousness.

The Mover (Tēvs Nakts)

Based on the true story of Zanis Lipke, a working-class man who worked in German military warehouses during the wartime Nazi occupation of Latvia and as a smuggler of human beings at night, The Mover has been dubbed Latvia’s Schindler’s List.

Journey Home (Kelionés namo)

An upbeat memoir, never before presented in cinema, recounting the unexpected first encounters of American-Lithuanians who traveled back to their Soviet-occupied homeland after WWII. During the war, the heroes of the film were forced to leave Lithuania and became displaced persons (DPs). Their nostalgia created somewhat naïve images of their homeland. Yet when allowed to travel to Soviet Lithuania in the late ‘60s and 70’s, they were confronted with a different reality! This account of returning to their homeland reveals the hope and spirit of the pre-occupation era, the intersection of two different civilizations, colorful heroes and their unique experiences.

Bridges of Time

A documentary about the “Baltic New Wave”, avant-garde filmmakers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during the 1960s.

Truth and Justice (Tõde ja õigus)

  • Feature Film from Estonia by Tanel Toom (2019)
  • On Shortlist for Oscars 2020 Best International Feature Film
  • Sunday, January 12, 1:30 p.m. (149 min)
  • https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5593384/

Estonia, 1870. Young and staunch Andres along with his wife Krõõt arrive at a farm bought on a loan to establish their new life. Desolate and neglected between the marshes, Robber’s Rise must be transformed into a place that will take care of the family. All they have to do is to break the resistance of the barren land, make his neighbour cooperate, and raise an heir – a son to inherit his father’s life’s work. But when nature refuses to bend, the neighbour turns out to be a roughneck rival, and Krõõt keeps giving birth to daughters, Andres struggles to find the right way. In his desperate search for truth and justice – from the court, the tavern and the Bible, he sacrifices his family, his friends and eventually himself. The beautiful dream of prosperous and nurturing Robber’s Rise gives way to an obsession, resulting in none of the things Andres wanted and everything he was afraid of.


What festival films look interesting to you?

Norway’s Out Stealing Horses is on the top of my list to see. Many others look interesting, but I’m especially intrigued by Iceland’s A White, White Day; Sweden’s The Unpromised Land; and Estonia’s Truth and Justice. What festival films look interesting to you?

A note to Scandi film enthusiasts, this year the festival needs your help more than ever. One of its major funding sources wasn’t available. Please consider helping make up the difference by making a tax-deductible donation. All contributions small and large are welcome. You may donate online or send a check to ASFLA/SFFLA, 3445 Winslow Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (see SFFLA donor brochure). Your contribution is much appreciated!

December 2019: Los Angeles Culture Challenge (Bonus: Norwegian Christmas Series on Netflix!)

December offers many special seasonal events which highlight the diverse richness of Los Angeles! Which will you put on your calendar?

The season of Scandinavian Christmas fairs wraps up this weekend with SWEA Los Angeles’ 41st Annual Swedish Christmas Fair on Sunday, December 8, in Torrance. It’s a big one that welcomes about 3,000 visitors during the one-day event. Highlights of the fair include a multitude of vendors selling Scandinavian gifts, books, music, handmade crafts, traditional holiday foods, and baked goods as well as traditional entertainment with folk dancing and Lucia pageants.

While on the topic of Scandinavian Christmas, I’d like to give you a heads-up about a Norwegian Christmas series just added to Netflix. Home for Christmas (Hjem til jul) is a 6-episode romantic comedy series about Johanne, a 30-year-old woman who is tired of the constant reminders of her single status and suddenly finds herself on a quest to find a boyfriend in time to bring home for Christmas. It takes place in a quaint little Norwegian town (filmed in Røros, Norway) and can be watched in Norwegian with English sub-titles or dubbed in English. Two episodes in I’m really enjoying it, especially the Norwegian winter setting and the diverse characters.

And finally, so you can plan ahead, one of my favorite Scandinavian events returns next month. The Scandinavian Film Festival LA opens the weekend of January 4 & 5 in Beverly Hills and continues the weekend of January 11 & 12. The schedule will be posted soon.

How will you explore the richness of Los Angeles this month?

* SPECIAL REPEATING EVENTS IN DECEMBER *

Las Posadas at Olvera Street, El Pueblo Historical Monument, Downtown LA, Monday, 12/16 – Tuesday, 12/24, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Las Posadas has been a part of Olvera Street since its founding in 1930. Every evening beginning December 16 and continuing through Christmas Eve, the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is reenacted with traditional songs, colorful costumes, and vibrant music. Festivities begin with a children’s piñata breaking. Free sweet bread and champurrado are given to all in attendance afterwards. While the event is rooted in Christian and Catholic traditions, it is attended by people from all religious backgrounds, and all are welcome to participate.

DTLA Holiday Lights Walking Tour, Meeting Point: Union Station, Downtown LA, Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. until December 26. Explore the richness of Downtown LA with the annual DTLA Holiday Lights Tour offered by DTLA Walking Tours. It is a two-hour evening tour of the festive holiday decorations and traditions in Downtown LA. The tour begins at Union Station and highlights include Las Posadas at Olvera Street, Grand Park with its illuminated fountain and Winter Glow (a month-long immersive nighttime art experience), Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broad Museum, and Pershing Square festivities. Adults $20, children ages 5-12 $5, and children 4 and under free. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit website.

Ice Breakers, Ice at Santa Monica, Downtown Santa Monica, Sundays, until January 19. This holiday season take advantage of Ice Breakers, a family-friendly live music series every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

* WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 7 & 8 *

Undiscovered Chinatown Walking Tour, Chinatown, Downtown LA, Saturday, 12/7, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Visit a temple, an herbal shop, art galleries, antique stores, and more! The 2 1/2 hour walking tour will take visitors to a number of off-the-beaten-track points of interest and will guide those interested in shopping to some of Chinatown’s best bargains and its trendiest shops. Wear comfortable walking shoes and be prepared to wind your way through a myriad of alleyways, plaza stalls, and classical courtyards to discover the charm of L.A’s Chinatown. (Offered every first Saturday of the month).

CicLAvia: The Valley, Sunday, 12/8, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Discover Sherman Way from Canoga Park through Winnetka and into Reseda as CicLAvia offers an entirely new, 5-mile stretch of open streets. You will find a Volta Cirque du Soleil photo booth, LA Kings hockey clinics, music performances, family-friendly games, food trucks and dozens of other activities along the route. Bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, and enjoy the route however you want.

Ancient Cycladic Civilization: Clay Figurines (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 12/8, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Experience inspiring, innovative workshops that enrich lives and teach basic visual art skills with highly qualified artist-educators. Each workshop focuses on a global culture, and different media are explored weekly including painting, textile art, printmaking, clay, sculpture, collage, and 3D constructions. Many of the projects celebrate holidays of the diverse community in LA. The program is open to all ages, including children, families, and adults.

41st Annual Swedish Christmas Fair, Torrance Cultural Arts Center, Torrance, Sunday, 12/8, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The fair features artisans and stands presenting the best of Swedish fine art, handicraft, books, jewelry, toys, decorations, and much more. Enjoy a traditional Swedish lunch or “fika” (coffee break) with delicious home baked sweets. You can even enjoy an invigorating glass of hot glögg (mulled wine). The radiant Lucia Pageant is performed twice during the day, at noon and at 3pm. There’s also a children’s corner with crafts, games, and a possible visit with Santa.

* WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 14 & 15 *

England: Toy Theater (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 12/15, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Experience inspiring, innovative workshops that enrich lives and teach basic visual art skills with highly qualified artist-educators. Each workshop focuses on a global culture, and different media are explored weekly including painting, textile art, printmaking, clay, sculpture, collage, and 3D constructions. Many of the projects celebrate holidays of the diverse community in LA.

Hanukkah Festival, Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, Sunday, 12/15, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Celebrate the Jewish festival of lights, while enjoying music, dance, storytelling, art making, and tasty treats. Get in the holiday spirit with musical performances by Klezmer Juice, hear classic Hanukkah tunes and folk music by fiddler and accordionist duo Zingarella, and be dazzled by capoeira performed by Dana Maman and Friends. Take a little bit of the festival home with you by creating a one-of-a-kind art project or making a delicious treat with Maite Gomez-Rejón (ArtBites). Be inspired as Noah’s Ark storytellers recount the age-old tale of Hanukkah in both English and Spanish, and join a special Hanukkah sing-along. Then listen to author Alan Silberberg read his book Meet the Latkes.

CAAM Makers Fest – Winter 2019, California African American Museum, Exposition Park, Sunday, 12/15, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Let your creativity flow at this all-ages affair featuring maker stations led by local artists. Learn from the pros of our community, including Nneka Gigi, who will lead a workshop embellishing clothing with retro cartoons; J. Mack, who teaches how to create music shakers from recycled materials; and Wayne Perry, who will demonstrate how to create relief portraits. Take home several creative treasures! No prior art experience necessary; art materials provided.

Las Posadas Festival, Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, Sunday, 12/15, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Experience a traditional Mexican Christmas re-enactment of the story of Mary and Joseph as they seek shelter for the birth of the Baby Jesus at an inn (posada). There will be face painting, art projects and Mexican hot chocolate and pan dulce. Enjoy performances by Rhythmo Mariachi Kids, Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, and Folklorico RaÍces de Mexico.

* WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 21 & 22 *

Las Posadas at Olvera Street, El Pueblo Historical Monument, Downtown LA, Monday, 12/16 – Tuesday, 12/24, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Las Posadas has been a part of Olvera Street since its founding in 1930. Every evening beginning December 16 and continuing through Christmas Eve, the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is reenacted with traditional songs, colorful costumes, and vibrant music. Festivities begin with a children’s piñata breaking. Free sweet bread and champurrado are given to all in attendance afterwards. While the event is rooted in Christian and Catholic traditions, it is attended by people from all religious backgrounds, and all are welcome to participate.

Holiday Cards: Print-Making (Barnsdall Art Sundays), Junior Arts Center at Barnsdall Art Park, Hollywood/Los Feliz, Sunday, 12/22, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Experience inspiring, innovative workshops that enrich lives and teach basic visual art skills with highly qualified artist-educators. Each workshop focuses on a global culture, and different media are explored weekly including painting, textile art, printmaking, clay, sculpture, collage, and 3D constructions. Many of the projects celebrate holidays of the diverse community in LA.

60th Annual LA County Holiday Celebration, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center, Downtown LA, Tuesday, 12/24, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Community and professional choirs, music ensembles, and dance companies representing the diverse cultures and holiday traditions of the region celebrate the season during this free three-hour holiday show. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. First come, first seated. People begin lining up early. The show is also broadcast live in Southern California on PBS SoCal (KOCE) and live streamed on pbssocal.org.

* WEEKEND OF DECEMBER 28 & 29 *

W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine, Annenberg Space for Photography, Century City, on view until December 29. This is the closing weekend for this exhibit that examines the historical use and artistic treatment of walls over centuries. Across diverse civilizations, walls have been central to human history, from Hadrian’s Wall to the current debate over the U.S./Mexico border.

Feel free to add events for the current month in the comments below. If you have suggestions about future events and celebrations to include in upcoming months, please email the details. Thank you!

Scandinavian Film Festival LA 2019: One Weekend Down, One to Go

Long time subscribers to my blog will know that the Scandinavian Film Festival LA is one of my favorite annual Scandinavian events in the Los Angeles area. This year the festival opened the first weekend in January and it continues this coming weekend, January 19 and 20, in Beverly Hills. The first weekend did not disappoint, and the second looks to be promising as well.

This year the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary. A full house of Nordic film enthusiasts was at the Opening Gala on Saturday evening of the first weekend to celebrate this milestone. Along with a buffet of favorite Scandinavian foods, the festivities included a champagne toast and delicious Princess Cake from Copenhagen Pastry at the end of the evening.

Compared to other film festivals, this is a small one. But it’s very welcoming and friendly. Many festival goers come for multiple screenings. They hang out in the lobby between films. They chat and enjoy food from the Nordic Café, the best part of which is the pastries from none other than Copenhagen Pastry.

Last year I volunteered for the first time and I did so again this year because it was such a fun and rewarding experience. The festival is basically a family-run operation with Jim Koenig as head of the festival and his sister Flo Niermann in charge of ticket sales and volunteers. And they are so grateful for their volunteers.

During the first weekend I saw four films: Sweden’s Border, Denmark’s The Guilty, Iceland’s Woman at War, and Norway’s The 12th Man. I would have seen a fifth, Norway’s What Would People Say, if I hadn’t already seen it (highly recommend it, read more at What Will People Say by Iram Haq: An #OwnVoices Immigrant Story from Norway).

My absolute favorite of the weekend was Iceland’s Woman at War directed by Benedikt Erlingsson. I highly recommend it. Go watch it when it opens in theaters March 1. It’s about a single woman in her fifties who’s an ardent environmentalist intent on sabotaging Iceland’s aluminum industry. She’s independent, bold, and strong — my favorite type of female protagonist. Then suddenly, she receives the unexpected news that she’s been approved to adopt a girl from the Ukraine and she has to rethink her actions. Viewers get glimpses of Iceland’s beautiful landscape. There’s an interesting musical aspect that adds a surreal and humorous touch. The actress Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir is wonderful. (This movie was the winner of Nordic Council Film Prize in 2018.)

I also very much enjoyed Denmark’s thriller/drama The Guilty directed by Gustav Möller. It’s about a police officer who’s been demoted to work as an emergency dispatcher. He expects nothing more than a boring evening answering calls from drunks and druggies. However, he gets a phone call from a woman who’s been kidnapped and so begins a desperate search from his desk for the woman. It is extremely suspenseful with interesting twists. At the same time, viewers wonder and learn more about the officer’s demotion. The lead actor, Jakob Cedergren, is perfect for the role which is good because the whole movie is focused on him.

As a festival bonus, director/writer Gustav Möller and producer Lina Flint were at the screening and answered questions afterward. It’s always interesting to get a glimpse behind the scenes of a movie, and their story as friends from film school in Denmark was a great one. Find out if there’s a showtime near you or watch it at home. Interestingly, there will be an American remake of The Guilty with Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead so see the original before that comes out.

Sweden’s Border directed by Alli Abbas was not at all what I was expecting. I did not do my research properly and went in blindly. I was expecting something realistic about border issues, which was not at all the case. I later saw the movie described as a “dark romantic fantasy fable.” Had I known this, I may have enjoyed it more since my expectations would have been different.

It’s about Tina, a customs officer who uses her extraordinary sense of smell to identify people who are smuggling. She also has an extreme connection to the natural world. One day when traveler Vore walks past, Tina senses something suspicious about him but nothing is found. However, an attraction develops between them, and when Tina begins to develop a relationship with Vore, she discovers his true identity and also learns the truth about herself.

I wrapped up the first weekend with Norway’s The 12th Man directed by Harald Zwart. I brought my family along to this film since I had previously seen it at a special screening at The Museum of Tolerance and thought it was an amazing World War II story of survival, will to live, and kindness to others despite tremendous risk. The movie is based on the true story of Norwegian resistance fighter Jan Baalsrud who was the only one of 12 Norwegian resistance fighters on a mission from Shetland to sabotage Nazi activity in Northern Norway to escape when they were discovered by Nazis. It chronicles his journey towards neutral Sweden which would not have been possible without the kindness and help of locals who risked their own lives.

It turns out my family was not as enthralled with the movie as I was. They thought there was too much brutality (Germans against captured Norwegians), too much gruesomeness (German torture of captured Norwegians and Jan’s physical condition throughout his journey), and too much repetition of plot elements. I thought it was important for my kids to see the local Norwegian resistance in action as both my grandfathers had been a part of it before one escaped to Sweden and the other was sent to a camp in Germany. Also, the Norwegian landscape was beautiful and I loved the unexpected glimpse into Sami culture.

This coming weekend I will see Utøya – July 22 directed by Erik Poppe, a film about a teenage girl who struggles to survive and to find her younger sister during the July 2011 terrorist mass murder at a political summer camp on the Norwegian island of Utøya. I expect it to be a difficult film to watch considering the subject matter. I have read Åsne Seierstad’s non-fiction book One of Us: The Story of a Massacre in Norway — And Its Aftermath so at least I won’t be totally surprised by the scale of terror and horror.

I have not yet decided on which other films to see during the upcoming weekend. It will depend on when I’m there as a volunteer. Estonia’s Take It or Leave It, Sweden’s The Cake General, Denmark’s Becoming Astrid, and Finland’s One Last Deal all look interesting (see schedule). I’d be curious to hear your thoughts about the festival if you’ve been or plan to go.