Malmö, 1907; a maid (Maria Heiskanen) needs money and wants to sell a camera she once won in a lottery… but a photographer (Jesper Christensen) instead teaches her how to use it. Jan Troell’s first film in seven years was based on the recollections of Maria Larsson’s daughter, who was related to Troell’s wife. This personal connection is the basis for a slow-moving but engaging story that illustrates the conditions of the working class at the time. The focus lies more on people rather than sweeping (expensive) shots capturing eras that are now long gone. Heiskanen is solid and Mikael Persbrandt excellent as both a charming family man and loutish alcoholic.
2008-Sweden-Denmark-Norway-Finland. 131 min. Color. Produced by Jan Troell, Thomas Stenderup. Directed and photographed by Jan Troell. Screenplay: Niklas RĂĄdström, Agneta Ulfsäter-Troell. Music: Matti Bye. Cast: Maria Heiskanen (Maria Larsson), Mikael Persbrandt (Sigfrid Larsson), Jesper Christensen (Sebastian Pedersen), Emil Jensen, Callin Ă–hrvall, Ghita Nørby… Amanda Ooms, Maria Lundqvist, Hans Alfredson, Claire Wikholm, Ann PetrĂ©n, Pierre Lindstedt, Eddie Axberg.
Trivia: Original title: Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick.
Last word: “I was only 14 years old when I started photographing, and I used a closet in my parents’ house for developing and printing. So, I knew a little of the mystery and miracle of making pictures in the same way that Maria must have. I am sure that this was part of my fascination with this story, but that was not the only thing; it was also the characters and the story. And, to some extent, it was the working class surroundings. I grew up with a father who was a dentist in a working class area, and most of my friends were working class boys. For many years, I thought I would one day come back to this and make a film about my surroundings during my childhood.” (Troell, Cinema Without Borders)
