Goteborg Film Festival Lineup Features ‘The Brutalist,’ Queer,’ ‘The Girl With the Needle’

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The 2025 lineup for Sweden’s top film festival, the Göteborg Film Festival, has been revealed. This impressive selection includes a number of films that are considered strong contenders for awards, such as Brady Corbet’s Golden Globe-winning movie titled The Brutalist, Magnus von Horn’s The Girl with the Needle, and Luca Guadagnino’s film named Queer.

This Sunday, “The Brutalist” bagged three Golden Globes: one for Best Picture (Drama), another for Best Director (Corbet) and the third for Best Actor (Drama, Brody). In this epic historical film, Brody portrays László Tóth, a Jewish architect who immigrated to America from Budapest following World War II. Alongside him are Felicity Jones as his wife and Guy Pearce as Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr., a wealthy tycoon.

As a gamer, I’m excitedly recapping two outstanding films that have made it to the big leagues! First off, Daniel Craig earned a Best Actor, Drama nomination at the Globes for his gripping portrayal of William Lee in ‘Queer’. This film, based on the life of William S. Burroughs’ alter ego, follows William and Drew Starkey as Gene, on an adventurous journey through Mexico and South America.

Next up, we have ‘The Girl with the Needle’, a strong contender for Best International Feature at the Oscars. This period drama is set in 1920s Copenhagen and tells the compelling story of Dagmar Overbye, brilliantly played by Trine Dyrholm, a daring Danish abortionist. Alongside her, Vic Carmen Sonne portrays Karoline, a poor, pregnant factory worker who finds herself entangled in Dagmar’s world.

The festival commences on January 24th, starting off with “Safe House” by Eirik Svensson, which revolves around Norwegian aid worker Linn (Kristine Kujath Thorp) and her mission to safeguard a Muslim refugee amidst the Central African Republic’s civil war. The festival concludes on February 2nd with the world premiere of “Stranger” by Mads Hedegaard, featuring Angela Bundalovic and Danica Curcic in leading roles.

Some standout entries in Gothenburg’s Nordic Competition include Maria Eriksson-Hecht’s premiere, “Kevlar Soul,” which focuses on two brothers coping with their alcoholic father, and Fanny Ovesen’s “Live a Little,” centering around a woman’s adventures during her European travels. Ragnhild Ekner’s documentary, “Ultras,” delves into the global football supporter culture, specifically from Sweden’s Ullevi Stadium.

Renowned Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg, who has won an Oscar, will be honored with the festival’s Nordic Lifetime Achievement Award for his remarkable career. Known for directing films like “The Celebration”, “The Hunt”, and “Another Round”, Vinterberg will participate in a Q&A session as part of a post-award discussion on January 28th.

The upcoming festival plans to showcase the Tomas Alfredson-directed Swedish TV show titled “Faithless,” which is a drama about infidelity written by Ingmar Bergman. This story was later adapted into a film in 2000 by Liv Ullmann, who often worked with Bergman. The series features Frida Gustavsson, Gustav Lindh, and August Wittgenstein as the main characters.

As a gamer, I’m super excited about the upcoming international premieres! For instance, Sofia Bohdanowicz’s “Measures for a Funeral” is a movie that delves into the life of violinist Kathleen Parlow. Another one to watch is Charles Williams’ prison drama, “Inside”, which stars Guy Pearce. But what really has me on the edge of my seat is Joshua Oppenheimer’s musical, “The End”. This film boasts an impressive cast including Tilda Swinton and Michael Shannon. The Swedish premiere is happening soon, and on Jan 26th at Stora Teatern, you can catch a Directors Talk by none other than Oppenheimer himself!

Additionally, the festival showcases Aster Urbeita’s “Pheasant Island,” an entry in the International Competition. This captivating production revolves around a Basque couple’s interaction with refugees, featuring Jone Laspiur and Itziar Ituño, who are well-known for their roles in “Money Heist.

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2025-01-07 15:24