While Sweden’s Ruben Östlund grabbed some Oscar nominations and took home Cannes’ Palmed’Or last year, two other Scandinavian filmmakers basked in the international spotlight following their Cannes competition premieres: Ali Abbasi with “Holy Spider” and Tarik Saleh with “Cairo Conspiracy” (previously titled “Boy From Heaven”).
Abbasi, an Iranian-born Danish helmer, and Saleh, a Swedish director whose father is Egyptian, are part of an exciting new generation of Nordic helmers who are shaking up traditional Scandinavian cinema.
These filmmakers are delivering singular and timely movies shot abroad or in different languages, weaving together genres and political elements.
“Holy Spider” was based on the true story of a family man who became a serial killer and murdered sex workers in the Iranian holy city of Mashhad, while “Cairo Conspiracy” is set against the backdrop of a ruthless struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elite.
Breaking away from the longentrenched trend of so-called Nordic Noir, literary adaptations and historical movies, these films are not easily financed and sometimes have limited commercial potential at home. But they’re often being rewarded by top critics, festival laurels and international sales —“Holy Spider” and “Cairo Conspiracy” were shortlisted at this year’s Oscars as the Danish and Swedish official entries, respectively, even if they’re set in Iran and Egypt.
At the Berlin Film Festival, Scandinavian cinema will have its largest presence ever, driven by these diverse Nordic voices. The Panorama section, for instance, includes “The Quiet Migration,” an adoption-themed drama by Korean-born Danish helmer Malene Choi, and “Opponent,” by Swedish-Iranian filmmaker Milad Alami. “Opponent,” which shot in Farsi and English, follows a man and his family who have been forced to flee Iran in the aftermath of a devastating rumor. Hoping to…