Fredrik Wikingsson (middle) with producers Lars Beckung and Petra Måhl.
Photo: Linnea Vikström, Swedish Film Institute
– We are floored, overjoyed and grateful to first and foremost Filip’s parents Lars and Tiina, everyone who worked on the film, and of course everyone who saw the film. At the same time, we are phenomenally aware of what an extremely narrow needle's eye we must now try to fight our way through. It feels like we are going to Baku to represent Sweden in Eurovision, except that we haven't qualified yet. But we feel enthusiastic and proud to fight for this small film, and at best make Film Sweden great again, says Fredrik Wikingsson, says Fredrik Wikingsson.
The Last Journey follows Lars Hammar, Filip Hammar's father, who after 40 years as a beloved French teacher in Köping is retiring. But instead of a "third age" with travel, wine and experiences together with his wife, he becomes passive and tired. Filip and Fredrik take Lars to his beloved France and let him revisit the places he loves. By making the same road trip that the family used to make when Filip was a child, and staging some of life's most beautiful moments, they hope to rekindle Lars' spark.
With its more than 400,000 Swedish cinema visits, The Last Journey is the most watched documentary in cinemas in Sweden ever.
– The Last Journey is a heart-wrenching documentary that many of us can relate to - just look at the film's record box office number! It mixes humor and sadness in an extremely personal way, which gives you as a spectator a pervasive feeling of melancholy, joy, pride and sadness. All this makes The Last Journey a strong Oscar candidate, says Petter Mattsson, head of the International Departmentat at the Film Institute and chairman of the Swedish Oscar Committee.
Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson are also behind the films The Cake General (Tårtgeneralen, 2018) and Nice People (Filip & Fredrik presenterar Trevligt folk, 2015, directed by Karin af Klintberg and Anders Helgeson). The Last Journey is produced by Lars Beckung and Petra Måhl, Nexiko, with production funding from the Swedish Film Institute, film commissioner Anna Weitz. It had its Swedish cinema premiere on 1 March through Nordisk Film and is still playing in cinemas.
Two more Swedish directors are among the recently announced Oscar submissions. It is Tia Kouvo who has directed Finland's submission, Family Time, and Magnus von Horn who has directed Denmark's submission, The Girl with the Needle. Gothenburg-based Tia Kouvo is educated at HDK-Valand at the University of Gothenburg. Both films are produced with funding from the Swedish Film Institute.
On December 17, the films that have made the Oscar short list will be announced, and on January 17, the nominations will be announced. The 97th Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on March 2, 2024.
