False as Water

Falsk som vatten Director Hans Alfredson

1 hr. 42 min. · Sweden, 1985 · Drama, Thriller · Swedish · Subtitles: Lithuanian, English · Pegi 13

About the film

Departing from his customary political humour, Alfredson immerses the viewer in the atmosphere of a psychological thriller and classic film noir. The film follows John, a successful publishing executive who leaves his wife for Clara, a young poet. Their new life together soon turns into a nightmare when the couple become the target of anonymous threats and mysterious attacks. Borrowed from Shakespeare’s Othello, the title points to the film’s central preoccupations: jealousy, infidelity and the illusion that the sins of the past can simply be left behind. Malin Ek and Sverre Anker Ousdal bring an intense, claustrophobic quality to the central relationship. The film received two Guldbagge Awards: Best Director for Hans Alfredson and Best Actress for Malin Ek.

Details

Running time: 1 hr. 42 min.
Country, year: Sweden, 1985
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Language: Swedish
Subtitles: Lithuanian, English
Age rating: Pegi 13

Credits

Director: Hans Alfredson
Screenplay: Hans Alfredson
Cast: Malin Ek, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Marie Göranzon, Stellan Skarsgård
More information: www.imdb.com
MUBI: View on MUBI

Festivals and awards

Guldbagge Awards Best Director · Best Actress

Director

Hans Alfredson

Hans Alfredson (1931–2017) was one of the most distinguished and versatile figures in twentieth-century Swedish culture: a filmmaker, writer and comedian. Born in Malmö, he earned a degree in literature and art history from Lund University. In the 1960s, together with his colleague Tage Danielsson, he formed Hasse & Tage, one of Sweden’s best-known creative partnerships, which had a lasting influence on the country’s tradition of cinematic satire and comedy. Alfredson’s films move between absurdist humour, biting satire and a deep social and moral melancholy. They often explore humanism, the individual’s struggle against systems and the boundary between good and evil, while their visual language is marked by poetic imagery and highly inventive camerawork. In recognition of his contribution to Swedish cinema, Alfredson received several Guldbagge Awards, Sweden’s leading film honours, including an Honorary Guldbagge in 2013.