Populärmusik från Vittula (2004)

Director:

Reza Bagher

Writers:

Reza Bagher (writer)
Mikael Niemi (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

24 September 2004 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Coming Of Age | Music Teacher | Transvestite | Elvis | Bully

Cast

Niklas Ulfvarson	...	Matti (age 7)
Max Enderfors	...	Matti (age 15)
Tommy Vallikari	...	Niila (age 7)
Andreas af Enehjelm	...	Niila (age 15)
Björn Kjellman	...	Greger
Jarmo Mäkinen	...	Isak, father of Niila
Kati Outinen	...	Päivi, mother of Niila
Tarja-Tuulikki Tarsala	...	Grandmother
Göran Forsmark	...	Birger
Lisa Lindgren	...	Signe
Sten Ljunggren	...	Grandfather
Lamine Dieng	...	Kambune
Fredrik Hammar	...	Ville
Lennart Jähkel	...	Einari
Anne Järvinen	...	Hilma
Rikard Haapala	...	Håkani
Carla Abrahamsen	...	Maggan (age 14)
Gustav Wiklund	...	Ryssi-Jussi
Ona Kamu	...	Bride
Tuula Nyman	...	Mother of the bride
Kirsti Väänänen	...	Lilith
Filip Pachucki	...	Holgeri
Ville Kivelä	...	Erkki
Eero Milonoff	...	Johan
Jari Hietanen	...	Kauko
Panu Vauhkonen	...	Ismo
Oskari Heimonen	...	Jarmo (age 9)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alf Andersson	...	Busschauffören
Börje Andersson-Junkka	...	Tawe
Lasse Beischer	...	Matti (age 40)
Erika Björkén	...	Karro
Hampus Carlbom	...	Kaksoset
William Carlbom	...	Kaksoset
Peter Franzén	...	Narrator (Finnish)
Johan Hanno	...	Roffe (age 15)
Carina Johansson	...	Solveig, Mattis mor
Reio Johansson	...	Johan - age 12
Magnus Krekula	...	Roffe (age 9)
Maija Kuurtii	...	Potatisodlarens fru
Jussi Lampi	...	Skolvaktmästaren
Lena Lövdal	...	Syster Felicia
Annika Marklund	...	Communist girl
Maria Möller	...	Finskan
Mikael Niemi	...	Narrator (Swedish) / Extra
Mikael Nilsson	...	Jarmo - age 15
Sune Palo	...	Potatisodlaren
Tord Peterson	...	Knut
Mia Poopola	...	Anno
Hugo Rantatalo	...	Rektorn
Elvis Presley	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gladys Presley	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Reza Bagher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Reza Bagher		writer
Mikael Niemi		novel
Erik Norberg		writer

Produced by
Kerstin Bonnier	....	executive producer
Katinka Faragó	....	producer
Thomas Gammeltoft	....	executive producer
Jukka Helle	....	associate producer
Jussi Lepistö	....	associate producer
Johan Mardell	....	executive producer
Nina Sackmann	....	line producer
Markus Selin	....	producer
Joachim Stridsberg	....	producer
Per-Erik Svensson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Halfdan E
Lars Daniel Terkelsen

Cinematography by
Robert Nordström

Film Editing by
Fredrik Morheden
Anders Refn

Casting by
Pernilla Ericsson
Tusse Lande
Tutsa Paananen		(as Tutsa Virtanen)
Pia Pesonen
Maggie Widstrand

Art Direction by
Li Garpenfeldt
Lasse Westfelt

Costume Design by
Karin Sundvall

Makeup Department
Anders Bratås	....	makeup artist
Anna-Carin Lock	....	assistant makeup artist
Göran Lundström	....	special makeup effects artist
Anna-Lena Melin	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Peter Bengtsson	....	post-production supervisor
Margareta Wiechel	....	post-production manager (as Margaretha Wiechel)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emma Hallin	....	second assistant director
Niklas Ohlsson	....	first assistant director (as Niklas Ohlson)
Jonas Overton	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Sandra Alvarsson	....	assistant art director
Stefan Johansson	....	assistant props
Dan Lepp	....	property master
Jimmy McGann	....	property master
Kurt Renström	....	tapestry (as Kurt Rehnström)
Kristoffer Sjöström	....	painter
Göran Westfelt	....	construction manager
Lia Wikström	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Mikael Brodin	....	sound mixer
Carl Edström	....	sound effects editor
Linda Forsén	....	sound effects editor
Erik Guldager	....	dialogue editor
Joel Hesselgren	....	foley recordist
Per Nyström	....	sound effects editor
Ulf Olausson	....	foley artist
Gábor Pasztor	....	sound mixer
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: dolby film sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robbin Bruzelius	....	special effects assistant
Karl-Johan Fröjd	....	special effects coordinator
Johan Kekonius	....	special effects assistant
Patrik Kristoffersson	....	special effects assistant
Christian Niklasson	....	special effects assistant (as Christian Nicklasson)
Per-Erik Österlund	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Lars Hjelm	....	stunts
Kimmo Rajala	....	stunt coordinator
Kimmo Rajala	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Kristian Bergström	....	best boy
Fredrik Broman	....	still photographer
Benny Broström	....	electrician
Adam Halkiewicz	....	electrician
Emil Kieri	....	video operator
Fred Nordström	....	first assistant camera
Mattias Paulsson	....	camera operator: second unit, Nepal
Mattias Paulsson	....	second assistant camera: winter
Dan Sandqvist	....	electrician
Harri Sipilä	....	gaffer
Axel Söderlund	....	best boy
Tommi Tikanoja	....	grip (as Tommy Tikanoja)
Hans-Olof Utsi	....	second assistant camera
Johan Wallin	....	grip

Casting Department
Mia Holopainen	....	casting assistant
Marita Koivisto	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carina Bornsäter	....	seamstress
Åsa Johnson	....	seamstress
Viktoria Mattila	....	costume assistant
Cecilia Norborg	....	costume assistant (as Cilla Norborg)
Bitte Palm	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Kjell Amrén	....	scanner
Tomas Beije	....	assistant editor
Christer Eidhagen	....	telecine operator
Stefan Eriksson	....	negative cutter
Sten Lindberg	....	color timer
Jan Lundkvist	....	scanner
David Nordén	....	trailer editor

Music Department
Anders Degerberg	....	music editor
Emma Kihlberg	....	music coordinator

Other crew
Carin Anzelius	....	runner
Lennart Bengtsson	....	location scout
Maud Ederin	....	accountant
Isobel Gardner	....	script consultant
Lena Hansson	....	film consultant: Danish Film Institute (as Lena Hansson-Varhegyi)
Mattias Hellgren	....	production assistant
Pia Janols	....	accountant
Rebecka Kihlberg	....	production coordinator (as Rebecka Strandqvist)
Peter Kimay	....	location manager
Kerstin Lofjärd	....	unit publicist
Leif Niemi	....	production assistant
Sanne Övermark	....	production assistant
Eva Svendenius	....	marketing
Ann-Sofie Törmä	....	production assistant
Åse Vikene	....	script editor
Magda Wältare	....	production assistant
Lotta Westberg	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Happy End Filmproduction AB
• Filmpool Nord (in co-production with)
• Fine & Mellow Productions (in co-production with)
• Solar Films (in co-production with)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (in co-production with)

Distributors

• Look Now! (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• FS Film Oy
• Piffl Medien (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• SF Norge A/S (Norway)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Other Companies

• Europa Post Production  sound studio
• Roolituspalvelu Oy  casting

Also Known As:

Populäärimusiikkia Vittulajänkältä (Finland)
Popular Music (International: English title)

Runtime:

Sweden:105 min

Country:

Sweden | Finland

Language:

Swedish | Finnish | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:12 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Pajala, Norrbottens län, Sweden

Company:

Happy End Filmproduction AB

Trivia:

The film is set in North-Eastern Sweden, where people commonly speak both Swedish and Finnish. However, when Reza Bagher was chosen to direct this film, he first decided that the film should include only Swedish language dialog. After few days at location in Pajala, he changed his mind and agreed that it wouldn't be authentic to omit Finnish completely.

Rock'n roll accordion!

Just saw the film for the fourth time, and thought I'd chip in on the discussion. It seems to me a lot of the criticism the film meets is about the incoherence of scenes, and the kaleidoscopic manuscript. Well, as it is a retrospective view upon a time long gone, I find it trustworthy and natural that the memory of the narrator is thus fragmented. That is how the mind works. And the narration is never torn, but keeps flowing. Yes, it is absurd, yes, it is grotesque, but this is what we call magic realism, a genre often attributed to south American writers. Here, the book that lays basis for the film, intelligently mixes the exotic air of magic with the harsh environment of Pajala. Enough about that. I find this one of the best examples of a successful adaption from book to film I have long seen. I do not see the bad acting that many point out. The dialects may vary, I am not Swedish and cannot tell, so I'm save from harm there. All in all, the ambiance of the film is sort of "happy in spite" and I am impressed every time. But I am a sucker for that magic realism, so bare that in mind.

9/10