Born in Malmö, Sweden, Moodysson grew up as an outcast, expressing himself through poetry. By the time he was 23 he had written five poetry collections and a novel published by Wahlström & Widstrand. He decided to move to film to produce works that were less introverted and could be enjoyed by a wider audience than poetry. After studying at what was then Sweden's only film school, the Dramatiska Institutet, he directed three short films before moving to features.
Fucking Åmål
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His directorial breakthrough came with Fucking Åmål (retitled Show Me Love in English-speaking countries.) A classical love story, filmed in a highly naturalistic, almost documentary style, it is set in the small and boring Swedish town of Åmål, and follows two young girls who awkwardly fall in love. The film was a huge success with both the Swedish public and the critics. It won four Guldbagge Awards, including best film, best actress (shared by the two girls Rebecka Liljeberg and Alexandra Dahlström), best direction and best script.
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Together
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His next film, 2000's Together (Tillsammans), followed the antics of life in a commune in suburban Stockholm in the 1970's. The film achieved a sense of the era through extensive use of period Swedish progg and pop songs, including ABBA's hit "S.O.S."
Lilya 4-ever
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Moodysson followed up these two sunny, cheerfully optimistic films with the brutal Lilya 4-ever in 2002, named to many American critics' ten best lists for the following year. The mainly Russian language film follows a young girl living in an unspecified country in the former Soviet Union (filmed in Estonia) as she is abandoned by her mother, drops out of school, is forced into prostitution and then is kidnapped into sex slavery. Moodysson has said he could not have made the film without his strong Christian beliefs, and the frequent religious fantasies that Lilja has are the only tender spots in the bleak world Moodysson presents.
Lilya 4-ever is a beautifull film but very very sad What I really love about it is the mix between very realistic scenes and situations and the poetic ways to express the characters feelings and dreams.
And here is a bit of the background about this film
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The film is set in an un-named 'former republic of the Soviet Union' (Estonian currency is used in one scene); the 'Soviet' scenes were filmed in Paldiski — a former closed city and base for the Soviet nuclear submarine fleet — and Tallinn, both in Estonia. Paldiski became a bleak enclave for ethnic Russians, mostly dependents of members of the military, who were left behind when the military evacuated Estonia. While many characteristics of the ex-Soviet world are present, understanding the precarious position of these Russians as marginalised residents of Estonia makes the film even more compelling. The Swedish scenes were filmed in Malmö.
Lukas Moodysson told audiences at the 2002 London Film Festival that he hoped the film would make them want to change the world for the better. Despite its bleak nature, Moodysson claims that the film is about the power of God, and shows how the human spirit clings to optimism even in the face of the most terrible adversity.
The film also arguably contains a criticism of capitalism after the Soviet collapse. Several times an image of the Virgin Mary appears on a wall behind Lilya next to a pornographic image (both of these being illegal in the U.S.S.R). Also, in a government building both Lilya and Volodya mention that their parents were employed there before the collapse of the Soviet Union and that they are now unemployed. Additionally Lilya states that her father was one of the soldiers stationed at the base and that he left when the base was closed leaving Lilya's mother to look after her alone. This is followed by Volodya reading a tribute to Lenin and the October Revolution.
The film has been shown in various countries in Eastern Europe in campaigns to stop trafficking in human beings, in particular, women. In Moldova, The International Organization for Migration has shown it to 60,000 people. It was also shown at an anti-trafficking conference that took place in Israel in 2002, although Moodysson initially refused permission to show the film due to his anger at Israeli policies before reversing course and OK'ing the screening there.
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Chrisy Squared eyes Admin
Posts : 4151 Join date : 2007-12-15 Age : 45 Location : Hollandia
His 2004 film, the controversial A Hole in My Heart, is more an experimental film than a traditional narrative, and he has said it is intentionally designed to be off-putting to the audience. It intersperses frequent screeching noises, close-ups of female genital surgery, and other jarring elements into a vague plot about two pornographers shooting their latest video in a filthy apartment, with an attention-craving porn starlet, while the webbed-handed son of one of the men stays holed up in his bedroom. It received a special certificate for shocking images in Sweden, and received terrible reviews from the vast majority of critics
When I first saw this one, I got really confused, I really didn't know if I liked it or not. I still dont. It goes far and it is defenetly disturbing and chocking. Some scenes are very hard to watch and will make you sick in your stomach But out of the very dark side of this movie you can still find the poetry style of Moodysson
Plot summary In an apartment somewhere in Sweden, a woman, a man and his friend are recording an amateur porn movie, while the one man's teenage son is trying to stay out of their way in his room. As time progresses, their filming gets out of hand. All the while, the father is concerned that his son has no respect for him, and the son is concerned about how his father treats the woman.
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The movie was shot in 4 weeks in Trollhättan. It has gained some controversy in Sweden due to some shocking and disturbing footage, including closeups of vaginal surgery. It has also been reported that some of the violent sex scenes are not just acted out but were actually performed during filming. Also features an anal sex scene without the use of lubrication, a masturbation scene with a toothbrush, and an extended scene about the woman's "smelly vagina".
Lukas Moodysson has expressed disapproval over the future VHS and DVD releases of the movie (the decision to release it was out of his hands) — he would preferred theaters-only release, to avoid children being exposed to it.
In the extras of the DVD I watched at the time, there is a disturbing scene for which you actually dont know if it is real or played. You see all the actors sitting together having an angry discussion with Lukas Moodysson, saying he doesn't direct them, that they dont know what to do or which direction to take.... I think this was also acted and put on DVD on purpose to add some mystery. Smart!
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Chrisy Squared eyes Admin
Posts : 4151 Join date : 2007-12-15 Age : 45 Location : Hollandia
He followed this with another even more experimental film, 2006's Container, featuring narration by actress Jena Malone
This is my favorite so far (even if I haven't seen everything from him yet). It is a difficult movie, not for all taste. At first very difficult to tune in as the style and the way it is presented is totally unusual but Moodysson pushed further the experimental syle of his work and most important the poetry which seems to be his best talent
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Poetic, experimental and different, Container is described by Lukas Moodysson as "a black and white silent movie with sound" and with the following words; "A woman in a man's body. A man in a woman's body. Jesus in Mary's stomach. The water breaks. It floods into me. I can't close the lid. My heart is full."
both were quite good imo, but i still think they could have been done better
some pieces within scenes were unnaturally created for the sake of the story, and they were noticeable for me
something like that (dunno how else to put it in english )
also saw Bara prata lite aka Talk (in English) with school also a good one, but same story.. also noticeable things that dont add up to the story
anyways.. looking forward of seeing other works of him thanks for the tip btw
Chrisy Squared eyes Admin
Posts : 4151 Join date : 2007-12-15 Age : 45 Location : Hollandia
Subject: Re: Lukas Moodysson Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:39 am
Kryll wrote:
saw Fucking Åmål and Lilja 4-ever
both were quite good imo, but i still think they could have been done better
some pieces within scenes were unnaturally created for the sake of the story, and they were noticeable for me
something like that (dunno how else to put it in english )
also saw Bara prata lite aka Talk (in English) with school also a good one, but same story.. also noticeable things that dont add up to the story
anyways.. looking forward of seeing other works of him thanks for the tip btw
Which scenes do you mean? I think sometimes he indeed add some parts which are in total contradiction with the rest of the movie, with funny music and you see suddenly the characters having fun when the context is not supposed to be fun. But that's what I like about him, that's what makes his style I think
Kryll Bernie
Posts : 417 Join date : 2008-03-02 Age : 41 Location : Antwerp
Subject: Re: Lukas Moodysson Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:28 pm
that's not really what i ment ( i think )
i think it has more to do with him wanting to create something out of the "everyday life" but during the movie i sometimes fall out of the "atmosphere of the film" that he tries to build like if there are artificial elements placed in the "mis en scène" etc.. that don't add up to the whole
though inhoudelijk (the content) they were all remarkable imo
labrat Devil’s Advocate
Posts : 999 Join date : 2008-04-29 Age : 46 Location : Belgium
Subject: Re: Lukas Moodysson Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:26 pm
"a hole in my heart" and "container" are definately his best work...
controversial, yes... deep, yes... a punch in the face, yes...
one of the better contemporary directors!!!
Chrisy Squared eyes Admin
Posts : 4151 Join date : 2007-12-15 Age : 45 Location : Hollandia
Subject: Re: Lukas Moodysson Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:15 am
Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:59 pm
