Göteborg Film Festival 2019

26th January 2019

Göteborg Film Festival 2019 was just inaugurated! With mingle, red carpet, inaugural speeches, awards, singing and world premieres. Sweden’s Minister of Culture, Amanda Lind, held a speech stressing the importance of cultural freedom. This year’s Mai Zetterling-grant was awarded to the documentary filmmaker Marcus Lindeen.

This evening, Draken was filled with prominent guests to celebrate the start of the 42nd edition of Göteborg Film Festival. It was the World Premiere of the Finnish opening film Aurora by Miia Tervo, the short film Zlatan in the Alps by Monne Lindström and this year’s vinjett film by Gabriela Pichler and Johan Lundborg.

Besides the evening’s premieres, the festival’s Artistic Director Jonas Holmberg and CEO Mirja Wester held speeches. In addition, Sweden’s new Minister of Culture, Amanda Lind, made one of her first official appearances, which has become something of a tradition. This year’s Mai Zetterling-grant consisting of 200,000 Swedish Kronor was awarded to documentary filmmaker Marcus Lindeen, the director behind Regretters and The Raft.

In his speech, Göteborg Film Festival’s Artistic Director Jonas Holmberg highlighted this year’s main focus: Apocalypse.

We believe that the ongoing climate crisis is a crisis of the imagination. And that is why we have chosen the apocalypse as this year’s main focus at Göteborg Film Festival. No other human invention has the same potential to spark the imagination of people, the same power to inspire feelings and ideas at the same time, as that of cinema.

One of last year’s honorary guests was Alicia Vikander. In her speech, she addressed the #meetoo-movement. This year’s opening speaker, the Minister of Culture and Democracy, Amanda Lind, stressed the importance of continuing with this work.

There is much more to be done in terms of gender equality. It must be a given, just like in the rest of society, that people can work in the film industry without being subjected to sexual harassment or even worse. Equality creates creativity, and creativity is the very foundation of a thriving culture.

Now ten intense days packed with films, seminars, and events await.

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