16/11/2006

The 17th Stockholm International Film festival opens tonight with the screening of Todd Field’s Little Children and closes on November 26 with Kevin MacDonald’s The Last King of Scotland, two films among the 170 programmed for the Swedish capital’s biggest film celebration.

Field’s second feature film and MacDonald’s feature debut are also part of this year’s competition programme, along with 18 other titles, all vying for the 16 lb. Bronze Horse. Other directors who will present their competition films include France’s Jean-Pascal Hattu (Seven Years), UK filmmaker Paul A. Williams (London To Brighton), Norway’s Erik Richter Strand (Sons [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and US director Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain). The latter will also receive the Stockholm Visionary Award on November 23.

“The quality of the films in this year’s program is extremely high”, said festival director Git Scheynius. “I am particularly proud of the 17th Stockholm Competition, which is one of our most extensive competition sections so far”.

This year’s Stockholm Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Swedish-born director Lasse Hallström, who will attend a Face2Face meeting with audiences on November 25. Other highlights include a Spotlight on Arabica, dedicated to new Arabic cinema (such as Imad and Swel Noury’s Heaven’s Doors) and Work in Progress: Meet three Swedish directors at work.

World renowned Roy Andersson (Jury Prize at Cannes 2000 for Songs From the Second Floor) will show footage of Du Levande [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pernilla Sandström
interview: Roy Andersson
film profile], Daniel Wallentin images of his finished film Ett öga rött (produced by Tre Vänner in co-production with Sonet Film) and Johan Brisinger the unfinished version of his feature debut Underbara Älskade starring Mikael Nykvist.