Since 2011, film has been a vital part of Way Out West – and as a combined music and film festival, Way Out West is the largest in Europe. This year’s film program will take place at Hagabion and Capitol and today we present the first 16 titles! We’re proud to offer world premieres of some of this fall’s most anticipated TV series as well as praised documentaries and astounding drama films.
Way Out West has established itself as a platform where the audience gets a glimpse of upcoming major TV series. Among previously premiered series are “Snabba Cash,” “Vår tid är nu,” and “Tunna Blå Linjen.” This year, the festival presents four new TV series from the biggest TV drama players in the region: SVT, Netflix, Viaplay, and TV4 with the first episodes of the following new series: “Taelgia” (SVT’s big fall thriller/crime series inspired by real events from Stockholm suburb Södertälje), “Tore” (William Spetz’s new Netflix series), “Ondskan” (based on Jan Guillou’s best selling novel about Erik Ponti’s experiences at the Stjernsberg boarding school) and “Threesome” season 2 (following up Viaplay’s hit series about the love couple David and Siri).
Erik Gandini’s new feature film, ‘After Work,’ explores the concept of work around the world. In ‘Breaking Social,’ Fredrik Gertten delves into global corruption and the social contract: who do we trust, and what can we achieve together when we decide we’ve had enough?
The documentary “Pushing – from Rättvik To California” about girls in the skateboarding world has its world premiere at Way Out West. The film follows Hedda Hjertberg’s first years in skateboarding, now one of the biggest names in Sweden. In connection to the screening, the Swedish Skateboarding Association and Vans will organize a day of activities at the festival’s skateboard park, which will also serve as the starting point for the film’s Swedish tour. The film will come to theaters this fall.
Another documentary that we’re excited to premiere is “Kokomo City,” which explores black transgender sex workers in the USA. This smart and innovative film won the Audience Award at Sundance earlier this spring and has been praised at festivals worldwide.
Among the feature films in the program, the Swedish premiere of “Disco Boy” by Italian director Giacomo Abbruzzese is a gem. The film stars rising talent Franz Rogowski as an Eastern European soldier in the French Foreign Legion. The movie sheds light on migration and colonialism with great cinematic poetry. Another impactful film is “How to blow up a pipeline” by Daniel Goldhaber, based on the acclaimed and controversial book of the same title by Swedish academic and activist Andreas Malm. In the book, Malm argues that the environmental movement should use militant actions as part of their efforts to save the planet from an impending climate crisis. The film portrays what happens when a group of young environmental activists in the USA goes from word to action.
FIRST FILM TITLES:
TV Series:
“Taelgia” by Jens Östberg. TV series (SVT), Sweden, 2023. World premiere.
“Tore” by Erika Calmeyer. TV series (Netflix), Sweden, 2023. World premiere.
“Ondskan” by Erik Leijonborg & Daniel Di Grado. TV series (TV4), Sweden, 2023. World premiere.
“Threesome” (season 2) by Lisa Linnertorp. TV series (Viaplay), Sweden, 2023. World premiere.
Films:
“After Work” by Erik Gandini. Documentary, Sweden, 2023. Swedish premiere.
“Disco Boy” by Giacomo Abbruzzese. Feature film, Italy, 2023. Swedish premiere.
“How to blow up a pipeline” by Daniel Goldhaber. Feature film, USA, 2023.
“Kokomo City” by D. Smith. Documentary, USA, 2023. Swedish premiere.
“Even Hell has its Heroes” by Clyde Petersen. Documentary, USA, 2022. Swedish premiere.
“Breaking Social” by Fredrik Gertten. Documentary, Sweden, 2023.
“Pushing – from Rättvik To California” by Christopher Sanitate, Katja Uneborg, Klas Hertberg, Robert Gustavsson. Documentary, Sweden, 2023. World premiere.
“Tompa Eken – ett liv i punkens tjänst” by Ola Fredholm. Documentary, Sweden, 2023.
“Little Richard – I am everything” by Lisa Cortés. Documentary, USA, 2023.
“Ellos eatnu – La elva leve” by Ole Giæver. Feature film, Sápmi, 2023.
“Puss Hejdå” by Annika Fredriksson. Documentary, Sweden, 2023.
“All the beauty and the bloodshed” by Laura Poitras.Documentary, USA, 2023.
Read more about the titles here.
