Elina - Som om jag inte fanns

I saw this film at the Scandinavia House in New York City, liked it, and I thought I should counter the silly comment I noticed by haunt3d. The first thing to remember is that this film is meant for children primarily, so the story has to be reasonably simple and linear. Otherwise they either do not get the message or get disinterested. What is actually remarkable about "Elina", though, is that it also seems to appeal to (at least some) adults. The New Yorkers that attended the screening on that cold night --- hardly any kids --- were quite taken by it.

I saw this at the Newport Film Festival in 2003 and am bewildered and dismayed that it is not (yet?) out in DVD. First of all, viewers unfamiliar with this geographical area will be introduced, through stunning cinematography, to the magical landscape of this part of northern Sweden. If you thought you could not love a bog, you will start searching, like me, for a coffee table book on "Bogs, Fens, and Marshes," (I made that up -someone publish this book, please!) The story is compelling, thoughtfully and superbly rendered by cast, writer, director, and all involved. A little girl struggles with grief over the loss of her father, "talking" to him in the bogs she is forbidden to visit (they are very dangerous if you don't know how to navigate them), but knows he loved. Life is made especially hard for her in school by a female teacher totally lacking in compassion and understanding of the loss she is dealing with, and who seems fixated on her students speaking Swedish ONLY, rather than Finnish, which many of them speak as their native language. The relationship between the little girl and her teacher comes to an extremely gripping, moving, touching climax which will undoubtedly surprise the audience. Humanity pours out of this film, especially this "stand-off" between teacher and pupil which washes the audience in awe of what film can do. I did not even realize this film was for children. I am 42, a movie connoisseur, especially foreign films, and this is on my top ten list. It is a gem, and why it has not come out on DVD is a total mystery to me. If anyone knows how to obtain a copy of this film, please post this information! A movie of similar caliber that I would suggest is "The Color of Milk," (Norway/Sweden) (2002).

I watched this movie at the Berlin film festival 2003 where it was awarded the Glass Bear (The prize of the children's jury). It is a well-told story about the problems experienced by a minority group in the society. In this case the finnish-speaking minority in Sweden in the beginning of the 1950's. The film makes it easy to understand the problems that can occur for such a minority group in an intolerant society. I believe this may be applicable for minority groups in many places of the world and thus it is possible for people around the world to recognize the situation. This is the debut for the director Klaus Härö in a full-length movie and I think he has succeeded well.

This is one of my favorite movies. It is breathtakingly beautiful with many outdoor shots. I am a guy with a short attention span, and I get bored quickly but even though this movie was going on at a leisurely pace it still had me spellbound.

It has an amazingly simple plot, a clash of wills between a teacher and a student. It is one of those rare movies that show a child's point of view in a truthful and refreshing manner without over-dramatizing. Acting by everybody concerned is exceptional especially Bibi Andersson as Tora Holm and Natalie Minnevik as Elina.

If you are reading this review give this movie a chance.

The film Elina - Som om jag inte fanns is set in the early 1950 when poverty was common in rural northern Sweden. A young girl named Elina who had recovered from tuberculosis wandered to the moor everyday where she spoke to her dead father, because unlike her indifferent teacher Ms. Holm, he might be the only "person" that would listen to young Elina….

Elina - Som om jag inte fanns is a Sweden- Finnish film. The story of the film is universal, although it sets in the area on the Swedish side of border between Finland and Sweden. Except for the lack of ornamentation, it is a sweet story focusing on dimensions of people. This film treats children's world of mind in a much careful and understanding way. Elina is a gentle, innocent character who is a isolated from others and the society. The acting is quite convincing and the story thought provoking. Overall, I highly recommend this film to people who care about childrent's worlds.