Sindre Kaspersen
Swedish screenwriters, producers and directors Magnus Gretten and Stefan Berg's documentary feature which they co-wrote, is inspired by real events in the life of a prominent and renowned Swedish 20th century musician, poet and author. It premiered in Sweden, was screened in the Nordic Focus section at the 42nd Norwegian International Film Festival Haugesund, was shot on locations in Nicaragua, Italy, Sweden and Norway and is a Swedish production which was produced by producer Lennart Ström. It tells the story about a son, brother, father, friend, guitarist, singer, Swedish citizen, fellow human being and peasant from Hakarp, Sweden named Björn Afzelius who was born in Huskvarna, Sweden in the late 1940s and who in the early 1970s joined a band called Hoola Bandoola Band. Subtly and finely directed by Swedish filmmakers Magnus Gretten and Stefan Berg, this quietly paced documentary which is narrated from multiple viewpoints, draws an unforgettably gripping portrayal of a person who loved music, Cuba, Italy, American country music, women, sports and his daughters, and whose lyrics echoed, still does and eternally will from human to human and from nation to nation. While notable for its atmospheric milieu depictions and reverent cinematography by cinematographer Stefan Berg, this narrative-driven story about a man who wasn't appreciated by the media in his own country, was taught by his mother, who supported liberation movements in the Latin-American countries living under dictatorship, sang for the people and translated a Cuban song which he called "Sång till friheten", contains insightful interviews of friends, fellow musicians, former girlfriends, band members, family members and a reflectively heartfelt interview with Norwegian musician Åge Aleksandersen. This densely biographical and historic, warmly humorous and heartrendingly elegiac representation of a heart-shaped proof of humanity's existence which is set mostly in Sweden in the 21st century and where a songwriter who was accepted and loved for who he was in Norway, played at clubs in Malmö, Sweden, went to Cuba in 1978 and became a persona non grata is dearly remembered, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, subtle continuity, use of music, concert tour footage, photographs and lyrics sung by Björn Afzelius: "Yes one says much but knows little about oneself when anxiety and loneliness comes. Cause when friends disappear and love ends, one sees things with somewhat different eyes…" A venerable remembrance and veraciously evocative documentary feature.
