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| Per Fly: Hammarskjöld / Hammarskjöld: Fight for Peace (SE 2023) starring Mikael Persbrandt. |
Hammarskjöld.
SE/NO/DK © 2023 Unlimited Stories AB. P: Patrick Ryborn.
D: Per Fly. SC: Ulf Ryberg, Per Fly. Cin: John Christian Rosenlund - TRIBE7 BLACKWING7 prime lenses - scope - 4K - DCP. PD: Niels Sejer. AD: Thomas Gubb. Set Dec: Louise Drake, Birrie le Roux. Cost: Karen Fabritius Gram, Pierre Vienings. Makeup: Mia Joksimovic. SFX: Doug Hardy. VFX: Alex Hansson. M: Raymond Enoksen. Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings (1936). S: Hans Møller. ED: Fredrik Morheden. Casting: Shakyra Dowling.
C: Mikael Persbrandt (Dag Hammarskjöld), Francis Chouler (Bill Ranalla), Richard Brake (Hunter), Sara Soulié (Hanna), Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Moise Tshombe), Cian Barry (Wieschhoff), Colin Salmon (Ralph Bunche), Adam Neill (Lord Lansdowne), Celine Tshika (Ruth Tshombe), Thure Lindhardt (Peter Levin), Sanna Sundqvist (Greta Beskow), Mattias Nordkvist (Bo Beskow), Sven Ahlström (Sture Linnér), Edvin Endre (young Dag Hammarskjöld), Jordan Duvigneau (Patrice Lumumba), Michael D. Xavier (Hellemans), Martin Venter (Renard), Mattias Nordkvist (Bo Beskow), Zak Rowlands (Baldini), Sven Ahlsgröm (Sture Linnér), Bjorn Steinbach (Lone Ranger), Brian Caspe (Shelton), Seán Duggan (Conor O'Brien), Vasili Mishchenko (Nikita Khrushchev), Caspar Phillipson (John F. Kennedy), Christophe Guybet (Bloock), Urs Rechn (Kirov), David James (Congo Red).
Loc: mostly South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg), New York City, Trollhättan, Österlen, Norway.
Languages: English (main), Swedish, French.
114 min
World distribution: Beta Cinema.
Swedish premiere: 25 Dec 2023 - distributor: Nordisk Film AB.
Nominated for seven awards at the Guldbagge Gala in 2024.
Festival premiere: 27 Jan 2024 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).
Finnish premiere: 17 May 2024 - released by Nordisk Film - Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Arja Sundell / Charlotte Elo.
Viewed at Finnkino Kinopalatsi 9, Helsinki, Saturday, 18 May 2024.
BETA CINEMA: ABOUT THE FILM
" Based on historical facts and including the results of the most recent investigations, this political thriller puts one of mankind’s most respected diplomats into the limelight. Dag Hammarskjöld has shaped international politics, led the very first blue helmet mission, and is considered the man who ended colonization. John F. Kennedy once called Hammarskjöld “the greatest statesman of our century”. "
" Director and screenwriter Per Fly (Backstabbing For Beginners, The Bench) alternates thriller, action and personal drama, also following a personal storyline that shows a private, faithful man, who in the late 50s and early 60s saw no possibility to follow his sexual orientation. A politician with a strong personality and uncompromising moral stance, who sacrificed his life for peace and the good of all. Indeed, he turned his longings and learnings into highly respected poetry. Until today, the posthumously published collection of poetry Markings is considered a moving spiritual classic: "Perhaps the greatest testament of personal devotion published in this century." (The New York Times). "
BETA CINEMA LOGLINE
" Based on a true story. Dag Hammarskjöld has reached the peak of his power, serving as Secretary General of the United Nations during the height of the Cold War. However, his life is turned upside down when an old friend shows up in New York. At the same time, he tries to make peace in the Congo, an undertaking that proves to be mission impossible. "
BETA CINEMA SYNOPSIS
" In 1961, Dag Hammarskjöld has one year left as Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Cold War is at its peak, and its epicenter is the newly formed Democratic Republic of Congo. Hammarskjöld takes it upon himself to create a unified and peaceful nation out of the chaos left behind by Belgium. At the same time Hammarskjöld’s life is turned upside down when an old friend unexpectedly shows up in New York. He realizes that he has missed out on an important part of life – and that it might be too late. This throws him into a battle between his sense of duty to the United Nations and a true friendship. In the Congo, UN peacekeepers are killed in open battle by mercenaries paid for by the mining industry, which is conspiring against Hammarskjöld’s plans for national unity. In September 1961, he boards a plane in the Congo in a final desperate attempt to resolve the conflict, unknowingly embarking on the most dangerous journey of his life. "
PER FLY: DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Pray that your loneliness
may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for.
- Dag Hammarskjöld
" This short poem that Dag Hammarskjöld wrote in 1952 captures the core of his character: his loneliness, his wish for a meaningful life - and death - as a fulfillment of the plan God made for him. I have been fascinated by this mysterious character for years. "
" Dag Hammarskjöld was the second Secretary-General of the newly founded United Nations. A highly skilled diplomat, Kennedy called him the greatest statesman ever. He was a fearless idealist who wanted a strong UN based on the recently established concept of human rights. His goal was to create an international society in which all countries would work together towards a better world for all. World peace in our time. "
" He lived in an enormous apartment in Upper Manhattan with his butler Rolf and his beloved pet monkey Mr. Greenback. An extensive collection of poems that he had written over the course of his lifetime was found after his death. Nobody had known about them. In his own words, these poems are the one and only key to the truth about his life. Dag Hammarskjöld was very secretive about everything regarding his personal life, which led to a lot of speculations about his sexuality. In a time when homosexuality was illegal, allegations of homosexuality could serve as weapons in the political wars. He suffered two smear campaigns during his time in office. "
" When he launched the UN’s ambitious de-colonization program in late 1959, he initiated a fight with the most powerful forces in the world, and the last nine months of his life became a thrilling drama about greed, violence, and longing, played out in the frightening world of the Cold War, where the killing of politicians was just a part of normal affairs. "
Adrian Martin (IFFR 2024): " “In our age, the road to holiness necessarily passes through the world of action”. So wrote the revered Swedish statesman Dag Hammarskjöld in Markings, his private journal of poems and thoughts published posthumously. In his period as Secretary General of the United Nations, Hammarskjöld made extraordinary progress in defusing global conflicts and, particularly, combating colonialism. This path, which he defended tenaciously, won him many enemies. When renewed trouble broke out in the Congo, Hammarskjöld felt compelled to organise a quasi-secret peacekeeping force, placing even his UN position in question. "
" Hammarskjöld was not merely a solitary person, but also an enigmatic one. Biographers continue to argue over the facts of his life and psychology, but director Per Fly takes a definite stance on his subject. As powerfully portrayed by Mikael Persbrandt (who already played the part in The Siege of Jadotville, dir. Richie Smith, 2016), Hammarskjöld is someone who denied his gay sexuality partly because of an almost religious commitment to his political role and the personal sacrifice it demanded. Likewise, this gripping biopic does not equivocate on the still disputed matter of Hammarskjöld’s tragic death in a plane crash. " – Adrian Martin
AA: The Swedish nobleman Dag Hammarskjöld (1905-1961), the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, was the successor of the Norwegian Trygve Lie who warned him about "the most impossible job in the world". Hammarskjöld was a leading Swedish economist, a secretary of Sweden's central bank, state secretary in the Ministry of Finance, his country's delegate at the conference that established the Marshall Plan and his father's successor in the Swedish Academy. Known as an "aristo-bureaucrat", he never joined a political party.
Hammarskjöld landed in the middle of decolonization - a global transformation after the Second World War. The Age of Empire ended. Decolonization went on for decades, until 1974 Portugal's Carnation Revolution. Massive turbulence, such as India's independence movement, emerged everywhere. Hammarskjöld helped negotiate the release of 15 American soldiers imprisoned in China after the Korean War. He helped in conflicts in Palestine, Israel and Cambodia. He received a posthumous Nobel Peace Prize in 1961.
Per Fly's film focuses on the year 1961 during the Congo's struggle of liberation from colonialism. The Belgian Congo was a colony until its independence in 1960. In the 19th century it had been the private property of Leopold II, King of the Belgians, under circumstances made legendary by Heart of Darkness (1899) by Joseph Conrad based on his own first hand observations. The Republic of the Congo (1960-1964) was established - with Patrice Lumumba (1960) as the first Prime Minister. A complication arose since French Congo (1882-1960) achieved independence at the same time, and the former Belgian and French Congos initially claimed the same name. Lumumba was an African nationalist and pan-Africanist. Belgian big business protected huge mining interests in Katanga. A breakaway State of Katanga was created under Moise Tshombe. Supported by Belgium and the United States, chief of staff of the army Mobutu arranged a coup d'état and the execution of the democratically elected Lumumba. The Lumumba story was the subject of Raoul Peck's stunning Lumumba, la mort du prophète (1991). Seeing the electrifying footage of Lumumba's harassment (also shown in Per Fly's film) was the turning-point for Souleymane Cissé in which he realized that cinema might be a medium for him: "Personne ne respirait. C'était un moment très fort".
In this minefield Hammarskjöld does his best to pursue justice. Nikita Khrushchev demands his resignation, but Hammarskjöld persists. He wants to prevent a Cold War proxy war and pushes the neutral UN Peacekeeping Force to pacify Congo but exceeds his authority. He is a brave leader unafraid of adversaries. But the US President John F. Kennedy, his admirer even in the cause of decolonization, strongly urges him to secure wide support before proceeding.
Per Fly with his charismatic leading actor Mikael Persbrandt creates a magnificent epic based on reality in the outline and artistic liberty in much of the detail and the cast of characters. The big picture seems fair and authentic. The portrait of Dag Hammarskjöld is powerful and meaningful. It takes a special character to deal both with superpowers and all others and get results.
Hammarskjöld is a man of the world. He is also a loner who lives like a monk. I don't believe in this film's interpretation of repressed homosexuality. I believe that Hammarskjöld's lineage in nobility is a more essential feature, as well as his Christian faith. I believe that Hammarskjöld saw himself as a crusader for peace. I think he incarnated the motto "noblesse oblige". Born into privilege in many ways, he does his best to pay back his debt of honour. His personal philosophy is clear in his only book Vägmärken / Waymarks (1963), published posthumously.
Hammarskjöld is a world-historical character and sees himself so. But a human being needs to be a complete personality with emotional relationships and bonds beyond the official and professional. As a star negotiator Hammarskjöld could not thrive and succeed without a strong emotional ground. In his calling as UN Secretary-General he needs to stay away from conflicts of interest and private traps that might disqualify and jeopardize his integrity and prestige - his main assets. This is the great tragic conflict at the heart of the movie.
I thank Per Fly for a rewarding film. I don't know about the production circumstances but I feel that the film might be a victim of the "pandemic-phlegmatic curse" and might have turned more energetic and engrossing in regular conditions.
BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK: DATA FROM THE BETA CINEMA PRESS KIT FOR ROTTERDAM:
BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK: DATA FROM THE BETA CINEMA PRESS KIT FOR ROTTERDAM:
BETA CINEMA
presents an UNLIMITED STORIES production
in co-production with NORDISK FILM, SVT, FILM I VÄST, TV4, NORDSVENSK FILMUNDERHÅLLNING, MAIPO FILM, META FILM, PER FLY APS and CAMBO PRODUCTIONS
DIRECTED BY PER FLY
WRITTEN BY ULF RYBERG & PER FLY
STARRING MIKAEL PERSBRANDT
AND
HAKEEM KAE-KAZIM // COLIN SALMON // THURE LINDHARDT
RICHARD BRAKE // FRANCIS CHOULER // CIAN BARRY // SARA SOULIÉ
supported by
SWEDISH FILM INSTITUTE, NORDISK FILM & TV-FOND
and NORWEGIAN FILM INST. in association with BETA FILM, DO PRODUCTIONS and DR
INTERVIEW WITH PER FLY AND ULF RYBERG
Dag Hammarskjöld ranks among the most famous Swedish citizens, with his portrait decorating the 1000-Krona Bill. Do you remember how you first heard about him?
Ulf Ryberg: I first heard about Dag Hammarskjöld when Swedish soldiers went to the Congo as part of the UN peace force.
Per Fly: Everybody in Scandinavia knows that there's somebody called Dag Hammarskjöld. Maybe they don't really know why and what he’s famous for. I was intrigued by Dag Hammarskjöld’s story in the documentary "Cold Case Hammarskjöld" by Mads Brügger and fascinated by his character. He was the last one who dreamt of World Peace, of a United Nations Organization that could control us all and ensure we would share more of the Earth's resources. Then I found out that he was living in New York with a monkey. I started to read about his personal life, which was kind of secret. I found out that he probably was homosexual, and I found this all very interesting. The idea of making a feature film about it was born.
How did you get involved in the film?
Ulf: The producer, Patrick Ryborn, contacted me, asking if I was interested in writing a script about Dag Hammarskjöld. I was!
Per: Funnily enough, at the same time, I had started working on my idea, and Patrick Ryborn heard about me. Patrick had seen my biopic on the famous Swedish jazz singer Monica Z ("Waltz with Monica") and called me, suggesting we should join forces. I thought it was a good idea as I needed a Swedish production company anyhow.
Let’s delve a little deeper into the political topics of the film. Ulf, how would you describe the situation of the United Nations when Dag Hammarskjöld was selected in 1953? And at what point in the Cold War are we then?
Ulf: The UN was a relatively new organization back then. The Norwegian politician Trygve Lie was its first Secretary-General, and he was not an activist or a particularly strong leader. The Cold War was not yet present in the Congo – even if the United States had interests in the uranium mines there. The Soviets weren’t present in the Congo until Lumumba asked them for help. Americans and Soviets then stood face to face in Congo.
Per: When Dag joined the UN, his vision was radical. His efforts to empower the people and really decolonize the Congo weren’t well-received. Because Congo was very rich in resources, they had at their disposal something like 30% of what the Americans needed to build the A-bomb. So, thinking that, in this case, Belgium, and in other cases other former colonial powers, would return money and real power - that was never going to happen.
How did Dag Hammarskjöld change the UN, its reputation, and its powers?
Ulf: Dag Hammarskjöld was an activist. When he realized that diplomacy no longer worked, he activated the UN Peace Force and took the fight on the ground. He was the first and maybe the last Secretary-General that was prepared to let the UN use armed force as a means to reach his goals: to get Katanga back to the Congo. Under his leadership, the UN reached strong power. It probably was the most respected era in the history of the United Nations.
Per: In the film, we do meet his very supportive team, but did he also have any reliable allies amidst the politicians?
Per: When Dag started out at the UN, he visited 21 African countries. And he wanted representatives of these 21 countries in the assembly. They really liked his ideas and became strong supporters. But he didn’t have much support from the big powers: Russia was with Lumumba, and after he was killed, they were more or less out of the game. Kennedy supported Dag until a certain point, as you can see in the film, but he had so many other topics to handle. Most of the European countries had colonies in Africa and definitely didn’t want to support the Congo. So, at this point, he was fairly alone.
Where did Dag’s strong engagement for the Congo come from?
Ulf: From his strong belief that every country has the right to freedom and independence. And that colonialism must come to an end.
Per: Let me quote Dag Hammarskjöld here, with a statement he made in June 1959 in New York: "We are living in an age where technological change has abolished distance. It is legitimate that every country should wish to achieve higher levels of prosperity. But no country must build its wealth at the expense of others. It is a painful fact that in the economic field, the gap, already wide, between the prosperous countries and those less fortunate, is steadily becoming wider. I have in mind a widespread growth of a new sense of international responsibility – the beginning of an international conscience." He really wanted to change the world and believed that he could.
Who took over at the UN after his death, and how did the situation in the Congo evolve?
Per: Three months after the plane crash, Dag was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and the Burmese diplomat U Thant followed as the next Secretary-General. In 1963, the Katangan troops were expelled by the UN. The Congo was thereby reunited, and Moïse Tshombe went into exile in 1965.
Is the UN still investigating the circumstances of the plane crash, and are there final results to be expected anytime soon?
Ulf: The UN is still investigating the crash. Several reports have been published. But I think final results are something we have to wait for, sadly for a long time. But it‘s a hopeful thing though that the UN will continue its investigations.
Per: US and British authorities are still waiting to open their archives. The accident happened more than 50 years ago, and they are still refusing to release all documents, but they should do that. There are a lot of conspiracies about the crash, and many people want to know what happened exactly. The UN will keep investigating until they find out.
In the film, we hear some of Dag Hammarskjöld’s most beautiful poems. Which of these inspired you most?
Per: There are three poems that inspired me most, the first is the poem we hear in the beginning of the film: “Pray that your loneliness may spur you / into finding something to live for / great enough to die for." And then there is “It is in the Void / Sleeps in the silence / Weeps in the darkness / Little incubus / When, when?”, which I found particularly interesting as he uses the word “incubus”, the word for a spirit that sits on a woman’s lap and controls women’s sexuality. He could have used the male spirit’s name but he didn’t. And then there is the poem that is not in the film but that he writes to his monkey, just two weeks before he boards the plane to Africa: “Far from the chattering troop / From the green gloom under the tree tops / And the branches over the jungle trail / Where the eye of leopards / Gleamed in the night / Alone / In the white-washed room / With the bannisters and the dangling rope / He sat on the window-sill / Watching the snow fall / And the cars rush by / With their eyes on fire / Nobody was watching / When, one day, he jumped / For the loop of the rope / And his chest got caught in its coils / And he choked to death / Nobody was watching / And who had ever understood / His efforts to be happy / His moments of faith in us / His constant anxiety / Longing for something / He could only vaguely remember? / Yet all of us had liked him / And we all missed him / For a long time.“
You have decided to show both Dag’s private and his public life in the film. Can you tell us more about your motivations for that decision and the screenwriting process? What exactly do we know about Peter’s and Dag’s relationship?
Per: At the UN, he was in his comfort zone, he was a fighter, he knew what he was doing. In his apartment, he was fragile and alone. Therefore it was very important to me to show also the backside of the politician and see the price he paid. He set all on stake for doing the right thing, a real hero. Now Peter is a character I have invented. Peter was formed out of three or four real characters in Dag’s life to question Dag’s life. Peter is Danish, like myself, and in a way, my chance to have a conversation with Dag myself. When Peter tells Dag that he has a right to a life himself, too, it is me you hear talking.
Per, how did you find the wonderful actors for the principal roles?
Per: I have been admiring Mikael Persbrandt for many years; he was the first one I had in mind when I started this film. When you put him in front of a camera, there's so much emotion coming out. He just has to stand there. Some people have that; the camera loves him in some way. And he's also a very, very good actor. So he's been on my mind from day one. Thure Lindhardt is living in Copenhagen like me, and he has been very open in Danish media about his homosexuality. So, he knows a lot about that life, allowing us to work on an authentic story of these two characters falling in love. And he is an excellent actor.
Tshombe also was a very important character to me, and Hakeem Kae-Kazim played him exceptionally well. Tshombe was that kind of character that was sucking up to the white men and therefore he always has been portrayed violently and rather dumb. He definitely was violent, but he most definitely was super clever. And Jordan, who plays Lumumba is, doing a hell of a good job. He was such a pleasure to work with. Hakeem and Jordan were both found by our great casting director in London. Colin Salmon, who plays Ralph Bunche in the film, was another great find, a really very good performance. Bunche’s role was hard to play, closely based on the real character. Ralph Bunche had been the first African American who had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; it was in 1950 for his work as a mediator in Palestine in the late forties. Before he meets Dag Hammarskjöld.
How did you prepare with Mikael Persbrandt for the role?
Per: We exchanged poems, we rehearsed a lot at a theater in Stockholm, that Mikael co-owns with other actors. We improvised and used a lot of music to get into the mood of who Dag was. Mikael also had to learn how to make a speech in that way, and we were rehearsing that a lot. And there was the monkey; Mikael had to come to South Africa to spend some days with him and to rehearse with him. And of course, also we discussed how much Mikael should he look like Dag. When we deal with real characters, you have to take some of the real character, but in my opinion, there has also to be room for the actor. So, what we did is an interpretation of Dag and a little bit of the real Dag on top of that. And Mikael understood that very well.
What was particularly challenging with this film?
Per: To find the right balance between the private and the political Dag. That was walking on a very fine line.
Where did the principal photography take place?
Per: We were shooting, mostly around Cape Town, Johannesburg, and some scenes in Sweden; this took six or seven days. And a small part of the film was shot on the streets of New York.
The film has just been released in Sweden. How did the audiences react to the film?
Per: We are selling pretty well. We are in the top 3 of the weekly charts, and at the premiere, the audience stood up for Dag, and I presume, for the film, of course. And we hear that at some cinemas around Sweden, people give spontaneous applause after the film. And they don't do that a lot in Sweden, I should say.
THE CAST
MIKAEL PERSBRANDT as DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD
Mikael Persbrandt is one of Europe’s most popular actors. He began his acting career in the late 1980s, gaining recognition in Swedish theater before making a transition to film. One of his breakthrough roles came in the 1996 film Jerusalem, where his powerful portrayal garnered widespread acclaim. However, it was his role as Gunvald Larsson in the Swedish television series Beck that truly catapulted him to stardom, showcasing his ability to embody complex characters with depth and authenticity. He is internationally best known for his lead role as a doctor torn between his duties in a Sudanese refugee camp and his family in Denmark in the Academy Award winning feature, In A Better World, directed by Susanne Bier. His performance also earned him a Best Actor nomination at the European Film Awards in 2011. Mikael Persbrandt also starred in in the award-winning feature films Everlasting Moments, Day And Night and Everybody Loves Alice. He also starred in The Hobbit and in The Girl In The Spider’s Web and as the mother’s love interest in Netflix’s Sex Education. In Lars von Trier’s 2022 Venice Film Festival entry The Kingdom Exodus, Mikael Persbrandt stars as the chief physician Helmer Jr.
FRANCIS CHOULER as BILL RANALLO
Francis Chouler, born in South Africa, graduated in Theatre & Performance from the University of Cape Town in 2010. He made waves with his first leading role in Mohit Suri’s Bollywood production Crook and took on roles in Eye In The Sky (2016), Netflix's The Crown. He is well known also for this performances in the BBC series Troy: Fall of a City (2018) and Dam (2021). As an executive member of the South African Guild of Actors, Chouler blends local roots with global acclaim.
CIAN BARRY as WIESCHHOFF
Born in 1993 in Sligo, Ireland, Cian Barry pursued his passion for acting in London where he studied Drama. Recognized with prestigious accolades, including an Olivier Award, he has showcased his talent in notable TV-series such as The Bill (2009), Doctor Foster (2015), and Midsomer Murders (2021). He also took on roles in acclaimed theatrical productions like The Spider's Web (2007), Holy Water (2009), and Nina Forever (2015). His stage presence extended to the West End with performances in Our Boys (2012).
COLIN SALMON as RALPH BUNCHE
Colin Salmon, born in London, is a versatile actor known for his impactful roles in iconic films like Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Resident Evil (2002). He's also made notable TV appearances in series like Arrow and 24: Live Another Day. In 2023, he joined the BBC series East Enders as George Knight.
SARA SOULIÉ as HANNA
Sara Soulié is a Finnish-Danish-French actress with a background as a contemporary dancer. She is multilingual and has acted in several different languages. Her first major lead was in the Finnish fantasy tv series Nymphs (2014) followed by the feature Other Girls (2015). Since then she has worked on several film and TV productions across Europe. She starred opposite Pilou Asbæk and Josh Lucas in the Finnish-Danish-Croatian feature film The Guardian Angel (2018) and made her French debut in the TV movie Noces D’or (2019). Her latest works include the lead in the highly acclaimed Finnish TV series My Husband’s Wife (2022) for which she also learned Estonian for.
HAKEEM KAE-KAZIM as MOÏSE TSHOMBE
Hakeem Kae-Kazim, born in Lagos, Nigeria, is a renowned actor recognized for his diverse roles in film and television. His international breakthrough came with his performance as Georges Rutaganda in the Academy Award-nominee Hotel Rwanda (2004). His role in Riding with Sugar (2020) brought him an SAFTA Award. He produced and starred in Man on Ground (2011), for which he received two Africa Movie Academy Award nominations. He also appeared as Captain Jockard in Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End and in highly popular series like 24, Human Cargo (2004), the Starz series Black Sails (2014-16) and the BBC series Troy: Fall of a City (2018).
THURE LINDHARDT as PETER LEVIN
Thure Lindhardt is a highly popular Danish actor and director. He marked his entry into the spotlight at the age of 12 with a role in Bille August's Pelle The Conqueror. His breakthrough in Denmark followed with a compelling portrayal of a character with autism in A Place Nearby, alongside Ghita Nørby.
His diverse career includes notable appearances in Into the Wild, Angels & Demons, and The Borgias, where he played the ruthless assassin Rufio opposite Jeremy Irons. After having been selected among the EFP shooting stars in 2000, Thure Lindhardt earned world-wide recognition with his lead role in Flame & Citron (2008), a Danish drama by Ole Christian Madsen that screened at Telluride, Toronto, Sevilla, Göteborg and Les Arcs among many other festivals. Lindhardt’s central performance in Ira Sachs’ multi-award winning drama Keep The Lights On (Sundance/Berlinale 2012), brought him a Nomination as Best Breakthrough Actor at the Gotham Awards. In 2015, he took on the role of Danish detective Henrik Sabroe in the third season of the Danish-Swedish TV police series The Bridge, replacing Kim Bodnia as the lead. Lindhardt continued to captivate audiences in the show's fourth and final season. Prominent roles in Sherry Hormann’s 3096 Tage, Anna Odell’s X&Y and Tea Lindeburg’s As In Heaven followed.
RICHARD BRAKE as HUNTER
Richard Brake is a versatile Welsh actor celebrated for his compelling performances. He is best known for his roles as Joe Chill in Batman Begins (2005), as the contract killer DoomHead in the horror movie 31 (2016), and alongside Nicolas Cage and Andrea Riseborough in Mandy (2018). Richard Brake also played the lead role as Bob Reid in Perfect Skin (2018) and delivered memorable appearances as the Night King in Game Of Thrones, in Absentia and Peaky Blinders.
THE CREW
DIRECTOR PER FLY
Per Fly is a multi-award-winning and internationally renowned director and screenwriter. With a career marked by a focus on social and political issues, Fly has established himself as a director with a keen eye for storytelling and a commitment to exploring the human condition. Fly’s feature film The Bench (2000), won him both a Bodil and a Robert Award for Best Director and Best Film. He is also the director behind the international acclaimed feature films The Inheritance (2003) and Manslaughter (2005): both films showcased Fly's ability to weave compelling narratives around characters facing moral and societal struggles. Fly also directed Monica Z (2013), the biopic of famous Jazz singer Monica Zetterlund, which won three Swedish Film Awards, including Best Director and the City of Gothenburg Award at the Göteborg Film Festival. Per Fly wrote and directed the feature film Backstabbing For Beginners (2018), starring Theo James and Ben Kingsley and produced by A24, and the acclaimed series Performances (2007), Follow the Money (2016) and BAFTA-winning political drama series Borgen (2022).
SCREENWRITER ULF RYBERG
Ulf Ryberg is an acclaimed screenwriter and radio journalist, most famous for his work with the hit film and television series Lasermannen (2005), the BAFTA-nominated feature film Headhunters (2011) and the third film in the Swedish adaption of Stieg Larsson’s Millenium trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (2009) and the TV-series The Lost (2022).
PRODUCER PATRICK RYBORN
Patrick Ryborn has over 25 years of experience as a producer. With 20 feature films to his credit, Ryborn is one of Sweden’s most established film producers. Since the feature Shit Happens (2000), Patrick has produced many highly successful films, amongst others Illusive Tracks (2003), Behind Blue Skies (2010), The Sune trilogy / Anderssons trilogy (2012-2014), Monky (2017), A Piece of My Heart (2019) and the TV-series The Lost (2022).
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN CHRISTIAN ROSENLUND
John Christian Rosenlund has over 25 years’ experience behind the camera, working as a cinematographer for over 25 films, most notably the Cannes Film Festival ACID Awardwinning The Bothersome Man (2006), The Wave (2015), The King’s Choice (2016), and The Emigrants (2021).
PRODUCTION DESIGNER NIELS SEJER
Niels Sejer is one of Scandinavia’s top production designers, known for the Oscarnominated A Royal Affair (2012), the Bafta-winning The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009), Dead Man Down (2013), Flatliners (2017), and collaborated with Per Fly on Backstabbing For Beginners (2018) and the TV-series Borgen (2021).
COSTUME DESIGNER KAREN FABRITIUS GRAM
Karen has a solid education in both costume and production design. She has been in the industry since 1988, starting as an assistant on films such as Kristin Lavransdatter and Hamsun. In 1997, she started as costume designer and has worked with directors such as Bent Hammer (Sanger From Kjökkenet), Jan Troell (Maria Larson’s Everlasting Moment), Per Olav Sörensen (Heave Water War), Alexander Eik (Atlantic Crossing), Roar Uthaug (The Wave and Troll). Karen has been nominated for 7 Golden Screens Awards and won 3 for Heave Water War (2015) and State Of Happiness 1 & 2 (2019, 2022).
CREDITS - TECHNICAL DETAILS
Political Thriller / 2023 / Sweden / 112 min
MAIN CAST
Dag Hammarskjöld Mikael Persbrandt
Bill Ranallo Francis Chouler
Heinrich Wieschhoff Cian Barry
Ralph Bunche Colin Salmon
Hanna Sara Soulié
Moïse Tshombe Hakeem Kae-Kazim
Peter Levin Thure Lindhardt
Hunter Richard Brake
Renard Martin Venter
Baldini Zak Rowlands
Lord Lansdowne Adam Neill
Butler Norman Anstey
Hellemans Michael D. Xavier
John F. Kennedy Caspar Phillipson
Sture Linner Sven Ahlström
Lone Ranger Bjorn Steinbach
Bloock Christophe Guybet
Patrice Lumumba Jordan Duvigneau
MAIN CREW
Directed by Per Fly
Written by Ulf Ryberg & Per Fly
Produced by Patrick Ryborn
Director of Photography John Christian Rosenlund FNF
Production Design Niels Sejer
Costume Design Karen Fabritius Gram & Pierre Vienings
Make-Up & Hair Jenny Fred & Julia Rubinstein
Editor Fredrik Morheden
Composer Raymond Enoksen
Casting Director Shakyra Dowling
Sound Design Hans Møller
Post Producer Peter Bengtsoon
VFX Supervisors Jacob Otterström & Torbjörn Olsson
South African Producer Marlow de Mardt
Co Producers Synnøve Hørsdal & Mette Børch
Executive Producers Rasmus Krogh, Charlotta Denward, Anna Croneman, Kristina Börjeson, Piodor Gustafsson, Emil Wiklund, Poa Strömberg, Maritha Norstedt, Per Bouveng, Maria Mörner, Per Fly and Mikael Persbrandt
Production Company Unlimited Stories
Co-Production Companies Nordisk Film, SVT, Film I Väst, TV4, Nordsvensk Filmunderhållning Maipo Film, Meta Film, Per Fly APS, Cambo Productions In association with Beta Film, DO Productions & DR
World Sales Beta Cinema GmbH
IFFR 2024
International premiere
Director Per Fly
Country of production Sweden
Year 2023
Festival Edition IFFR 2024
Length 114'
Medium DCP
International title Hammarskjöld – Fight For Peace
Languages English, Swedish
Producer Patrick Ryborn
Production Company Unlimited Stories
Sales Beta Cinema GmbH
Screenplay Ulf Ryberg, Per Fly
Cinematography John Christian Rosenlund
Editor Fredrik Morheden
Production Design Niels Sejer
Sound Design Hans Møller
Cast Mikael Persbrandt, Francis Chouler, Cian Barry, Colin Salmon, Sara Soulié, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Thure Lindhardt
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