A welcome change of pace

Sweden is well known for its films. Foreign film fans usually list at least one Swedish film in their top 10. However, all too often, critics see Swedish films as oppressive and depressing. That isn’t the case with the newest Swedish film to hit the United States, Everlasting Moments.

This film is about the consequences of choosing the wrong path—or in the protagonist Maria’s case, the wrong husband—and of trying to find beauty in the ordinary.

Maria and her seven children try to leave her philandering and abusive husband several times only to be told by her family that she’s made her bed, now she must lie in it. When her husband is fired from his job and starts spending his days abusing her and the children, Maria digs out a long forgotten camera, hoping to sell it in order to buy food.

The owner of the local photography studio immediately takes a liking to her after seeing her childlike wonder when he shows her how light passes through the lens to create an image. He refuses to buy the camera and instead teaches her to use it. He tells her that she has “the gift of seeing.” He falls in love with her the day she brings in a photo of a little girl who has drowned.

The black and white image is haunting and is reflected in the lighting used throughout the film. Nearly every scene is washed out and nearly devoid of color, making the film seem sepia-toned. But far from being drab, it reminds the viewer that the film is about the art of photography, about seeing beauty where most people see none.

Although the narrator is Mija, Maria’s eldest daughter, the story is actually Maria’s. We are allowed to watch her growth as a photographer and as a person. It isn’t until after she rediscovers the camera that she learns she has value outside of her roles as wife and mother.

This is not a short film. At two hours and 11 minutes, it is certainly longer than it needs to be. It’s a little slow in parts. Several scenes could have been cut entirely, both speeding the narrative and keeping our backsides from going numb in the theater. There are a few places where you can easily go to the lobby for snacks and not really miss a whole lot.

But the film as a whole tells a good story in a way that gets at the truth without being oppressive. The camera work is beautiful and there is no overacting, even from the children. It isn’t often that an entire cast will refrain from giving over-the-top performances.
The lighting techniques used carefully orchestrate the film from scene to scene, setting the mood perfectly with a seamlessness that is not even noticed until after you leave the theater. 

Though this is not a perfect film due to its length, it is definitely one you don’t want to miss. Regardless of your particular leaning when it comes to film, this is one I would recommend to everyone. After the recent overabundance of dreary and boring film offerings, Everlasting Moments is a refreshing change.