Fans of foreign films–which sadly, only makes up a very small percentage of moviegoers these days–may already know what fantastic films are coming out of the Scandinavian regions of Europe–Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland–countries that have delivered pleasant surprises like Let the Right One In to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo along with the usual output from the Lars von Triers, the Susanne Biers, etc.
Sweden’s Lukas Moodysson has already earned a reputation as one of his country’s stronger filmmakers, having received numerous awards for his earlier films Together and Lilya 4-Ever, the latter a coming-of-age tale about a 16-year-old girl. His new movie We Are the Best!, based on his wife’s autobiographical graphic novel, follows in that respect as it shows the friendship between three teenage girls, all outcasts at their school, who form a punk band in 1982.
It’s a wonderful movie that somehow manages to bring out the “grrrl power” even in middle-aged men and what makes it so special are the three mostly inexperienced actresses Moodysson assembled to play Bobo, Klara and Hedvig, whose on-screen antics feel so natural that you almost feel like you’re watching a documentary of them growing up.
In the video interview below, ComingSoon.net speaks with the Swedish filmmaker about the making of the film, the casting of the girls and capturing their wild spirit on camera.
We Are the Best! opens in New York, Los Angeles, Montreal and Toronto on Friday. You can learn more about where it’s playing after that on the Magnolia site.
