“A fresh, honest take” (The Guardian) — from internationally acclaimed Norwegian director Erik Poppe, see the epic period drama The Emigrants (Sweden, 2021) at Scandinavia House! This program has now been rescheduled from October 19.

Based on Vilhelm Moberg’s much-loved suite of novels — previously adapted in 1971 by Jan Troell into an Academy Award-nominated classic — The Emigrants tells the story of Kristina Nilsson (Lisa Carlehed), a mother who leaves poverty-stricken Sweden with her family in the 1850s on a long, dangerous journey to find a better life for herself and her children in America. When news of opportunities reach the devoutly Lutheran Kristina and her husband Karl Oskar (Gustaf Skarsgård), hardships and tragedy at home lead them to set sail from Småland, alongside fellow passengers who challenge Kristina’s views while laying the foundations of friendship for the days to come. When they land in New York, new perils face them on their trek across the rugged landscape of the Midwest — ranging from schemes of various locals to the dangers of childrearing on the frontier. But as Kristina and Karl-Oskar reach the wilds of Minnesota, they learn to carve out a new life for themselves, as well as opportunities to come.

The first adaptation of Moberg’s novels from the perspective of Kristina, The Emigrants captures the emotional turmoil of setting out for a new life abroad in 19th-century America.

About the Director

Erik Poppe was born in Oslo, Norway in 1960. He began his career as a press photographer, winning several awards. After studying at the Dramatiska Institutet in Stockholm, he worked as a cinematographer on several feature films before making his debut as a director with Schpaa. The film was the first instalment in his multi-award-winning Oslo Trilogy which also comprises Hawaii, Oslo and Troubled Water (DeUsynlige).

In 2017 his film The King’s Choice (Kongens Nei) was selected as the Norwegian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards. He was nominated for a Golden Bear at Berlin International Film Festival in 2018 for his previous feature, Utøya: July 22.