Everlasting Moments

An intimate epic set in turn-of-the-century Sweden, Troell's latest follows Maria Larsson: mother of an expansive family, wife to a mercurial and often violent husband, and an amateur photographer. In the face of the Great War, a tumultuous workers' strike, and constant struggles at home, Maria finds solace in the viewfinder of her Contessa camera and in the company of her kindly instructor. Nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Golden Globe. "Troell has the talent to allow the viewer to see the souls of his characters and the salient details of the world they inhabit... an artisanal creation par excellence."—Todd McCarthy, Variety.

Based on a true story, EVERLASTING MOMENTS explores the complexities of the marriage between Maria (Maria Heiskanen) and Sigfrid Larsson (Mikael Persbrandt), who wed in 1907 and soon had a houseful of children. Sigfrid, a dockworker, alcoholic and womanizer, leaves the worries of family responsibilities to Maria, who one day goes to hock an old camera that she won in a lottery but has never used. Encouraged by the obviously smitten camera shop owner (Jesper Christensen), Maria begins taking and developing photographs, a process that is forever miraculous to her. While she possesses an obvious "gift for seeing," accumulated family events force her to ignore her craft, until she learns, slowly, the balance between her art and her life. It is a feat, Troell suggests, that is as miraculous as the capturing of images on film. During his distinguished career, Swedish filmmaker Jan Troell has received myriad international accolades including an Oscar nomination for Best Director (THE EMIGRANTS, 1971) and three Academy Award nominations for Best Foreign Language Film (THE EMIGRANTS, 1972’s THE NEW LAND and 1982’s FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE). THE EMIGRANTS, starring Liv Ullman and Max Von Sydow, won Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actress, and earned five Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Director, Actress and Adapted Screenplay in 1973. The film's sequel, THE NEW LAND, a sweeping account of Swedish immigrants coming to America in the 1840s, was also nominated for an Oscar and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other films include SAGOLANDET (1986), IL CAPITANO (1991, winner of the Silver Bear in Berlin), and the acclaimed HAMSUN (1996), starring Max Von Sydow.

Read this terrific short piece about Troell in the L.A. Weekly: http://www.laweekly.com/2009-03-05/film-tv/jan-troell-39-s-persistence-of-vision/