The Swedish Theory of Love
Erik Gandini Zweden 2015 90 min.
A society in which everyone has the freedom to be totally independent and safely live their life exactly as he/she wants. Perfect, right? Then why are Swedes not happy?
DOCVILLE 2018
Artist in Focus: Erik Gandini
DOCVILLE 2017
Artist in Focus: Erik Gandini
In the eyes of many, Sweden is a perfectly organized society. Since the '70s everything is aimed at ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to live an independent existence. Care and support are all arranged, from the cradle to the grave. No one is dependent on anyone else and so everyone is free to organize their life as he/she wants. Women can choose to be single mothers and use a sperm bank, and the sick and the elderly can turn to the appropriate authorities.
But when people no longer need each other, social contact is no longer a necessity. And that has major consequences. Half the population lives alone and the number of lonely, unnoticed deaths is increasing. Some people look for a way out: young hippies organize meetings to "really see and touch" each other again. A doctor chooses to live in Ethiopia, where the warm community spirit more than makes up for the poor living conditions.
Director Gandini knows better than anyone how to look behind the façade of our 'perfect' Western world. In 2010 his film “Videocracy” was shown at DOCVILLE, a chilling essay on the bling-bling world of the Italian media. Now he shows the many faces of a society for whom the pursuit of individual independence is the greatest good. Sometimes funny, often deeply sad, and food for thought.
Credits
Director
Erik Gandini
Cinematography
Vania Tegamelli, Carl Nilsson
Editing
Johan Söderberg
Music
Johan Söderberg
More info
Dialogues
Subtitling
