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If anyone wonders why we love living in Sweden, they could just take a look at the film, Sommarboken. We saw it tonight at the Bio and were entranced by it almost as much as we are by Trosa. Okay, it’s set and filmed in Finland but it is a very similar landscape with very similar nature. The peace and quiet, the sea, the people. The freedom.
Sommarboken means The Summer Book and is based on Tove Jansson’s book of the same name. It tells the story of one summer spent on an island, in a cabin, in an archipelago in Finland. The main people are a grandmother, a son and a daughter. The grandmother has spent every summer there for 47 years.
We saw the film tonight and it is superb. In particular, Glenn Close as the grandmother and Emily Matthews as Sophia are both amazing. And not forgetting the scenery which is really the lead player. Long sweeping views over the water, dark foreboding clouds, minutiae filmed up close. And not forgetting the moss.
Emily, in particular was extraordinary. She was only nine when the movie was made. Her Sophia is utterly believable. She said in an interview that she hates being the centre of attention but I think she’s going to have to put up with it as she grows.
And what can be said about Glenn Close that hasn’t been said before? An accomplished and superb performer. I thought her performance was perfection.
All up, it was a splendid way to end a day that, for Mirinda anyway, was full.
The day was beautiful so she took Emma for a lovely long walk down to the Baltic, through the town and back via the woods. Freya has reached the heavy part of her season and is far too interesting to (and interested in) other dogs, so she stayed at home and watched me start cooking a Sunday roast. Which turned out delicious, if I do say so myself.
We had pork with green butter and decided to have it at lunchtime given we were going to see the film at 7pm. Whenever we have a Sunday roast at lunchtime, it takes me back to Sunday mornings, spent shucking peas at the kitchen table with mum and grandma. Great childhood memories. Though, I don’t think there was any discussion of the properties of moss.
Mirinda also attended gympa which reminded me of nothing.
She also interviewed me for a bit of uni work.
As I said, a pretty busy day for my wife.
