Cinema
One Summer of Happiness
Hon dansade en sommar
Arne Mattsson · 1951
Synopsis
With his school-leaving exam behind him, Göran, nineteen, goes to spend the summer on his uncle Anders Persson's farm; the city boy is not used to farm work. He meets Kerstin, seventeen, and the two fall in love, but the girl's family keeps a close watch on her. Around them, the village youth are at war with a rigorist pastor who holds all their leisure to be immoral; when he forbids the young people the use of the school, Anders lends them an old barn, which they set about restoring.
Context
The film is based on the novel Sommardansen by Per Olof Ekström, published in 1949; the screenplay is by Volodja Semitjov and Olle Hellbom. The scene in which the two young people bathe naked caused a scandal: together with a film by Ingmar Bergman released shortly afterwards, it spread throughout the world the image of Swedish sexual freedom, what was called the “Swedish sin”. Ulla Jacobsson became an international star. Released in Sweden on 17 December 1951, the film reached France in May 1952.
Who it is for
One hundred and three minutes, in Swedish. A drama of love in the countryside, which can be followed without knowing anything in advance.
Prizes and reception
First Swedish film to receive the Golden Bear at Berlin, in 1952; at Cannes the same year, its music was awarded a prize.
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