Elina: As If I Wasn't There

2003
7| 1h17m| en
Details

In rural Sweden of the early 1950s, little Elina goes to school again after recovering from tuberculosis, the same illness that has killed her father a few years earlier. Elina's family belongs to Finnish-speaking Finns frowned upon by a staunch schoolmistress who starts hounding Elina for questioning her authority. Elina's mother, sister, and a liberal young male teacher all try to mediate the ensuing battle of wills between Elina and Miss Holm. Elina finds consolation in wandering out on the dangerous marshlands to have imaginary conversations with her dead father. Written by Markku Kuoppamäki

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Filmpool Nord

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Reviews

Evengyny Thanks for the memories!
WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
michiko38931 The film Elina - Som om jag inte fanns is set in the early 1950 when poverty was common in rural northern Sweden. A young girl named Elina who had recovered from tuberculosis wandered to the moor everyday where she spoke to her dead father, because unlike her indifferent teacher Ms. Holm, he might be the only "person" that would listen to young Elina….Elina - Som om jag inte fanns is a Sweden- Finnish film. The story of the film is universal, although it sets in the area on the Swedish side of border between Finland and Sweden. Except for the lack of ornamentation, it is a sweet story focusing on dimensions of people. This film treats children's world of mind in a much careful and understanding way. Elina is a gentle, innocent character who is a isolated from others and the society. The acting is quite convincing and the story thought provoking. Overall, I highly recommend this film to people who care about childrent's worlds.
mxi001 I saw this film at the Scandinavia House in New York City, liked it, and I thought I should counter the silly comment I noticed by haunt3d. The first thing to remember is that this film is meant for children primarily, so the story has to be reasonably simple and linear. Otherwise they either do not get the message or get disinterested. What is actually remarkable about "Elina", though, is that it also seems to appeal to (at least some) adults. The New Yorkers that attended the screening on that cold night --- hardly any kids --- were quite taken by it.
Christoffer Slotte (JCS-3) I am used to action movies and to movies about the power of vengeance. This is a movie about the power of forgiveness. Everyone should see it. It is photographed in northern Sweden in a very beautiful landscape. The actors, especially the little girl protagonist, are just great.
Jerker I watched this movie at the Berlin film festival 2003 where it was awarded the Glass Bear (The prize of the children's jury). It is a well-told story about the problems experienced by a minority group in the society. In this case the finnish-speaking minority in Sweden in the beginning of the 1950's. The film makes it easy to understand the problems that can occur for such a minority group in an intolerant society. I believe this may be applicable for minority groups in many places of the world and thus it is possible for people around the world to recognize the situation. This is the debut for the director Klaus Härö in a full-length movie and I think he has succeeded well.