The Definitive Watchlist Seeking the Same Brilliance as Mästerkatte...

Dir: John W. Brunius

Synnöve lives with her parents at the farm Solbakken on a sunny hill. Thorbjörn, who lives at Granliden in the shadow of a big mountain, often looks wistfully up to Solbakken. As teenagers they meet and fall in love. Another boy, Knud Nordhaug, is also yearning for Synnöve. Together with some companions he bullies Thorbjörn, who knocks them down. When Knud meets Synnöve's father, he gets him to believe that it is Thorbjörn who is the bully. Synnöve's parents forbid her to meet Thorbjörn henceforth. Some years later Knud proposes to Synnöve, but is turned down. At Midsummer Eve Thorbjörn and Synnöve meet secretly. They renew their love-vows, and Thorbjörn promises to develop a better reputation in the village. When Thorbjörn is driving a loaded cart to the town, the wagon breaks down. As the Nordhaug farm is nearby, he goes there to lend a new wagon. Knud sees Thorbjörn and starts a fight. When Thorbjörn turns away, Knud stabs a knife in his back. For many weeks Thorbjörn hovers between life and death. Ultimately he rises from the bed, but as a changed man, open for reconciliation.

Dir: John W. Brunius

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Johan Ulfstjerna perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The story of a man who makes a great sacrifice for his country and for his son. Based on the play of the same title by Tor Hedberg.

Dir: John W. Brunius

Historical drama which features Gösta Ekman as the dashing rogue who steals the heart of the ethereal Mary Johnson.

Dir: John W. Brunius

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of En lyckoriddare perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Alice is engaged with Sven. She is interested in having fun and dancing, preferably with Faustino della Novarro. Sven gets upset by her behavior. They break the engagement. Alice finds work as a maid on a farm.

Dir: John W. Brunius

The Danish King Kristian II rides through Sweden as the new ruler. In Dalarna a lone man wanders, disguised as a peasant. It's the man the Danes wants the most - Gustaf Eriksson Wasa.

Dir: John W. Brunius

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of En piga bland pigor perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A story that takes place during the Finnish War between Sweden and Russia 1808-1809.

Dir: John W. Brunius

Øjvind, a smallholder's boy, is a close friend with Marit, a farmer's girl, throughout their entire childhood. As an adolescent he one day recognizes that she has become a maiden, and that he has fallen in love with her. When he sees Marit dancing with Jon Halten, a farmer's son, he gets sad, and notices that when you start loving someone, you are not cheerful any more. He senses the social distance between himself and Marit, and tries to compensate this by becoming the best pupil in the village. Øjvind wants to study at an agricultural college, and the old schoolmaster helps him to arrange this. When he some years later returns to the village as an agronomist, he and Marit resume their romance. Because of their different social status Marit's grandfather, Ola Nordistua, tries to stop the liaison. With new agricultural methods Øjvind helps his father to get better harvests. At the same time the old Ola Nordistua sees his farm going downhill as no one really cares for it. He recognizes his mistake concerning Øjvind, and gives him his granddaughter and the farm.

Dir: John W. Brunius

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Gustaf Wasa del II perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A widowed milner must choose a new wife, but he is torn between two different women with opposite qualities. Based on the novel "Møllen" by author Karl Gjellerup.

Dir: John W. Brunius

The Swedes and the Danes battle outside Stockholm. After the victory the Swedes follows the leader Gustaf Eriksson Wasa.

Dir: John W. Brunius

The fisherman Lars Persson on Vinga and his wife Anna has one child, Karin. In the lighthouse lives Anders Bergström with his son Arne.