The drama comedy is about 13-year-old Sasha, who dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. It is based on Jenny Jägerfeld's acclaimed novel of the same name and Linn Gottfridsson (Beartown, Glowing Stars) is the script writer. The main role Sasha is played by Sigrid Johnson (Maria Wern, Tusen år till julafton), Sasha's father Abbe is played by Oscar Töringe (Thin Blue Line, My Dad Marianne, Top Dog) and in the role of Sasha's bestie Märta we see feature film debutant Ellen Taure.

The statement from the Children’s Jury says: “A great protagonist, powerful and vulnerable at the same time, provided us with her captivatingly told, bittersweet story of loss, grief, anger and healing. This film was a rollercoaster ride full of emotions: sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes embarrassing. The music was always most appropriate and appealing. The camera was occasionally stable, yet also shaky. In a word, the film was superb.”

The film is directed by the internationally acclaimed Sanna Lenken who has previously won a Crystal Bear for Best Film at the Berlinale for her feature film debut My Skinny Sister in 2015. The film was also nominated for two Guldbagge Awards and won the Grand Film Award at the Gothenburg International Film Festival. She has previously also directed the success series Thin Blue Line (2021) and the Guldbagge Award-nominated short films Eating Lunch (2104) and Night Children (2018).

Director, Sanna Lenken says: “I am very happy, and delighted that the film has come across. And now my first Crystal Bear gets a friend!”

The film is produced by FLX with producers Rebecka Lafrenz, who previously produced Bert’s Diary (2020), Cockpit (2012) and was awarded the Guldbagge Award for Sebbe (2010), and Anna Anthony, who previously produced Jalla! Jalla! (2000), In a Better World (2010), Becoming Astrid (2018) and Zozo (2005), for which she received the Nordic Council Film Award. Executive producers are Joshua Mehr and Pontus Edgren.

Producers Rebecka Lafrenz and Anna Anthony say: “We are so thrilled that Comedy Queen is being awarded with the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the Berlinale! And to be recognized by a jury of children and youths is especially honouring.”

Comedy Queen was released in Swedish cinemas on February 11th. SF Studios distributes the film in the Nordics and REinvent handles international sales.

For more information, please contact:
Malin Strihagen, Vice President Brand & Communications, SF Studios, +46 70 780 39 35
Helene Aurø, Sales & Marketing Director, Reinvent International Sales, helene.auro@reinvent.dk, +45 23 42 00 07

About SF Studios
SF Studios, established in 1919, is one of the world’s oldest film companies. Today SF Studios is the leading film studio in the Nordic region with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki and London. The company is producing and distributing feature films and TV series as well as providing the streaming service SF Anytime. Alongside its own production operations including Paradox, SF Studios owns the production companies FLX, Filmkameratene and Motion Blur, and is part of the leading Nordic media company Bonnier.

About FLX
FLX is one of Scandinavia's fastest growing production companies in TV drama, feature films and commercials with successes such as the TV series Sunny Side, Love & Anarchy, The Bonus Family, Grotesco, The Simple Heist, Andra åket and Quicksand, the first Swedish original series for Netflix, as well as the feature films The Jonsson Gang, The Hundred Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared, Sunny Side Bert’s Diary and Felix Herngren’s upcoming film Day by Day. FLX is also a leading supplier of commercials for customers such as IKEA, the Swedish Pension Authority, Ikano and many more.

About REinvent Studios
REinvent Studios is a packaging, sales and financing studio all in one. REinvent Studios has extensive knowledge of original trends and sales opportunities in both the Scandinavian and international markets and works with high profile European production companies.