The Emigrants is produced by SF Studios and is based on Sweden’s most beloved classic novel written by Vilhelm Moberg. Erik Poppe (Utøya: July 22, the King’s Choice) will direct the epic drama which tells the story of the one and a half million Swedes that sought a better life across the Atlantic. The screenplay is written by Siv Rajendram Eliassen and Anne Bache-Wiig.

The Emigrants is a sweeping story about love and adventure, which takes the audience through Kristina and Karl-Oskar’s life changing journey. It is also a story about Sweden, about Swedes and a reminder of the deep humanity that drives us all.

Bodil nominated actress Lisa Carlehed (In Your Arms, Until We Fall, Psychosia) takes on her first leading role in a major Swedish production to star as Kristina opposite Gustav Skarsgård (438 Days, Vikings) who will play Karl-Oskar. Internationally acclaimed actresses Liv Ullmann and Sofia Helin (The Snowman, Arn: The Knight Templar, The Bridge) round out the cast. Ullmann, who portrayed Kristina in Jan Troell’s Oscar-nominated feature drama of The Emigrants in 1971, this time plays the role of Anna, Kristina’s mother.

”To take on the almost mythical role of Kristina feels incredible,” said Lisa Carlehed. “Gustaf and I have had great chemistry during rehearsals, where I have been able to discover the complexities of the character, and I hope to depict a side of Kristina that hasn’t been seen on screen before. I have also always wanted to play the leading role in a Swedish epic drama of this magnitude, so I am very much looking forward to working with SF Studios to portray the love and the courage that characterizes the emigrants’ journey from Sweden to America.”

”To work on such a classic tale as The Emigrants and a character like Karl-Oskar is a dream come true. I was immediately drawn to the powerful and strong relationship between Karl-Oskar and Kristina. Their love, courage and desire to survive at all costs are universal themes which shine a light on humanity as a whole. It is a story about love for your family, love for your country, love for what we call home and I can’t wait to get started on the project,” said Gustaf Skarsgård.

“With The Emigrants, I want to show, through Kristina’s eyes, the love story between her and Karl-Oskar as well as their struggle for a better life. How far are you willing to go to save your children? Their fearless resilience as refugees who embarked on a magnificent but also dramatic journey from Småland and across the Atlantic to Minnesota is awe-inspiring. The Emigrants will make audiences feel a range of emotions – hope, fear, love and sorrow. It’s a timeless and relevant story about who we are, where we come from and how to achieve our dreams,” said Erik Poppe, director.

”The story that Vilhelm Moberg told over 70 years ago is a timeless classic and more relevant today than when it was first written,” said Fredrik Wikström Nicastro, producer, SF Studios. “In The Emigrants, we follow Kristina and Karl-Oskar’s courageous choices to leave everything behind for the chance to start over and build a new, better life for themselves and their family. It’s a sensational adventure they take us on, which is about finding their place in the world, finding a new home. This is a dream project that we have developed for many years and the film is now finally, with this fantastic ensemble cast, ready to be made.”

The Emigrants is produced by SF Studios in co-production with TV4/Cmore, Film i Väst, Nordsvensk Filmunderhållning, Paradox, SF Studios Danmark and Fantefilm with the support from the Swedish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, The Norwegian Film Institute, The Danish Film Institute and DR.

The film, to be distributed by SF Studios in the Nordics, will be released on Christmas Day 2021. REInvent International Sales are handling international sales.
 

For more information, please contact:
Fredrik Wikström Nicastro, SVP International Production, SF Studios, +46 70 413 63 83, fredrik.wikstromnicastro@sfstudios.se,
Malin Strihagen, VP Brand & Communications, SF Studios, +46 70 780 39 35, malin.strihagen@sfstudios.se

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 produces and distributes feature films and TV series as well as provides the digital services SF Anytime and SF Kids. SF Studios is part of the leading Nordic media company Bonnier.