Ravens is based on Tomas Bannerhed’s August Prize-winning novel Korparna.
The drama is set on a Swedish farm in the 1970s. In a village that is slowly losing its population, the farmer Agne is driven to the brink of insanity by the depressing work at the farm, an obsession with making his oldest son Klas take over, and a nagging feeling that someone wants to harm his family. Klas, 15, imagines himself far from the farm and is drawn to the world of birds. But as external threats escalate and his inner feeling of guilt grows, Klas is faced with a choice he can’t escape – to pursue freedom or to retreat.

Jens Assur’s debut feature film Ravens is a well-rounded and detailed epic. Exquisite and varied acting paired with equally fantastic cinematography elevate this story about Sweden at a time of change. Agne, an ageing farmer, struggles against the land as his dreams crumble around him, while his wife tries to hold things together as their eldest son yearningly watches over his beloved ravens in the forest. This is the 1970s – a long time ago, yet still close at hand. With artistic courage and uncompromising consistency, Assur creates a story with universal reach.

National Jury members: Kristina Börjeson, Emma Gray-Munthe, Gunnar Bergdahl