The documentary directed by Magnus Gertten and Stefan Berg tops the Swedish critics film chart for 2014 with 4.14 on the review index, just above Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure (3.81). It has also been playing in Norway for the last eight weeks via Storytelling Media and has attracted more than 8,500 cinemagoers. Kinoscreen in Finland will release it on November 07.
A Thousand Pieces gives a new interpretation to the songs written by Björn Afzelius who was the best-selling artist in Sweden in the 80s and early 90s. It also brings to the open secrets about his life referred to in his songs but unknown to many.
Commenting on the excellent audience response, director/producer Magnus Gertten, co-owner of Auto Images said:” From the outset our idea was to make a mainstream documentary about Björn Afzelius, but the number of admissions has exceeded our wildest expectations. We wanted to make an honest and loving film about an artist that many people have had biased opinions about. It became not only a music documentary, but also a story about how difficult it is to live one’s life, something that many people can identify with. The cinema turnout shows that we have succeeded with the ambition set out for our storyline, which of course we are very proud of.”
Recent Swedish docs that have conquered local audiences include Searching for Sugar Man (150,000 admissions, 2013) and Palme (240,000 admissions, 2012).
Magnus Gertten’s upcoming project is April 28-Every Face has a Name, referring to the thousands of Holocaust survivors who arrived in Malmö on April 28, 1945 thanks to the Swedish Red Cross rescue missions. The film’s ambition is to put names on all the anonymous faces that arrived in Malmö nearly 70 years ago and let them tell their stories.