10/01/2025 - The pic is based on true events in the 1930s and inspired by the so-called Korpela Movement, a controversial religious sect known for its apocalyptic beliefs and unorthodox rituals

Jessica Grabowsky and Jakob Öhrman in Raptures (© Mimmo Hildén/Iris Film AB)

Writer-director Jon Blåhed’s new effort, a historical drama-thriller titled Raptures, is set to world-premiere at this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam, unspooling from 30 January-9 February (see the news). The pic, which is being showcased in the Big Screen strand, is based on true events that unfolded in the 1930s and is inspired by the so-called “Korpela Movement”, a controversial religious sect that first emerged in Northern Sweden and was known for its apocalyptic beliefs and unorthodox rituals. The creative team bills it as “a gripping tale of faith, loyalty, and the fragile line between devotion and delusion”.

In detail, the plot is set in the remote northern reaches of 1930s Sweden and follows Rakel, a devout Christian, who faces a profound moral quandary when her husband, Teodor, establishes a sect with purported divine guidance. As Teodor’s actions veer into extremism, Rakel finds herself ensnared in a perilous web of faith and familial duty. With each passing day, the safety of her stepdaughter hangs in the balance, challenging Rakel to reconcile her deeply held beliefs with the alarming trajectory of her husband's increasingly erratic behaviour.

“In the light of growing fanaticism, the increasing fragmentation of societies and the strengthening of patriarchal power structures in various parts of the world, Raptures is a poignantly topical study of human weakness, but also resilience and empowerment in the face of moral adversity. Raptures is inspired by the novel Dagning, röd! by Bengt Pohjanen and is the first feature with a main dialogue in the minority language Meänkieli,” reveals the official press release.

The cast is led by Jessica Grabowsky (Icebreaker), Jakob Öhrman (Eisenstein in Guanajuato [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Peter Greenaway
film profile]), Elina Knihtilä (Family Time [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tia Kouvo
film profile]) and Golden Globe nominee Alma Pöysti (Fallen Leaves [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Blåhed, born in 1987, hails from the Torne Valley region in northernmost Sweden, the very setting of his second fiction feature. He made his directorial debut in 2018 with the documentary feature Maj Doris [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which premiered at Hot Docs. Since then, he has helmed several projects, including two Moving Sweden productions titled Shut up Haters (2019) and Inland [+see also:
film review
interview: Jon Blåhed
film profile] (2020), along with the documentary feature The Count [+see also:
film review
film profile] (2021) and the eight-part TV series Fake Patient (2023).

Raptures is being produced by Iris Film AB (Sweden) in co-production with Rabbit Films (Finland), Filmpool Nord and SVT, in association with LjudBang (Sweden) and YLE, with support from the Swedish Film Institute, the Finnish Film Foundation and Business Finland. The project will also be showcased at the Nordic Film Market at the Göteborg Film Festival prior to the EFM in Berlin. Germany’s Picture Tree International is in charge of its world sales. The theatrical release in Sweden and Finland is slated for the end of the year.