A cherished November staple since 1989, the Stockholm International Film Festival is getting ready to light up yet another fortnight during the hazy Swedish autumn. It all starts unspooling on the night of Wednesday 8th, with little breathing space until the 19th, when a handsome selection of awards will also have been handed out, with the list topped off by the weighty Bronze Horse for the best film in the competition. In total, 130 flicks from 50 countries are on the programme for this 34th edition of the festival, brimming with guests, special themes and a few good parties to go with it all. The festival’s industry days will take place from 14-16 November, encompassing work-in-progress presentations, topical panel discussions, master classes and networking events. For the 15th year, the festival will also hold its Rising Star event, celebrating an especially deserving young acting talent on the Swedish scene bound for further on-screen greatness.

Opening it all in spectacular fashion will be this year’s Venice Golden Lion winner, Poor Things [+lire aussi :
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interview : Suzy Bemba
Q&A : Yorgos Lanthimos
fiche film] by Yorgos Lanthimos (himself a Bronze Horse recipient for Dogtooth [+lire aussi :
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interview : Yorgos Lanthimos
fiche film] in 2008); indeed, the insistent gaze of Emma Stone from that very film is this year’s official poster. Hot and handpicked highlights from the latest Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Telluride and Toronto festivals include Priscilla [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Sofia Coppola, Close Your Eyes [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Víctor Erice, The Beast [+lire aussi :
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interview : Bertrand Bonello
fiche film] by Bertrand Bonello, The Holdovers by Alexander Payne, Me Captain [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Matteo Garrone, Wildcat by Ethan Hawke, Last Summer [+lire aussi :
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interview : Catherine Breillat
fiche film] by Catherine Breillat and The Old Oak [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Ken Loach. Loach will additionally be presented with the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award, while Breillat will be getting the Visionary Award and Hawke the special Stockholm Achievement Award. The two latter helmers will be present in person, while Loach is being represented by his long-time screenwriting partner Paul Laverty, all of whom will be dispensing master classes. Fittingly coinciding with the awarding of Loach, the festival will have a special country focus on the United Kingdom, showcasing ten select titles, among them Molly Manning Walker’s Cannes-awarded How to Have Sex [+lire aussi :
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interview : Molly Manning Walker
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fiche film] and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn [+lire aussi :
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fiche film], bringing out the assorted eccentricities of the British upper class.

Another spotlight theme this year is labelled “The Other Truth” and will deal with the vagaries of truths and untruths in a hi-tech world in our days and times. AI, deep fakes and filter bubbles are explored in seven titles, including Soda Jerk’s Hello Dankness and Kristoffer Borgli’s Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage. Borgli’s film is also entered in the main competition, this year consisting of 18 movies by directors with three or fewer films under their belt. The documentary competition has 13 contenders, including Ukraine’s 2024 Oscar entry 20 Days in Mariupol [+lire aussi :
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interview : Mstyslav Chernov
fiche film] by Mstyslav Chernov. Awards night is Friday 17 November.

The full programme is available to peruse here.