HalloHallo (Hallåhallå)
Sweden 2014

Opening 19 Nov 2015

Directed by: Maria Blom
Writing credits: Maria Blom
Principal actors: Maria Sid, Johan Holmberg, Ann Petrén, Calle Jacobson, Tina Råborg

A warm-hearted Swedish comedy that will keep you toasty through the winter, HalloHallo keeps winning audience awards at film festivals. Disa is 40ish, a bit dumpy and way too accommodating. Her husband has left her for a twiggy new model; she’s bossed around by her mother and by the chief matron at the hospital where she works. While her ex is looking sporty and put together, Disa remains stuck in her rut. An old crone in the hospital tests her patience beyond its limits, and she tries martial arts to get out some aggression. But one day when she’s handing the kids over to her ex in the library, a roguish charmer named Kent catches her eye. Kent has seven kids by a bunch of women, and a most relaxed outlook on life. His message for Disa: take care of yourself, and the rest will follow. Actress Maria Sid is priceless in the lead role. Stockholm-born director Maria Blom is also a playwright and screenwriter. She prefers to film in the Swedish province of Dalarna, where she lives. (Brenda Benthien)