Aniara (2018)

About Aniara

'Aniara' is a 2018 Swedish-Danish co-production directed by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja. It's a bleak science-fiction film based on the 1956 poem of the same name by Harry Martinson. The film presents a dystopian future where Earth has been destroyed, and humanity is forced to set off on a space journey to Mars. However, after a collision with space debris, the spaceship 'Aniara' veers off course, and the travellers are left stranded in space with no hope of returning.

Making / Production

The film is an adaptation of a 1956 epic science-fiction poem by Nobel laureate Harry Martinson. Under the direction of Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, and with the support of production houses Meta Film Stockholm, Viaplay, and Film Capital Stockholm, the poem was converted into a screenplay and subsequently a movie. The film successfully captures the essence of the existential crisis and despair presented in the original poem.

Actors

• Emelie Jonsson as MR: Jonsson's portrayal of MR, the ship's empathetic Mimarobe, is compelling and emotionally charged. MR runs the MIMA, a machine that recreates idyllic memories of Earth.
• Arvin Kananian as the Captain: Kananian humanizes the character of the Captain who struggles to maintain order and sanity as the situation in 'Aniara' deteriorates.
• Bianca Cruzeiro as the Astronomer: Cruzeiro masterfully portrays the Astronomer, an intellectual who goes through a transformative journey of despair and acceptance.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie 'Aniara' is based on the poem 'Aniara: A Review of Man in Time and Space,' written by Swedish Nobel laureate Harry Martinson in 1956.
• Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja share directing credits for the movie, which is rare in the film industry.
• Despite the bleak theme, the film has interspersed moments of true comedy that add relief to the plot.

Awards

'Aniara' was nominated for multiple awards, including Best Direction and Best Cinematography, at the Guldbagge Awards in Sweden in 2019. Emelie Jonsson also received a nomination for Best Actress at the same awards.

Quotes

• "Space is cold. Life is dreadful."
• "We are too far from Earth to turn back. We are moving away from the celestial sphere."
• "Is it really possible that humanity only has one home?"

Music, Soundtrack

• The electronic score by Alexander Bergil provides a haunting background to the existential crisis occurring onboard.
• The movie features an original song, 'Flytta dig,' performed by Jonsson.
• Bergil and Jonsson collaborated on the track 'Ett litet barn,' adding a melancholic layer to the soundtrack.