Popular Music

2004 1h 45m SV

😐

6.2

MID

⭐

6.5

IMDB

★6.2TMDB · 68★6.5IMDB · 5,942

ComedyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Matti and Niila, growing up in the mid-sixties in the harsh and conservative environment of a Finnish-speaking part of Tornedalen in Swedish Laponia, close to the Finnish border. Their big dream is to become rock stars. In the present the now grown-up Matti feels guilt for the death of his drug-addicted rock star friend Niila.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Max Enderfors
Matti (age 15)
Andreas af Enehielm
Niila (age 15)
Niklas Ulfvarson
Matti (age 7)
Tommy Vallikari
Niila (age 7)
Jarmo Mäkinen
Isak, Niila's Father
Kati Outinen
Päivi, Niila's Mother
Björn Kjellman
Greger
Lennart Jähkel
Einari

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Reza Bagher
Writers: Erik Norberg, Reza Bagher
Languages: Finnish, Swedish
Countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $2.2M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Grossed $28M — a 12.6× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Finnish, Swedish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Reza Bagher, shot by Robert Nordström. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Lars Daniel Terkelsen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Fredrik Morheden shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Reza Bagher directs. Robert Nordström behind the camera. Lars Daniel Terkelsen scores. Fredrik Morheden cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in Denmark, Finland, Sweden. Dialogue in Finnish, Swedish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $2.2M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Grossed $28M — a 12.6× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.
3Released 22 years ago.
4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Finnish, Swedish.
5International production across 3 countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden.
6Directed by Reza Bagher, shot by Robert Nordström. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Lars Daniel Terkelsen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Fredrik Morheden shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Max Enderfors and Andreas af Enehielm and Niklas Ulfvarson carry the top of the cast.
10IMDB entry: tt0314524 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 68 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
12Classified under 23 themes, including "friendship", "child abuse", "rock 'n' roll", "music record".