Elina: As If I Wasn't There

2003 1h 17m SV

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 25

DramaFamily

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In rural Sweden of the early 1950s, little Elina goes to school again after recovering from tuberculosis, the same illness that has killed her father a few years earlier. Elina's family belongs to Finnish-speaking Finns frowned upon by a staunch schoolmistress who starts hounding Elina for questioning her authority. Elina's mother, sister, and a liberal young male teacher all try to mediate the ensuing battle of wills between Elina and Miss Holm. Elina finds consolation in wandering out on the dangerous marshlands to have imaginary conversations with her dead father. Written by Markku Kuoppamäki

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Natalie Minnevik
Elina
Bibi Andersson
Tora Holm
Marjaana Maijala
Marta
Henrik Rafaelsen
Einar Björk
Tind Soneby
Irma
Björn Granath
The Doctor
Jarl Lindblad
Veikko Niemi
Sara Arnia
Sara

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Klaus Härö
Writers: Kjell Sundstedt
Languages: Finnish, Swedish
Countries: 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

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 77-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Finnish, Swedish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Finland, Sweden.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Klaus Härö, shot by Jarkko T. Laine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tuomas Kantelinen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Natalie Minnevik and Bibi Andersson and Marjaana Maijala carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Klaus Härö directs. Jarkko T. Laine behind the camera. Tuomas Kantelinen scores. Riitta Poikselkä cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Finland, Sweden. Dialogue in Finnish, Swedish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 77-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 23 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Finnish, Swedish.
4International production across 2 countries: Finland, Sweden.
5Directed by Klaus Härö, shot by Jarkko T. Laine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Tuomas Kantelinen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Riitta Poikselkä shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Natalie Minnevik and Bibi Andersson and Marjaana Maijala carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0330911 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 25 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.