Swedish master Jan Troell has always had a deep understanding of historical currents and how individuals confront them. His heroes have been either drifters, buffeted about by historical currents, or dreamers who found themselves ahead of the cultural curve, railing against their time and, in some cases, nature itself. Set in the early days of the last century, Everlasting Moments has the same epic scope as his previous work, encompassing everything from socialist and evangelical movements to industrialization and urbanization. But it also operates on a far more intimate, human scale. Based on the life of his wife's grandmother, the film is a profoundly personal look at cultural shifts through the history of one family.
Maria (Maria Heiskanen) is swept away by the loutish rake Sigfrid (Mikael Persbrandt, who delivers a phenomenal performance), and marries him at a young age. Sigfrid can't keep a job, but possesses a unique gift for stumbling home roaring drunk at the worst possible moment. Eventually, his rage and frustration manifest themselves on the domestic front. Confronted with a bleak future, Maria strikes up a friendship with Mr. Petersson (Jesper Christensen), the proprietor of the local photography shop. She begins taking her own photographs. For her, it's a near magical window to a world she knows little about, and a welcome respite from her tumultuous home life. Her new pastime poses troubling questions for her, though: is the satisfaction she gets from it worth her marriage, one of the few constants in her life?
Everlasting Moments reverses conventional thinking about history. It's not the great man on horseback, but the housewife with a camera whose actions really change the world. In particular, Maria's decisions have a profound effect on her children – especially her daughter Maja, who serves as narrator. In a rather telling irony, Maria's independent nature affects Maja so powerfully that her daughter can no longer understand when she chooses to place her family first.
Everlasting Moments is an affectionate tribute by one generation to its predecessors, one that‘s more moving because of the cultural schism between them.
Steve Gravestock
Jan Troell was born in Malmö, Sweden. He initially worked as a cameraman for director Bo Widerberg, and often works as cinematographer on his own films. His filmography includes Here's Your Life (66), Who Saw Him Die? (68), The Emigrants (71), for which he was nominated for Academy Awards® for both best direction and best adapted screenplay, The New Land (72), Il Capitano (91), Hamsun (96), As White as in Snow (01), Presence (03) and Everlasting Moments (08).