Film: Fucking Åmål (1998) - Queer Cinema x Queer Rotterdam

FUCKING ÅMÅL - QUEER CINEMA X QUEER ROTTERDAM

Re-release of the heartwarming Swedish classic from 1998. Curated by Queer Rotterdam.

There is not much to do in the boring Swedish provincial town of Åmål. The gloomy teenager Agnes (Rebecca Liljeberg) has recently moved there and doesn’t fit in. She secretly has a crush on Elin (Alexandra Dahlström), the most popular girl in school, but she has nowhere to go with her feelings. Agnes’ world collapses when Elin humiliates her at her 16th birthday party. But Elin, who is fascinated by Agnes’ courage, later regrets her actions. Slowly, the two grow closer to each other.

This debut feature film by Lukas Moodysson was globally praised by critics. Online magazine Autostraddle ranked the film number one in their list of best lesbian films, specifically curated for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. In Åmål itself, the reception was initially cautious, out of fear of possible damage to the town’s reputation. However, with the annual Fucking Åmål Pop Festival, the local community has now embraced the film.

QUEER ROTTERDAM

Queer Rotterdam is a collective of local queers, who, for the most part, have full-time jobs and dedicate their free time to volunteer and organize events exclusively for LGBTQI+/queer community, aiming for queers older than 25 years old. Their events are intentionally designed for small groups, fostering an intimate and inclusive atmosphere for meaningful interactions. They aim to connect, support and empower the people from the Rotterdam LGBTQI+ / queer community. Next to that, they also want to improve and facilitate cooperation and mutual understanding within the community. They organise many small events, like Board Game Nights, DnD, Support/Discussion groups, TaalCafe, and various workshops.