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To Garbo and Lenin

Greta Garbo and Vladimir Lenin meet at PUB department store in Stockholm 1917. They both have lost a dream. They start a conversation that remains all day while they are walking through
the city.
A historical fantasy in a mixed technique about two people before they become icons and their dreams before they come true.

  • Jessica Laurén
    Director
    The "Who?"-films, "Kiddie Thoughts", "Water of the Sun", "Incidents - Way home"
  • Jessica Laurén
    Writer
    Water of the Sun, Incidents - Way home
  • Hend Aroal
    Producer
    Ett tyst barn, Spel, Höstminnen
  • Simon J Berger
    Key Cast
    "Lenin"
    Call Girl, Den perfekta stöten, Homesick, Istället för abrakadabra - Jönssonligan, Istället för abrakadabra
  • Silke Varga Laurén
    Key Cast
    "Garbo"
    Sleepwalker, [Super:bia], Twelfth Night (theater play, Stadsteatern), Lärare för livet (Theater play, Stadsteatern)
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Romance, Historical, Political, Fiction
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 38 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    90,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Sweden
  • Country of Filming:
    Sweden
  • Language:
    English, French, German, Swedish
  • Shooting Format:
    2K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Best Mini Film, MovieScreenPro Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    October 5, 2018
    World Premiere
    Best Drama, Fan Award, Best Making of
  • South Film and Arts Academy Festival
    O'Higgins
    Chile
    May 19, 2018
    South American Premiere
    Best Historical Shortfilm, Best Costume Design
  • Near Nazareth Film Festival
    Afula
    Israel
    June 3, 2018
    Israelian premiere
    Best Trailer
  • Short Movie Club Film Festival
    Minsk
    Belarus
    February 24, 2018
  • Los Angeles Women International Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    March 24, 2018
    US Premiere
  • Move Me Productions Belgium Film Festival
    Antwerp
    Belgium
    March 19, 2018
    Belgium Premiere
    Official selection
  • Sedicicorto International Film Festival
    Forli
    Italy
    October 9, 2018
    Italian premiere
  • The Norwegian International Seagull Short Film Festival
    Sveio, Hordaland
    Norway
    February 16, 2018
    World Premiere
  • ARFF Berlin // International Award
    Berlin
    Germany
    January 1, 2019
Distribution Information
  • SVT
    Country: Sweden
    Rights: Free TV
  • YLE
    Country: Finland
    Rights: Free TV
Director Biography - Jessica Laurén

Jessica Laurén
Born: 1967-09-21
Description: Director, animator. Born Jessica Patricia Laurén in Stockholm.

FILMOGRAPHY:
Direction:
2016 - “Helt random” - animated TV-series, in developement with funding from Moving Sweden
2016 - “To Garbo and Lenin” - short film in mixed technique, funded by the Swedish Film Institute, co-produced by SVT
2012 - “Who is where?” part 2 - animated feature film, screened at Swedish cinemas
2010 - “Who?” part 1 - animated feature film, screened at Swedish cinemas
2004 - “Kiddie thoughts” - animated TV-series, 10 episodes, coproduction SVT/ Filmtecknarna
1994 - “Water of the Sun” - short animation

AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS etc, in selection:
2018 - To Garbo and Lenin - Best Drama, Best Making Of, Fan Award, MovieScreenPro
2018 - To Garbo and Lenin - Best Historical Short Film and Best Costume Awards, SFAAF
2018 - To Garbo and Lenin - Best Trailer Award at Near Nazareth Film Festival
2018 - To Garbo and Lenin - Best Trailer Award - ARFF, Around International Film Festival
2012 - BUFF:s och Sydsvenskans stora filmpris (The great film award by BUFF and Sydsvenskan) for
the “Who?”-films
2011 - Nominated to the Alternative Golden Bug at Kulturnyheterna (SVT) for directing the Whofilms
2012 - Retrospective screening of my children films at Gothenburg Film Festival Junior
2010 - Nominated for The Annecy Cristal with “Who’s bleeding?”
2010 - “Premio Speciale categoria Elements +3”, award for “Who’s bleeding”,
Salerno International Film Festival
1994: Filmens Dags Stipendium (Scholar ship, Filmens Dag) for ”Water of the Sun”, short film

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I have been working with animation since I left school like hundreds of years ago, and since the first day I started I just love the media: You create your own world right out of your head, with your own pictures, sound, music, characters... I still find it completely magic.
I started with drawn animation, classic 2D-style, but have later on evolved my style more and more into mixed techniques to reach new styles and expressions.
The idea to "To Garbo and Lenin" has been with me for over ten years. Me and a friend was talking about the historical facts that said that Garbo had once worked at the hat department in PUB department store in Stockholm, and that Lenin had passed PUB on his way from Europe to Russia, buying a suit. What if they had met? What would they actually have to say to each other?
I still love the idea and I am so happy that I have got the opportunity to finally make this film. The style references is a mix between old Art Nouveau posters and equally old colorized movies. I have used filmed actors against painted backgrounds and I really like the result. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!