Falkenberg Farewell

There is not much to do in Falkenberg, a small coastal town in Sweden. In Jesper Ganslandt's loosely autobiographical FALKENBERG FAREWELL, five friends in their early twenties-aloof Jesper (played by Ganslandt), quiet John, mischievous Jorgen, loyal Holger, and introspective David-idle away their last summer together, anticipating the bittersweet end of their lackadaisical youth. Through its episodic narrative and poetic voice-over, the film follows the young men, who are played by non-professional actors, as they avoid mindless jobs to skinny-dip in the ocean, play soccer in the park, and break into homes. Yet, these roguish activities are starting to lose their thrill, and even drugs don't cure the boredom anymore. As they watch their parents get older and their peers move away from the small town, the friends nostalgically reflect on their idyllic past and apprehensively await their unknown future. Though change seems almost impossible for this group of slackers, by the end of the summer the are made to face adulthood. (In Swedish with English subtitles) – E.J.B.