JERUSALEM

A gorgeous, sweeping epic of love and sacrifice set against a backdrop of religious fundamentalism, JERUSALEM marks another triumph by one of the world's great directors, Bille August. As everything he's always known is torn asunder by faithe and fervor, a young man must make an arduous choice – stay in his quiet, pastoral village or risk everything to follow his one true love to the unknown, alien Holy Land. Ingmar's life is shaken to its foundation by the arrival of Hellgum, a charismatic brand of Christianity enraptures many of the townspeople, including Ingmar's crippled sister, Karin, and his beloved, Gertrud. Hellgum tells them of a paradise on Earth, Jerusalem, where they must go to await the Second Coming. When Karin sells the family farm to finance thier journey, Ingmar realizes he may now lose both his inheritance and his true love. Beautifully shot and awash in romance and an almost Biblical atmosphere, JERUSALEM unfolds with elegaic grace. Contrasting the placid, cold landscape of Sweden with the sun-drenched turmoil of Palestine, August has created a singularly affecting work of immense power. In Swedish with English subtitles.- Toronto International Film Festival