Livet är en schlager

Infobox Film
name = Livet är en schlager


caption =
director = Susanne Bier
writer = Jonas Gardell
starring = Helena Bergström,
Jonas Karlsson,
Björn Kjellman
producer = Thomas Heinesen
distributor =
music =
budget =
released = 10 November 2000
runtime = 106 min.
country = Sweden
language = Swedish
imdb_id = 0265232

"Livet är en schlager" ("Life is a Schlager", also known as "Once in a Lifetime" or "Hånden på hjertet" in Danish) is a Swedish film released in 2000, written by Jonas Gardell and written by his usual directing partner Susanne Bier. The film features cameo appearances by many Swedish singers. The film was produced by Nordisk Film and Sveriges Television in association with Sonet Film and TV2 Denmark. [BFI.org.uk [http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/712457 Review] ]

Plot

The film is based around the life of Mona Berglund, a mother-of-four obsessed with the Eurovision Song Contest - so much so, that her house is decorated with posters of her idols, and she has named her children after Swedish Eurovision performers: Kikki, Anna Book, Lena PH and Carola. Her partner Bosse is unemployed, and she is left to feed the family. Her brother, Candy, is a transvestite and an AIDS-sufferer who designs clothes. David, Mona's employer, a cerebral palsy-sufferer, is a proficient songwriter however, and composes a song which Mona steals and sends a demo of (with her own lyrics) into Melodifestivalen, the Swedish heats for the Eurovision contest. Much to Mona's delight, the song qualifies for the finals. Mona's new-found fame takes her to unexpected places, including a TV interview, and an invitation to lunch at Berns. Throughout, the film, though, Mona is torn as to whether she should reveal that she was not in fact the only writer of her song, and thus risk losing the public's support.

Music

The film features several songs by well-known Swedish singers, such as "If Life Was A Song", performed by Carola Häggkvist, "I Believe In Miracles" performed by Lena Philipsson and "Kärleksikonen" performed by Regina Lund. [Ginza.se [http://www.ginza.se/?artnr=12320&referer=kelkoo&tduid=ae636e30f72a73ee48e57ba924f89de5 Livet är en schlager CD] ]

The film also features the song "Aldrig ska jag sluta älska dig", originally performed by Helena Bergström, which was later released by Gardell. [Jonas Gardell [http://www.jonasgardell.se/doc/music.jsp Musik] ]

Cast and characters

*Helena Bergström - Mona
*Jonas Karlsson - David
*Björn Kjellman - Candy
*Thomas Hanzon - Bosse
*Sissela Kyle - Woman at the employment office
*Katarina Ewerlöf - Moa, project manager
*Regina Lund - Sabina
*Douglas Johansson - Hairdresser
*Jessica Zandén - Woman at the café
*Frida Hallgren - TV engineer

References

External links

sv icon [http://www.filmtipset.se/review.cgi?object=913 Review from Filmtipset.se]