2023-12-23 10:20:24
In this year that is about to end, quality Spanish series have been concentrated during this last quarter, as has been the case of the brilliant ‘This is not Sweden’, a very lucid x-ray of the enormous contradictions that many families have between the political correctness of their actions and intentions with stubborn reality.
Plataforma
RTVEPlay / TV3
November 2023 Season
Nationality Spain
Episodes 8 of 40 min.
Creators Aina Clotet, Sergi Cameron
Starring Aina Clotet, Marcel Borras, Violeta Sanvisens
The move of a family with two children in search of a better quality of life to the Vallvidrera neighborhood in the high and mountainous area of Barcelona is the perfect excuse to show us family dynamics that have evolved a lot in recent years, with special attention in the infantile tyranny of small children who get everything they want from doubtful parents afraid of disappointing their children.
Many of the situations are similar to those that we see reflected in our family and school environments, but that have hardly been reflected in our television series and much less dissected in such an instructive way as in ‘This is not Sweden’, recent winner of the Prix Europe for the best European series of 2023.
The plot: Mariana and Samuel are a committed and modern family who have decided to move from the center of Barcelona to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Both have made an agreement whereby Samuel is going to stay at home taking care of the little boy, Max, while Mariana, after four years taking care of the older girl, Lia, has returned to the workplace, creating a company that sells Moroccan rugs. fair price.
In her new neighborhood, Mariana is a fervent admirer of her neighbors across the street, a Swedish family (hence the title of the series) who for Mariana represent perfection in every sense and she does not hesitate to imitate them in their customs and behaviors, even that suddenly they fall from that Olympus to which he had elevated them.
‘This is not Sweden’ continually plays with the contradictions between the things that Mariana and Samuel should do to be the most socially aware and involved, with their real actions that often get them into difficult corners.
In this area, her daughter Lía plays a fundamental role, an earthquake fantastically played by the little Violeta Sanvisens, who does absolutely what she wants with her two parents, playing with causing them feelings of guilt for any whim they do not give her, in addition to manipulating them in any way. Machiavellian way.
Another interesting aspect is that both members of the couple do not awaken unbreakable empathy as their relationship degenerates due to the need to always try to look good, which undermines their relationship due to their own questionable decisions.
By showing these defects of the two protagonists, the series becomes an observational fresco, where the external facade of the posture of justifying a social and ethical commitment in all aspects of life prevails, while inside its core begins to melt. slowly and inexorably,
Creator: Aina Clotet is a well-known actress in Catalonia for her participation in many TV3 series, but she had always aspired to create and direct her own ideas.
To do this, there is nothing better than using her personal experience with her partner, actor Marcel Borrás, and their two children, to fictionalize many of the personal situations they have experienced. Aina Clotet did not hesitate to present her idea at the Goteborg festival, to obtain the support of public television SVT in order to film it as a co-production.
Protagonist: The meta-referential game of having the real couple formed by Aina Clotet and Marcel Borras, as the protagonists Mariana and Samuel, causes enormous complicity on the screen. Both characters convey their enormous vulnerabilities and doubts that can end up turning them into everything they have been avoiding all their lives, being like their parents, in addition to showing a great capacity to strip themselves emotionally as a fictional couple, going from drama to comedy in a matter of seconds.
#Sweden #family #posture #consequences