Songs from the Second Floor
- Lars Nordh as Kalle
- Stefan Larsson as Stefan
- Bengt C. W. Lennart Carlsson
- Torbjörn Fahlström as Pelle
- Sten Andersson Lasse
- Rolando Nunez as a stranger
- Lucio Vucina as a magician
- Peter Roth as Tomas
- Klas - Gösta Olsson Spanish Author
- Nils Eriksson as a patient
- Hanna Eriksson Mia
- Tommy Johansson as Uffe
- Sture Olsson Sven
- Fredrik Sjögren as a Russian boy
Songs from the Second Floor is the third film by Swedish director Roy Andersson from the year 2000. The film won several awards including the Special Jury Prize at Cannes 2000. The film opened on 18 April 2002 in German cinemas.
Action
The film does not have stringent, narrative structure, but is divided into different, seemingly juxtaposed scenes, but who have in common a strange - sounding desperate mood and playing at the same time.
The film begins with a scene in which Pelle learns from his superiors Lennart, it's time to fire someone. However, it is not a normal conversation, instead, the supervisor is in a bare room with a solarium, whose artificial light illuminates the room. So Lennart is not even visible to Pelle when he submissive and noticeably intimidated receives the instructions. Shortly thereafter, Lasse is released, then crawls around on the floor of the commercial building and clings to Pelles legs. In the midst of such episodes is Kalle, who has just put his furniture shop on fire to collect the insurance. He is desperate and knows that he will not succeed with his scam. Moreover, sits his son Tomas, who has gone mad from writing poetry, in psychiatry. Other short episodes are strung together and are held together by the general apocalyptic mood and always at the center standing Kalle. Also, run through different scenes over and over again the futility entrungene phrases like Everything has its time and be loved, who sits down.
Reviews
- "Welcome to Roy Andersson's Absurditätenkabinett. " (SZ on Sunday )
- " Grandiose, grotesque and certainly unique. " (Kölner Stadt Anzeiger )
- " Kafka meets Tarkovsky. A pretty exciting combination. " (Berliner Morgenpost)
- " Roy Andersson has made a challenging and impressive in every way film that casts a hurtful and bitter look at what makes up our human existence at heart. Anyone who has seen him, his pictures do not forget " (cut - The film magazine ).
- " A beautiful movie about the end times " ( taz)
Awards and festival participation
- International Film Festival of Cannes 2000 Jury Prize
- Guldbagge 2001 in the category Best Film
- British Independent Film Award ( Best Foreign Independent Film, Foreign Language)
- 2001 Rotterdam International Film Festival, Filmmaker in Focus " Roy Andersson "
- 2001 Toronto International Film Festival
- 2001 International Film Festival Karlovy Vary
- 2001 AFI Film Festival
- 2001 London Film Festival
- 2001 Film Festival Hong Kong
- 2001 Pusan International Film Festival
- 2001 Film Festival Seoul
- 2001 Film Festival Tai Pei
- 2001 Festival Internacional de Cine de Mar del Plata
- 2001 Rio Film Festival