Through a Glass Brightly

Living the Rom-Com in Sweden

Why I love the internet: A few months ago, I opened my e-mail, and there was an invitation from a friendly screenwriter and instructor named Arvid Unsgaard -

- asking me if I'd like to teach romantic comedy to the students at a relatively new film school in Sweden.  We could do it by video-cam, or if I preferred, by my coming over there...?

Well, yuh-huh.  Cut to: On a Sunday evening in the dead of winter, I arrived in Visby, a medieval walled city in the countryside on the island of Gotland - here's the wall - 

- had a nice dinner with Arvid, settled into a cozy little room at a family inn, and then early the next morning was driven to the Story Film & TV school (housed in a former military installation), and met nine students who were preparing to write full-length screenplays that were either romantic comedies or had rom-com elements in them. 

I realize that "Sweden" and "Romantic Comedy" don't seem to go together, but as I kept reminding people, even Bergman made a rom-com (Smiles of a Summer Night, which Sondheim turned into A Little Night Music).  These students were a delightful bunch of bright writers who spoke English very well, and thanks to their buoyant, welcoming spirit (here for example is serious-but-mischievous Sebastian, and fun-loving Caroline, who looks uncharacteristically serious in this photo) -

- I felt very much at home talking about cute meets and passionate characters and why so many jokes revolve around the principle of three. After two days of teaching, we all went out to a restaurant, where I ate reindeer for the first time (sorry, Rudolph, but it was delicious) and got wonderfully shnockered.  Despite what you may have heard, the Swedes are not depressed or depressing (that would be the Norwegians).  But the landscape certainly does look Berman-esque.

And on my last afternoon, we took a trip to the island of Faro, where Ingmar Bergman lived.  Being able to spend some time in the realm of Bergman was really quite moving.  Here is me on the beach where a famous tracking shot from Persona was shot:

Here is the little cinema that Bergman built, and watched films in with his family:

In the editing room on the top floor, there are still rolls of footage and editing records:

Here are two views of Bergman's home, deep in a beautiful forest of Faro:

And here is the grave where he is buried with his wife Ingrid:

A local newspaper published an article about my visit, with a teaser shot of me on the front page ("Filmkung larde ut om romantik") next to a photo of a local girl wearing a Santa Lucia crown of candles, above a blurb about a sports star who abused his wife, and a blurb about pigs from a pig farm getting loose.  Is this romantic comedy, or what?

I fell in love with Visby (even though it was only light out between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., so I really only ever saw it in the dark) and all of my students, and Arvid and the School, and I hope to return when the sun is shining and the weather is warm.  Sverige är bäst!

Comments

[E.C. Henry]

Cool vacation pitures, Billy. Thanks for sharing. Glad to read you're open to trying new things -- like eatting reindeer! Too wieird that your going off to cold place in the dead of winter. Why isn't Hawaii knocking your door for a teaching envite. Now THAT'S what you should be pushing for. - E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

[mernitman]

Funny you should mention Hawaii, EC: I actually taught there for two consecutive years, a little while back, at the U of H's film program. And it was fab!

[Judith Duncan]

Hey Billy,

Wow,what a great trip! I can see how that newpaper article would be a great rom com.

A lonely pig farmer whose childhood sweetheart was stolen by a local sports star, vows to win her back by finding her beloved Santa Lucia Crown in time for Christmas.

I have some good news,I'm one of nine finalsts in the Australian Writer's Guild - Terror Australis - horror screenplay comp with my teenage zombie horror/comedy,'Zombie Butterscotch Kiss'
The logline is; You know he really loves you if he's not interested in your brain.

I just want to say thank you for constantly shining your light on the rom/com and your wonderfully inspiring blog. I wish you a happy holiday season and a successful 2012.

Cheers,
Judith

[Joanna Farnsworth]

Yes, same thank you from me too. With all best wishes for the Hols and beyond.

[Rob in L.A.]

mernitman, congratulations on your sojourn to the land of Bergman and the curiously yellow. In particular, I envy your "Persona" pilgrimage.

[mernitman]

Judith, I love your logline! Congrats on the Aussie Terror, and Happy everything for the new year.

You are so welcome Joanna! Best-o luck in the new year.

Rob, even though there was a level of idolization going on there, on Faro, that sometimes bordered on parody, there were moments where a genuine sense of being in the presence of something powerful was palpable.

[Albert Carlos]

Hopefully that does sound quite extreme and clearly I understand whatever you said here about through a glass brightly and I would like to allocate this issue with other. Thanks mate.

[Cleaning Supplies Adelaide]

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[Jonathan Tipton Meyers]

Billy,

How awesomely awesome that you manifested such a wonderful adventure.

Congratulations.

[mernitman]

Albert: Hopefully you're human.

Adelaide: Ditto.

Jonathan: You, I know! Thank you for awesome acknowledgment and a happy new year to you, sir.

[windshield repair everett]

I have to admit I am very impressed with the quality of your blog. It is certainly a pleasure to read as I do enjoy your posts.

[John Roze]

About "Through a Glass Brightly" whatever issue you posted here really good to read for. Thanks mate.

[comedy tour dates]

I'm imagining that teaching romantic comedy would be really fun. That's like teaching your students to rehearse on a romantic play by William Shakespeare.