Greetings!

[Eldsjäl]

Hello!

I'm so glad there still exists a fan community for Fucking Åmål after all these years! It's a movie I love with all my heart and I've recently felt a strong need to express it with others.

Initially I was too young to fully understand and appreciate the movie back when it hit theaters in '98. I remember hearing about it, seeing part of it on television some years later, and my family also owned the VHS pretty early on. Seeing the film by myself in my early teens I immediately remarked of how incredibly special and authentic it felt, especially compared to other youth films I knew about. That being said I of course believe that FÅ is so much more than just a youth film.

Last year as I'm sure you guys are aware of they had a digital screening of the film at various Cinemateket buildings and festivals in Sweden. Sadly I missed it and I right afterwards also found out that Alexandra and Rebecka themselves attended at Stockholm, so I was pretty grieved by that but I can only hope for similar opportunities in the future. Perhaps this year when FÅ actually turns 20.

Might as well get it out of the way that my English is really flawed but I hope I'll make myself understandable. I've already come to the conclusion that I worry too much about it and therefore never reach out to international communities (like this one) as much as I'd maybe like.

I have loads of questions I wish to ask and I probably will make a fool out of myself in the process but I don't think I mind anymore. I want to learn as much as I can about this masterpiece of a motion picture!

Once again, glad to be here. :-)

[fish]

Hello Eldsjäl.

Lovely of you to join us.
I think those few of us here certainly are the true fans of Fucking Åmål.
It's a movie that I've watched dozens of times, on TV, on the net, and on the multiple DVD's of it that I own, and yet like you, I was excited by the chance of an HD version being released on DVD.
Hasn't happened yet, but we're still hopeful.

I "discovered" Fucking Åmål in 2009 and was immediately captivated by the characters, the story, and of course by the performances of Rebecka and Alexandra.
It's a long way from Sweden to Australia where I live but over these last nine years I've done what I could to spread the word about how good a film it is.
Along the way I've come to know Ian, a fellow Australian, and a man with a sense of humour not too dis-similar to mine.

And that's what I tend to do these days, make up little stories that I and anyone else if they wish, can laugh at.

Santi is another member who always says he has trouble with the English language, he's (I think) a native Catalan/Spanish speaker and says he uses "Google translate" a lot, but I think his fluency in English is improving very rapidly.

It's great to have such a rich diversity of people here, and hopefully you'll get the chance to interact with us all.

Welcome.

[Eldsjäl]

Thank you fish for the warm welcome! :-) From what I gather you guys actually got some home video releases of the film both on VHS and DVD - produced by Alliance Atlantis and then Madman Entertainment some time later. Do you own any of these?

I have seen Santi's sightseeing photos and I find his dedication to be inspiring! I've not visited Trollhättan myself even and I live in Sweden. To think he did it from abroad. I've got to visit these FÅ locations myself eventually. Just too bad that footbridge Syltebron is long gone.

[Ian]

Welcome aboard!
Always nice to have a new (or old) fan join us here on our little site. Your English seems excellent to me.
I have the Madman DVD. Never had the VHS, save for a - cough, splutter - illicit one I made from the local video shop copy.

[Eldsjäl]

Thank you for the welcome Ian and I'm flattered you think so!

Sported dual VCRs at home then, eh? :-) Nothing to be ashamed about. I've been interested in obtaining the Australian releases for some time but there never seems to be anyone who sells them. Either that or I apparently miss them every time they show up on eBay.

[fish]

...I've been interested in obtaining the Australian releases for some time but there never seems to be anyone who sells them...

I don't think there was ever a specific "Australian" release, being on the PAL system we generally fitted in with the European releases.
I have one DVD from Madman with reasonable English subs, and another Swedish release from Memfis which used more Americanised subs.
Of those I prefer the Madman version.

I also have a version from SBS TV Australia saved to my TV's hard drive.
They used subs which basically allowed for zero intelligence on the viewer's behalf as they just substituted words wherever they felt it was easier.
"O'boy" is referred to as "Quik", is an example of the dumbing down.

I also have a couple of others downloaded but these never reached any great heights in clarity or subs, so I don't watch them anymore.

I don't like dubbing and would much rather sub-titles, so I don't own any dubbed copies.

Probably the Madman release is the one I like best, but it's much easier just to click on the hard drive SBS version, so that's generally the one I watch whenever the mood takes.

[Eldsjäl]

Well maybe not that specific, but I don't think Madman for example had the rights to distribute the film anywhere outside of Australia and maybe New Zealand (I'm very unsure of what releases they got over there). You guys have your own age rating system among other things so companies that are selling DVDs and whatnot in the area will probably want to adjust to that. I agree that these probably are pretty similar to other English versions but you'll almost certainly find small differences.

I also have a version from SBS TV Australia saved to my TV's hard drive.

Would you like to further explain to me how FÅ got syndicated in your country? Was it shown nationwide on public service television at some point or has this only occurred on some kind of video on demand service etc?

"O'boy" is referred to as "Quik", is an example of the dumbing down.

Interesting! :-) I'm not sure that referring it to just as ”chocolate” or ”chocolate milk”, as I've seen other English subtitles do, is that much better though. Less product placement I guess. :-) But in the translators' defense you always look for your own cultrual equivalents to give the audience a reference of sort, that's part of your job even if it would seem unnecessary at times. I can see where you're getting at still and regardless if you've never heard of O'boy before people will by the given context figure out that it is some sort of chocolate milk they sell in Sweden.

I very much enjoy comparing how all the different translations handle our phenomenon here with A-drains and K-drains.

I don't like dubbing and would much rather sub-titles, so I don't own any dubbed copies.

Normally I'd probably not just watch some live action film dubbed but with Fucking Åmål it's different. I'm always very curious of what it's going to sound like. As for now I've watched it dubbed in German, French, Spanish/Castilian and Italian and it's been very amusing for me.

[Ian]

Sported dual VCRs at home then, eh? Nothing to be ashamed about.

I'd need to be capable of shame to start with.

SBS is a free to air national TV network that is part government funded that generally specialises in more foreign programming than the usual commercial networks. FA was initially released at small art house cinemas around Xmas 2000 here (and I distinctly remember seeing an article on it in a weekend paper) but I didn't get to see it till it came out on video in late 2001.

[Eldsjäl]

I envy you, then. I wish that I too could be immune to shame. An acquaintance of mine once jokingly claimed that there are only two real emotions a human can feel - shame and nostalgia. Speaking of nothing.

Thanks for letting me know that! You should've kept that paper for the afterworld (assuming you haven't). :-) This might be a long shot but do you happen to know in more detail where some of these screenings took place, at which independent/art-house cinemas?

[fish]

...You guys have your own age rating system...

I've never even thought about that before.
The Madman version has a small paper label saying the film has an "M" rating, suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over because of "offensive language".
The Memfis one has no rating label at all.
My recollection is that I bought both DVD's on Ebay, the Madman obviously came from an Australian seller, the Memfis from an international seller where no ratings were used.
I can't think of any other explanation.

...”chocolate” or ”chocolate milk”...

I guess what I really wanted at the time was for them to call it "O'boy" as they were the words actually spoken.

...I'm always very curious of what it's going to sound like...

Maybe it would be different with "other" films, but I couldn't bear to miss out on hearing Rebecka's and Alexandra's actual voices.

[Ian]

Thanks for letting me know that! You should've kept that paper for the afterworld (assuming you haven't). This might be a long shot but do you happen to know in more detail where some of these screenings took place, at which independent/art-house cinemas?

I'm afraid I've no idea. Yes, I wish I'd pinched that paper now (it was actually my brother's that I saw while at his house) but, to be fair, I didn't know I'd fall in love with it then!

[Eldsjäl]

I've never even thought about that before.
The Madman version has a small paper label saying the film has an "M" rating, suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over because of "offensive language".

Now when I think about it, a dead giveaway would of course be the fact that Australian DVDs use region 4, whereas European and American DVDs don't.

The Memfis one has no rating label at all.
My recollection is that I bought both DVD's on Ebay, the Madman obviously came from an Australian seller, the Memfis from an international seller where no ratings were used.

You got me intrigued now as I'm not sure what version this might be. Memfis/Memphis is the main production company behind the film, as I'm sure you are aware, and they don't do video distribution themselves. If no publisher is shown on the DVD cover and the region code on the back is 0/All then it could very well be a bootleg.

I can't think of any other explanation. :?

Well all DVDs has to originate from somewhere. If they are legitimate copies then the distributor(s) probably have bought rights with limits to which regions they are allowed to sell the film in. You usually don't get permission to just sell someone else's film anywhere and forever.

Maybe it would be different with "other" films, but I couldn't bear to miss out on hearing Rebecka's and Alexandra's actual voices. :oops: *:)* :lol:

:-)

It's not that usual to see a Swedish film dubbed in a foreign language so I guess that's also part of the appeal for me. But then again just about anything that has to do with FÅ is important knowledge to me.

[fish]

...Australian DVDs use region 4...

That's true, but my DVD players are both "region free", meaning as long as it's the PAL system, they'll play.
Any DVD player can be converted to "region free".
I converted mine so I could play the Asian and European DVD's I own. (plus one from Argentina.)
The only DVD's that won't play are those using the NTSC system which originate in North and parts of South America.

...If no publisher is shown on the DVD cover and the region code on the back is 0/All then it could very well be a bootleg...

I have strong objections to buying bootleg or pirate DVD's as I love to support the industry.
That's part of the reason I've joined in crowdfunding a number directors' new projects.

Here are scans of the covers.
I can't see anything which indicates they aren't legitimate, but if you can I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.

[Ian]

Well, the top one looks real to me, cause I've got that one.

[Eldsjäl]

That's true, but my DVD players are both "region free", meaning as long as it's the PAL system, they'll play.
Any DVD player can be converted to "region free".
I converted mine so I could play the Asian and European DVD's I own. (plus one from Argentina.)

I'm aware that you easily can bypass these region locks. My point is that you can use the code as an indication to where the DVD was intended to be sold.

I have strong objections to buying bootleg or pirate DVD's as I love to support the industry.
That's part of the reason I've joined in crowdfunding a number directors' new projects.

Just to be clear I didn't mean to make this sound as an accusation of any sort. I was just curious of what type of DVD you were describing.

Here are scans of the covers.
I can't see anything which indicates they aren't legitimate, but if you can I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.

Right, that second one is a Swedish DVD from 2009 distributed by Svensk Filmindustri (SF Studios internationally). :-) Each of these came together with a nice cardboard slip case. The cover is full of Swedish writing so it should be pretty clear that they were intended to be sold here primarily. These do by the way show a small age rating and region 2 on the back.