The Cinematheque

Sweden

Veteran Swede Hannes Holm follows up his Oscar-nominated A Man Called Ove, a worldwide sensation, with this sweeping biopic on beloved Swedish pop-star Ted Gärdestad, aka Ted. Reliably lensed by Holm’s regular collaborator Göran Hallberg, the domestic hit chronicles three decades in the tumultuous and ultimately tragic life of Gärdestad, one of the best-known Scandinavian songsters of the 1970s — and, next to ABBA, the best-selling signee to legendary Swedish label Polar Music. Actor-musician Adam Pålsson portrays the feather-haired heartthrob, silently suffering from mental illness as ​“Tedmania” sweeps the nation; Peter Viitanen is brother Kenneth, Ted’s overshadowed lyricist. Pålsson, impressively, performs all Ted songs in the film. Screenwriter Peter Birro also scripted Waltz for Monica, about Swedish jazz singer Monica Zetterlund.