Netflix’s Lund-Set Swedish Thriller An Honest Life Has Begun Production

The filming of Netflix’s ‘An Honest Life,’ a Swedish thriller film, has begun in Lund, Sweden. The story revolves around Simon, a young man whose high expectations for law school are shattered when he discovers that reality falls far short of his imagination. His life takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with Max, a spirited anarchist woman, during a turbulent protest and he quickly falls in love with her. Max introduces Simon to a world of deception, peril, and living on the fringes of the law. However, as he grasps the true consequences, the irreversible damage has already been done.

Directed by Mikael Marcimain, the film is an adaptation of Joakim Zander’s eponymous novel. The screenplay for the film was skillfully crafted by Linn Gottfridsson. Marcimain is an acclaimed filmmaker renowned for his contributions to some of Sweden’s finest films, including ‘Call Girl’ in 2012, which garnered significant national and international acclaim, as well as ‘Blackwater.’ Likewise, Linn Gottfridsson has made a name for herself with outstanding work on projects like ‘Comedy Queen’ and ‘Beartown.’ This collaboration marks a promising synergy of talent and promises a noteworthy project.

Talking about the movie, Marcimain said, “After a number of period projects, I wanted to make a contemporary film that’s exciting, rawly sensual, and loaded with social commentary. Joakim Zander’s emotional, brutal, and dark novel, ‘An Honest Life,’ a coming-of-age thriller set at a university felt like perfect cinematic material. It’s a gripping, anarchistic love story with complex characters and should allow for a classic yet punk rock approach to the making of the film.”

The lead roles in the film boast a talented cast, including Simon Lööf, recognized for his performance in ‘Threesome,’ Nora Rios, acclaimed for her role in ‘Caliphate,’ and Peter Andersson, known for his involvement in popular projects like ‘The Millennium’ trilogy’ and ‘The Unlikely Murderer.’ The ensemble is further enriched by the contributions of Willy Ramnek Petri, Arvid von Heland, Nathalie Merchant, Christoffer Rigeblad, Fabian Hedlund, Lucas Grimstedt, and Alice Andersson. Behind the scenes, Anna Anthony from FLX adds her expertise to the project in the role of a producer, underscoring the commitment to its success.

Although the exact filming locations remain undisclosed, one can reasonably anticipate that the picturesque cityscape of Lund will add to the film’s overarching themes of betrayal and class conflict. Sweden, particularly Lund, has long been a favored destination for filmmakers. The region is an integral location of Swedish classics like ‘Wild Strawberries‘ and ‘I Am Curious (Blue).’ Moreover, contemporary filmmakers, as exemplified by ‘Det Borde Finnas Regler’ and ‘Sandgatan II,’ have also found this locale to be a rewarding backdrop for their creative endeavors.

‘An Honest Life,’ scheduled for release on Netflix in 2024, holds the promise of becoming a tremendous success with its talented team and socially relevant themes. The prospect of seeing the actors breathe life into these vivid characters in a film with intense themes is undeniably intriguing and highly anticipated.