Scandinavian Film Festival 2019

Can't afford the European adventure everyone on your Facebook feed is enjoying right now? We have just the cure.

Immerse yourself in a cultural tour of Northern Europe as the Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival takes up residence at Palace Cinemas Paradiso and Luna Palace Cinemas this month. With a diverse selection of 21 films from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, this is pure escapism at its finest.

The festival opens tomorrow night with the cheeky, star-studded Danish comedy Happy Ending, from actress-turned-director Hella Joof.

The story follows Helle, who has been waiting forever for her workaholic husband Peter to retire, so they can enjoy their twilight years exploring the world together.

Her dreams a suddenly crushed when Peter makes an unexpected announcement on his final day of work: he has invested his entire life savings in an exclusive Austrian vineyard as he pursues a new career importing wine (living the dream, tbh).

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The festival's premiere event will set the tone for the remainder of the season, with red-carpet arrivals and a "Nordic diner after party" to extend the celebrations into the evening post screening.

This year's centrepiece selection is Iceland's breathtaking A White, White Day, fresh from its praised premiere in this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Award-winning director Hlynur Palmason confirms the considerable promise of his multi award-winning debut Winter Brothers with this spellbinding and darkly humorous new drama about a stoic man whose emotional reserves are pushed to their limits.

The program offers two special presentations: Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear-winner Out Stealing Horses, a loving adaptation of Norwegian novelist Per Petterson's international bestseller, and the bittersweet Finnish drama One Last Deal, which follows an ageing art dealer as he is presented with one final opportunity to reconnect with his estranged daughter and grandson.

Spotlighting Nordic Nor is the highly anticipated fourth and final installment of the Department Q series: The Purity of Vengeance, reuniting actors Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares to achieve nothing short of an engrossing finale, widely heralded as the best of the series, and has broken all box office records to become the highest-grossing Danish film in history.

In accompaniment, the festival will present the first three cinematic renderings of Jussi Adler Olsen's blockbuster novels: The Keeper of Lost Causes, The Absent One and A Conspiracy of Faith.

Other unmissable highlights include edgy sci-fi flick Aniara, harrowing addiction drama Let Me Fall and impressive directorial debut of award-winning Finnish playwright Paavo Westerberg The Violin Player.

Discover the full program here.