Cinema

photography & Dop Gustav Svante Larsson / XO.Studio fashion & text Lejla Plima set design Kiki McKenzie & Laila Franklin / Paradiso Studio photography assistant Carl Bengtssonassistant Teo Pourshahidi rental Falsett film lab Focus Film Lab studio Studio Perra 

The Sound of Falling: A Conversation on Inherited Pain with Mascha Schilinski Written by Natalia Muntean “Traumas exist. They don’t just dissolve. There’s this idea that if we are conscious and aware, everything disappears,” says Mascha Schilinski. “I don’t think so. It’s just life, and we have to deal with it.” Her second feature, Sound of Falling (In die Sonne schauen), premiered in Cannes and now screens at the Stockholm International Film Festival, where its quiet intensity lingers long after the credits. The German director traces a century of life on a rural farmstead, following four generations of women bound by the invisible weight of inherited pain. Shot in 4:3 and illuminated by natural light, the film unfolds less as a story than as a current of sensations, a tapestry of echoes and gestures that bridge time. Schilinski talks about the act of “listening to the film instead of making it listen to us” and the courage to create something unbound by plot, yet rooted in truth.  Natalia Muntean: I read that the idea for the movie started with a photograph from the 1920s?Mascha Schilinski: It started long before that. But the photograph was maybe the starting point in a visible sense. My co-writer, Louise Peter, and I wanted to lift invisible things into visibility. We wanted to talk about matters that are delicate, things that sit within our bodies and are transmitted from long before we were born. We found the large courtyard, the farmstead you saw in the film. It became like a vessel that could hold the story. During our stay there, we discovered an old snapshot – three women looking straight at us. It wasn’t staged; it was a moment captured. That photograph became a mirror. They were aware that they would pass, just as we will. That was the spark that began everything. NM: I also read that the film took nearly three years to write. How did you know when the story was ready? Did it change a lot during those years?MS: Three and a half, almost four years until we started shooting. For two years, we simply talked. Ten hours a day sometimes. We tried to understand why we felt uneasy, almost physically attacked by certain emotions. We realised that transgenerational trauma, pain passed from one generation to another, is a fact. At first, we thought we could construct a plot, but the film resisted it. It didn’t want a plot. We had to listen to the film instead of making it listen to us. We saw images within us, almost like hallucinations. They left echoes, and out of those echoes we began to weave, connecting them like repetitions that travel through generations. NM: The film doesn’t follow a traditional plot but feels like a series of sensations and images. Was that structure deliberate from the start?MS: Yes. I’m a visual thinker. For me, it’s like literature – you read something and something forms in your mind. That was the foundation. The film was limited in time and budget, so there was no room for rehearsals. Everyone had to understand the emotional world deeply. The script had to communicate the feeling, not the technical side. Filming took thirty-three days, so very short, especially with so many children in the cast. We could only shoot three hours a day with them, so it was extremely challenging. NM: The story spans four generations of women, and they seem to share an inner life. How did you approach this idea of inherited emotion or inherited pain? Do you see them as separate entities or parts of a whole consciousness?MS: We wanted to see what remains in the body, what fixates itself in the body over ten years or a hundred years. What are the soft, quiet vibrations inside a person? Where does something break, very quietly? How is shame created? We found in Greek texts that shame is where euphoria is broken. You feel euphoria when you are fully yourself, alive and strong, and someone breaks that. Something powerful happens inside you, but it becomes isolated. You can’t name it anymore, and it manifests in the body. We looked for moments when something like that becomes visible, when a phenomenon like that manifests physically through generations. NM: But this feeling or experience seems to be something all the women in the movie live with. They’re drawn to it. Do you see that as self-destruction or endurance? Or both? And do you think it passes down through generations?MS: It’s the question of what came first – the hen or the egg. Sometimes you walk through life, and something happens, and you think, “Why does this happen to me?” It doesn’t seem to belong to me. And sometimes you feel you are fighting a theme that belongs to another generation, one that couldn’t deal with it. It’s not the traumatic event itself that matters, but how you deal with it. When you are left alone, when nobody takes you seriously, that isolation provokes what happens afterwards. Traumas exist. They don’t just dissolve. There’s this modern idea that if we are conscious and aware, everything disappears. I don’t think so. It’s just life, and we have to deal with it. What’s hopeful in this film is that the women share pain; they are not isolated. Even though they feel alone, the film shows that there is a connection. Many of us want to separate from the generation before, saying, “I don’t want to be like my mother”  or even not have children to avoid passing things on. But if you look differently, you can also be thankful for how much new generations achieve. NM: Maybe freedom or relief comes from being allowed to talk about it?MS: Yes, it’s good when we can talk about it, but there will always be things that stay hidden. That’s part of being human. There isn’t one moment of relief for everyone. Photo by Fabian Gamper NM: You spent quite a few years

“Each season, I go closer to myself” – Laura Birn About Finding Humanity in Playing a Robot text Natalia Muntean cardigan Samsoe Samsoe underwear Sloggi stockings Swedish Stockings shoes Billi Bi timepiece Cartier blazer Tiger of Sweden  What first draws a person to a life of performing? For Laura Birn, the Finnish star of Apple TV+’s Foundation, it was a discovery of freedom and connection found far from home. “I moved to Brazil when I was 17 as an exchange student, where I met some theatre people,” she recounts. Though she barely spoke Portuguese, the community was inviting. “They let me be part of a play. At first, I was a mute girl because I didn’t speak the language well, but I fell in love with the group energy.” That same energy, found later in Finnish theatre, offered a thrilling sense of rebellion. “We’re a nation of obeying rules,” she says, “but in theatre, it was like, maybe you don’t always have to. It led me to this opening of a new world. I fell in love.” The journey to playing the silent, powerful android Demerzel on a global stage is a testament to that initial spark. During our photoshoot in Helsinki in mid-August, we traced the city’s architectural dialogue between stark minimalism and ornate history, a metaphor for Birn’s artistry – balancing the cold precision of a robot with the fiery, secret heart of a living being. Natalia Muntean: What’s your favourite thing about acting? Laura Birn: Being able to dive into different worlds and study different sides of myself. I’d be so bored just being me. I love that I have to pull different sides of me or let a character affect me, opening my mind to different views, seeing the world from a perspective someone else feeds me. It’s a privilege. It’s that adventure of entering a different world or seeing this world differently. Natalia Muntean: What’s your favourite thing about acting? Laura Birn: Being able to dive into different worlds and study different sides of myself. I’d be so bored just being me. I love that I have to pull different sides of me or let a character affect me, opening my mind to different views, seeing the world from a perspective someone else feeds me. It’s a privilege. It’s that adventure of entering a different world or seeing this world differently. No one’s mind is lazy. But your roots shape how you think. The way I was raised, I look at things from a certain perspective. So sometimes it’s explosive to think, “Oh, I never thought of this from that perspective,” or someone’s imagination has created a whole universe I get to be part of. It’s very special. NM: How do you choose your roles? LB: There are many ways. Sometimes it’s intuition about the people involved. Sometimes, if there’s an amazing script, there’s no question. But sometimes I’ve jumped into projects without a script because someone was passionate and interesting, and I wanted to see what world we would enter. Sometimes there are people I’ve worked with before, and I say yes even if they don’t tell me much about the project. For Foundation, I auditioned with a self-tape. My agent sent me the pages, and I called her, saying I didn’t understand a word. She read them too and didn’t understand. We kept trying to figure it out, but I knew there was something there. It felt intriguing and different, wild and weird, and I was interested. blazer Tiger of Sweden     NM: Demerzel is one of the series’ most complex characters, a robot with emotions. How did you prepare to play such a layered, non-human role? LB: It’s been a lovely puzzle. We started shooting season one just before the pandemic. We’d been shooting for a couple of months when lockdown happened. Then we took a break and continued. In the beginning, I didn’t have much information. I just had glimpses. We talked with David S. Goyer, the showrunner, who gave me little hints and taught me a new phrase, “slow burn.” He said, “Be patient, the secrets will start opening,” because I had many questions.  At first, Demerzel is very observant, holding back, not revealing much of her universe. Little by little, it’s been a joy because I now know so much more and can give more or hold back more. Her arc works well when you watch season three and then go back to season one; you see those little hints building her complexity. The writing is amazing and easy to lean on. Then there’s the mechanical, physical side; she’s held together, but her inner life is rich. Each season, I go closer to myself, asking questions like, “Who am I? How did I become me? How much are my choices really mine, or shaped by upbringing or society? Is there a ‘pure me’ inside?” I find the question of programming interesting. In a certain sense, we are all shaped by our parents, by society, and by the people close to us. In season three, she goes through an existential crisis, trying to understand her programming and place in this dynasty with the weird boys, her family, and what choices she’d make if not programmed. So many questions around identity and purpose or meaning, it was interesting and complex. I even noticed myself thinking, “Maybe it’s a midlife crisis for me, and for her, an 18,000-year crisis.” dress Victoria Chan pumps Flattered     NM: What’s your favourite thing about playing Demerzel, and what’s the most challenging? LB: I really love working with all the Cleons Lee, Terry, and Cassian, who’ve become close friends. We’ve been through a lot, including many incredible occasions and challenges, such as COVID-19 and the strikes. During COVID, we were in a bubble on an island, a tiny, weird family. From Demerzel’s side, I love the emotionally difficult scenes. It´s always intriguing to figure out how this human-like machine responds to unexpected events

Grounded In Fantasy, an Interview with Jordan Adene text Maya Avram photography Jason Jude sunglasses A. Society shirt and jacket Hugo Boss   For someone who’s been on the scene as long as Jordan Adene, the young actor is refreshingly level-headed. Alongside high-profile appearances in hit shows like Doctor Who and The Sandman, he maintains a nine-to-five job, carves out time for family and friends and makes space to travel. It’s all intentional: Adene sees life itself as the richest source of inspiration for the characters he plays onscreen and the independent projects he’s developing. These experiences, he predicts, are stepping stones for him to eventually step behind the camera, sharing his sharp eye for human stories with the world. Maya Avram: You’ve hit impressive career milestones in the last few years, from starring in Dr Who to The Sandman. What was the journey like? Jordan Adene: When I started acting, I just wanted to enjoy and express myself freely. Now, being in productions like Dr Who and The Sandman is like a fever dream. I never, ever would have thought I’d be involved in projects of that calibre. Of course, I had ideas of what it’s going to be like, but when you arrive on set, it’s levels above what you can ever imagine. With Dr Who, the episode was set in Lagos, Nigeria, and had an almost entirely Black cast — that in itself is something I never thought I’d see, let alone be a part of. It was an amazing experience. MA: Did you feel the weight of the moment? JA: Of course, that’s always present. Whether it’s a big project like Dr Who or a short film, that pressure is always gonna be there. With Dr Who, because I was a big fan of Ncuti and everyone else, it definitely amped up the pressure to perform. But at the same time, like I said, it’s motivating. I learned a lot on that shoot, and that environment motivated me to become a better actor. It only added to my performance. MA: What has that experience taught you, and how will that learning impact your future roles? JA: As a young actor, I used to focus more on what the director wanted, taking in every note and doing exactly what they told me. But as a grown-up, I recognise the importance of having my own ideas and treat the process more like a collaboration. Dr Who has taught me that; before we would even start shooting, we’d discuss everyone’s ideas and interpretations of the scene for at least an hour. It elevated not just my own performance, but everyone else’s, too. MA: Has this outlook changed the way you approach your characters? JA: I’ve been researching the Meisner and Stanislavski techniques, taking bits from each of them to create something that works for me. Thinking about my characters, discovering their objectives, what they want and why they want it, understanding their background, all of that is now part of my process. Preparation brings a different element to performance. Still, when you go into a scene, the most important part is letting that go and allowing instinct to take over. MA: What is your dream role? JA: That would be James Bond, that’s definitely my dream role. In terms of career, I’m a huge cinephile, so it would be a blessing to step behind the camera and direct.  MA: Who inspires you? JA: Donald Glover, particularly his series Atlanta. He wrote it, produced it, directed it, starred in it; he does music as well, Childish Gambino. He’s one of the most talented people in the industry. MA: What excites you about the future? JA: I’m excited about doing my own projects. It’s very early days, but I’m starting to think of ideas for short films. They’re difficult to pull off, from funding to hiring crew — things that, as an actor, you usually don’t have to worry about. So it can be daunting, but it’s also exciting. MA: Of course, you get to wear a different hat. JA: The main thing I’ve noticed is that, when it comes to writing and producing, your support network is invaluable. Having other people who are just as passionate about a project as you are is important because you can hold each other accountable. MA: Where do you get the ideas for these independent projects? JA: So then, when you’re presented with a script, you have those experiences in your arsenal to draw from and be like, ‘I’ve seen this, I’ve experienced this, I understand this.’ It’s the same with writing. It could just be something you’ve seen and then you think, ‘Oh, that would be a cool short film.’ Inspiration in that sense comes from within. jacket and jeans 7 For All Mankind shirt Sandro total look  Hugo Boss sunglasses A. Society jacket Sandro t-shirt James Perse shirt Sandro sunglasses Szade photography Jason Jude fashion Cecylia Świetlik  hair and makeup Salina Thind  photography assistant Ignas Kelpsas

The Inside Scoop on Maxwell Cunningham Written by Janae McIntosh photography Sandra Myhrbergfashion Olivia Bohman  blazer Sefrshirt HOPEtrousers Gantshoes Filippa K Maxwell Cunningham, from Los Angeles, California, is an up-and-coming actor and producer, making waves in the industry. From Top Dog to One More Time, Cunningham takes acting to the next level. In A Life’s Worth, the six-part drama series he starred in recently, he explores new emotional horizons. Beyond acting, Cunningham has also utilised his talent in producing. In this interview, Maxwell discusses his projects and how he has navigated his characters, stories, and career. Janae McIntosh: You recently filmed Season 1 of “A Life’s Worth.” Can you tell me about your experience filming this show?Maxwell Cunningham: It was honestly one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever worked on, and not just because I got to wear a bulletproof vest and a barret. It was intense, both physically and emotionally. We went through a boot camp that was so realistic, I would wake up in the middle of the night, months later, and start saluting our major. But honestly, the real weight of it came from portraying actual events. We weren’t just playing soldiers; we were honouring people who lived through something unimaginable. That responsibility sticks with you. JM: What were some things you relied on to help you get closer to Forss, your character on “A Life’s Worth”?MC: Honestly, the biggest source was the real veterans themselves. Many of us had the honour of meeting the veterans who actually served in the battalion in which we adapted into the series. The Yugoslavian war was less than 30 years ago, so these brave men and women who served are still relatively young, sharp, and they have this quiet strength that makes you realise, ‘Oh… I better not screw this up.’ We read many books about the subject, and I watched as much wartime footage as I could stomach. I even went to Bosnia myself along with a group of veterans. But it was the boot camp, the infamous boot camp, that really brought it jeans shirt Filippa Kshirt Samsøe Samsøeshorts Hopeskirt JU   home. One week of Hell. It helped us understand a fraction of what these guys went through, and that was enough to keep us sort of grounded. JM: You are also a producer. What inspired you to take that step in film producing?MC: I just really, really love film. It’s my true passion. My only obsession. I feel like I carry it with me everywhere I go, like a perfume. After a dear friend of mine, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen, told me his friend, a director in Copenhagen, had an insane film idea, I wanted to play a part in realising it. The film I executively produced is called RECKLESS. It just came into a few cool festivals, and we’ll be premiering it this fall. JM: Do you have any future projects you mind talking about, or maybe something you are looking forward to?MC: I have a film coming out later this year called Mecenaten, or ‘The Art Patron’ in English. It’s a suspense drama, starring me, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen and Carla Sehn, and it’s about two best friends who study together at an art school. When they meet a young hip art patron who sells them a dream, their friendship gets put to the test, and things quickly begin to spiral. I also just finished filming a film called In Starland, my first time shooting in the U.S, and the first time I’ve worked on a US production. It was beautiful, and I still can’t believe I got to be a part of it. We were in coastal Mississippi for like 6 weeks, having an absolute blast. I can’t speak about anything in detail. But I have a feeling it’ll be a topic of discussion when it comes out. Clarence Maclin, the star of this film, is just phenomenal. JM: Lastly, are there some films that heavily influence your work?MC: I’m still very new at this. I feel like I’m experimenting a lot, finding my voice, as they say. I’m always drawn to performances that are like when you watch a magician on stage. I’ve been watching a lot of John Cassavetes movies lately. Some of the films he made with his wife, such as A Woman Under the Influence, Gloria, or Opening Night, are really jaw-dropping in a lot of ways. shirt Sefrtrousers GANTshoes Cosbag Arket blazer Sefrshirt HOPEtrousers Gantshoes Filippa K blazer Ewa Larsson C0NCEPTshirt Samsøe Samsøejeans Sefr   jacket and trousers Filippa Kshirt Sefr

Marc by Sofia: Sofia Coppola’s Intimate Take on Marc Jacobs Written by Janae McIntosh Sofia Coppola is releasing her first documentary, Marc by Sofia, this August at the Venice Film Festival — a collaboration that feels natural and long overdue. This isn’t your typical fashion doc. It’s a quiet, heartfelt portrait of Marc Jacobs, told from the perspective of someone who’s shared his world for decades. Their story starts back in the early ’90s, when Marc was making waves with his grunge Perry Ellis collection and Sofia was just emerging into the scene. Since then, their creative paths have been deeply intertwined — from Sofia starring in his perfume campaigns to directing his iconic Daisy ads, and collaborating on his bold Heaven line. It’s a friendship that goes far beyond fashion’s spotlight. Though details about the film are still under wraps, if it’s anything like Sofia’s other work, expect a moody, dreamlike look at Marc’s journey — from his Parsons beginnings to his theatrical Louis Vuitton runway moments, all seen through her cinematic lens. This isn’t a documentary about fashion history. It’s about friendship, creativity, and a shared language developed over decades. For anyone who cares about style and storytelling, this will feel like an intimate conversation between two creative icons. photo courtesy of A24

An Interview with Rosalind Eleazar text Maya Avram photography Josefine Örn / Telescope Agency fashion Rachel Davis makeup Alexis Day hair Kevin Fortune Rosalind Eleazar’s success as an actor can be, to an extent, credited to her intuition. Her very pursuit of the trade came about while she was working a different career altogether, which, while fruitful, could not have deterred her from following her heart’s true desire (“It wouldn’t allow me to go on another path”). Her penchant for authentic, fully-realised characters has seen her star in numerous theatre and film productions, eventually landing her the role of straight-shooter Louisa Guy in the widely acclaimed spy thriller series, Slow Horses. With the hit series’ fifth season due to be released later this year, a new onscreen alter ego cements 2025 as Eleazar’s catalyst year: detective Kat Donovan, protagonist of Netflix’s latest Harlan Coben adaptation, Miss You. We sat down with Eleazar to learn about her motivations, inspirations and exciting plans for the future. Maya Avram: It’s hard to believe, given your steady success in the field, but your acting career actually came as a result of a professional pivot. What made you go for it, in the end? Rosalind Eleazar: Acting has always been something I knew in my heart of hearts I was going to do — it was just a question of when. I was working in Ghana when I made the decision to audition for drama school, and my life changed on its axis. MA: How was your audition?  RE: So nerve-wracking. I can’t really remember it apart from the feeling; I have never been that nervous in my life, because there was so much riding on it. If I don’t get it, does that mean I’m not an actor? Of course, it doesn’t mean that, but when you’re performing in front of 15 people in this big hall, and you’ve got to do a song, a Shakespeare piece and a modern piece, your heart is in your mouth. God, I can even feel it now. But I’m so happy I did it, I’m so happy I auditioned. top Isabel Marant shorts Samanta Virginio tights Tabio shoes Gina earrings Sonia Petroff dress Zimmerman tights Tabio shoes Gina earrings Margaux Studios MA: What is your favourite part of the job, and what parts do you find more challenging?  RE: I love exploring a new character. I’m fascinated with humans, why we do certain things, and what triggers us to make decisions; which parts of ourselves are we hiding, and which are we showing? It’s endlessly fascinating. The way we work as actors is incredible because in taking on another character and a pattern of behaviour, you also learn about yourself and those around you. It’s nerve-wracking but also very freeing. When I’m on set or on stage performing a scene with someone, I find the process liberating. Every role is challenging because you become attached to that character, trying to understand this person you care for deeply. Some roles are harder to grasp and that can be frustrating. People think actors are confident, but I don’t see acting as entertainment, I don’t think my job is to entertain people, which can lead me to be quite closed in. MA: Oscillating between being extroverted and introverted.  RE: Exactly. It’s interesting because I would say that I’m more introverted in my personal life, but when you take on a character, even if they’re not extroverted by nature, my extroverted side comes out because it has to, you have to go for it as an actor — to be vulnerable. Acting gives you quite a lot of courage in that sense. MA: How do you tap into that mindset? RE: It depends on the character. If they are free and impulsive, for example, a part of me will behave like that for a long time. It’s about personifying the energy that someone possesses. Once I find where their centre is, characters become very different. coat Regina PYO tights Swedish Stockings shoes Simone Rocha earrings Margaux Studios ring Dinosaur Designs MA: What makes a character stand out to you? RE: It comes down to good writing and the relationships that the character has with other people in any given scene. It’s almost an imperceptible feeling, reading a full character. I need to be able to see their flaws so they feel like a fully realised human. Where does their nastiness lie? When do they shut down? In our industry, you often hear characters need to “be likeable” — it’s a phrase that’s banded around in art. I don’t understand what being likeable means, because if you’ve got a full character, they should be many things. If you want them to be relatable, then the way to be relatable is to see someone’s flaws. MA: As a graduate of the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, how do you cultivate a dual passion for both the stage and the screen? RE: I love theatre and I love TV and film as well, for different reasons. I love the third dimension of the audience in theatre that you just don’t get doing screenwork. It’s fascinating how different shows can be on a given night, and that has a lot to do with the audience’s energy and how they respond to the actors on stage. What I also love about theatre is that you can’t edit it, so it’s slightly more in the actor’s control. On the other hand, playing the lead in Missing You and now seeing everything put together, I really see Kat’s journey. Sometimes when you’re filming, you’re so in it that you can’t zoom out, but when you see the whole thing — other characters and their dynamics — brought to life, it’s really fun to watch. dress Simone Rocha underwear Skims socks Tabio shoes Gina earrings Margaux Studios corset Talent’s Own trousers Lily Phellera earrings Margaux Studios dress Zimmerman tights Tabio shoes Gina earrings Margaux Studios

Interview With Actor, Activist, Writer, Director, and Mother Sandra text Josie McNeill Sandra Yi Sencindiver has a lot on her plate, but she always appears to have room for more. The actor, activist, writer, director, and mother, started in show business in 2000, but her role playing Miss Saigon at the age of 20 was the first to indicate to her that shecould be paid to pursue a hobby that she loved.  Now, she’s Enjoiner Rue, the political savvy advisor to Queen Sarenth in the sci-fi television series ‘Foundation,’ and has upcoming roles in the shows ‘Oxen,’ a thriller, and ‘Geek Girl,’ a heart-warming coming-of-age tale. She’s leading political movements with her Et Større Billede campaign and writing and directing theatre and film projects on the side. Sencindiver said she doesn’t really have an “everyday life,” but with all the projects she has going on, she sure does seem to live an extraordinary one. Is there something your viewers should take away from the new season of ‘Foundation’?Oh, there’s probably a lot of things to take away from the series. It’s such a very ambitious, very intellectual show with so many big themes–faith, belief, love, free will, time and power. How can you keep power? How can you renew power? How can you take power? This season is also told with quite a lot of humor. So I think everybody will be able to take something away from this series. If you’re not latched onto one plot, there are several other plots going on. Politics plays an important role in your life as well, especially with your Et Større Billede project, can you talk about your work in this sphere?I do a lot of political work for the art and culture scene here at home. I’m very active with the Danish Arts Council and the theatre scene, but Et Større Billede, “a bigger picture,” is one of the political campaigns I’ve been doing for the arts that dropped February 1. It came to be because I’m a part of a network of women of color in the arts, which we started back in 2020 during lockdown, during Black Lives Matter, and we just came together in a community.  We’re here to support each other. We call the little network Sisters in Show Business–all actresses of color–and we have this little mantra. We’re here to support each other. We will not be each other’s competition. We will share info, we’ll advise each other, we’ll celebrate each other when we get chances, and we will support each other when somebody experiences discrimination, sexism, and racism. If anybody needs advice to get an agent or how to handle a toxic workplace. If they’re asking, is this role racist? How can I go about making this a human being/ You know, all kinds of issues that you meet when you’re a woman of color in this business.At the end of November, three rather large Danish productions were coming out. They were these major productions with huge casts that would be shown on huge broadcast channels. 42 actors and nobody of color. If you look at all the posters with their large casts, there’s no people of color. It’s crazy. That is just so far from reality. We were like, “hey, how can this be going on in 2023?” And then we thought “oh, wouldn’t it be funny if we recast all these posters with people of color?” We started to brainstorm. We decided to do it intersectionality, so we should also address class and sexuality and family forms and normalize bodies and people with disabilities. So, me and four other actresses made this workgroup and, you know, started to put it into production and hire photographers and coordinated 42 actors to come be a part of the posters. We thought we might all be blacklisted, but we can’t be quiet anymore. And then, on the first of February, we dropped the campaign. To our surprise, it went completely viral. We didn’t think it would have such a huge impact, but it has. Slowly, we have acknowledged we have a problem, and slowly we’re trying to figure out how to make policy, how to change in our business to be more inclusive, and not just for people of color, but people with disabilities–how can we expand the very very shallow and narrow norm of what is Danish? Did your work on that project influence how you approached your character in the series?Well, not directly one to one but David Goyer has said that Foundation is basically the fall of an Imperium. They’re like very head straight, white, privileged men trying to hold on to their power and all the planets and all the different people and entities are trying to take them down. Even though this is science fiction, it still feels very much present in our time. Also, just discussions of how do you rework a fantastic work as Foundation that is just so iconic, but which is clearly also written by a man of his time. And how do you make that more imaginative? How do you expand that universe? We’re talking about the galaxy, why would everybody be white and male? Is there any specific way you think the Danish industry can improve in terms of representation?These discussions are of course the first things going on but they have to realize that their view on what people want to see on screen is so narrow. It needs to do a lot of reckoning and also recognizing, for example, that racism exists. I think Denmark has always thought of itself as a very progressive country. It was the first country to free the slaves, but then I’m like, you also have to recognize that you had slaves to begin with. It’s baby steps. There’s a lot of reflective work going on now, and that, of course, is like a very important step towards change. But we also need to see action embedded in policy and law. So it doesn’t just become a trend in 2023,

“Börje – The Journey of a Legend” – Interview with Hedda Stiernstedt & Valter Skarsgård text Jahwanna Berglund photography Crille Forsberg / Rocksonfashion & text Jahwanna Berglund Hedda wearsknitted sweater ARKETearrings Ole Lynggaardbracelets Engelbert Valter wearssweater Calvin Kleinbracelet Ole Lynggaard November 19th marked the world premiere of the biography tv-show “Börje- The Journey of a Legend”.A tv-series in six episodes unfolding  the early life of the Swedish hockey icon Börje Salming, played by Valter Skarsgård alongside actress Hedda Stiernstedt portraying his first wife, Margitta.In an exclusive chat with Odalisque, the talented duo sheds light on their immersive experiences travelling back in time and  bringing these characters to life. Valter, can you tell us what drew you to the role of Börje Salming in this series? What about the character and the story resonated with you?Meeting Börje I was sold instantly. His story is so unbelievable and amazing that I felt that I had to be a part of it. And it was such an interesting challenge to try to portray someone with the duality Börje had. Being such a nice man but also being one of the toughest hockey players. Hedda, playing Margitta Salming, what kind of research and preparation did you do to accurately portray the life and experiences of Börje Salming’s wife?I did a lot of research, and I met with Margitta. She is such a lovely and gracious person and she showed me a lot of personal pictures. BUT she is not a public person like Börje, there isn’t any documentation on her, no videos or interviews etc. As an actress That’s both good and bad. Bad because I have less to go from, but good for the same reason – I had much more artistic freedom than Valter in my portrayal. That’s both good and bad. Bad because I have less to go from, but good for the same reason – I had much more artistic freedom than Valter in my portrayal Valter, what was it like working closely with director Amir Chamdin, who had a personal connection with Börje Salming? How did this influence your performance in the series?Working with Amir was fantastic. We were on the same page early on. And he was very keen on inviting me into the process from an early stage so we could form this together. On set Amir was fantastic in that he was always open to suggestions or changes but never jeopardised his vision. Valter, could you share your experience of collaborating with cinematographer Crile Forsberg once more? How did the partnership influence the visual storytelling both in front and behind the camera?Working with Crille again was amazing. We had such a good collaboration on our first project “Zebrarummet”. I even said to him back then, when I found out he knew Amir that he has to be part of this project. He would be perfect for it. And he was!The cinematography is a very big part of what makes the show great.The way the project is filmed makes it feel like you’re really back there in the 70s and 80s. It doesn’t feel like a modern project that takes place then. You get transported back and that to me was fantastic to witness as we went along. Hedda wearstotal look CHANEL Valterpyjama shirt & socks CDLPtrousers & shoes & Jacket Oscar Jacobson Hedda, working with Crille Forsberg on this extended project was a new experience for you. How did the collaboration between you and the photographer influence your portrayal of the character? Did the unique approach to filming enhance your performance in any way?Of Course the visuals are always important but when working on a period project like this it’s extra important! And Crille really brought it up a notch. He even built his own lenses to get that perfect 70s feeling. As an actor it’s so important to trust the photographer and I really do both professionally and privately. We were lucky to work with a team who were so very good at What they do, Crille and the costume department, the scenographers, makeup, they all helped to create something extra special. Spearheaded by our lovely director Amir Chamdin who knows that 70s visual cool style inside and out. Hedda, can you give us some insight into the emotional depth of Margitta Salming’s character and how her journey is portrayed in the series?It was important to Amir to not make her too much of a cliche ”worried wife” character. She wants her beloved husband to be happy, and he loves to play hockey so she wants that for him. But then of course the cliches in a sport-drama are there for a reason. She IS lonely most of the time, she IS scared for Börjes life when he plays. Those things are inevitable. And she also loves to create so we get to follow her pursue her career as a designer. But that’s difficult, it’s the seventies and someone has to take care of the kids, you know. Valter, Börje Salming is a legendary figure in Sweden and NHL history. How did you balance the responsibility of representing this iconic sports personality while bringing your own interpretation to the role?I tried to stay as true as I could without making it feel like an impersonation. I early on found my way of doing Börje who I had a very clear image of in my mind. So once we were filming it was basically automatic, because of the work we had put in before. Hedda, the series captures a significant period in Swedish hockey and sports history. What do you think the series can teach viewers about that era and its impact on the world of hockey?It’s a time where the players were expected to fight. It was so rough! But to be honest I know nothing about hockey I just know this story haha. But Börje truly is a legend in the whole world and all legends change the game. Valter, as an actor, what were the most challenging and rewarding aspects of taking on the role of Börje Salming, a real-life