Review of Everlasting Moments (2008) by Rythemovieguy 3 — 13 Jan 2010

Extremly beautiful and captivating movie about a hardworking mother of seven children, with a constantly drinking and unfaithful husband, who developes a passion for taking pictures with a camera she once won in a lottery.

The plot begins in the early 20th century in Sweden when young Maria wins a camera in a lottery. But it was actually her friend Sigfrid who bought the lottery ticket, so he claimed that he should have the camera, but Maria insisted that if he wanted the camera he would have to marry her, and so he did!

After a number of babies, Maria realise that she should sell her camera to the local camera store, in order to support her family. But the owner of the store, a old danish man, thinks that she should try the camera before she sells it and teaches her how to do.

Maria soon starts to take pictures of everything she sees, to conserve moments for the future, and gets really skilled.

Though society was very different around 1910, it was also a time when many things started to change, not only for Maria. It was the time when the hardworkers got more aware of their rights and socialism boomed.

Despite living a hard life, with her alcoholic husband that usually got very violent against her and her children when drunk, and being humiliated every time that she got to know about her husband's affairs with other women, there is no such thing as pity in this movie. Maria is pictured as a very strong woman, instead of a victim.

Wonderfully directed by one of Sweden's internationally most famous director Jan Troell. Just brilliant cinematography, and acting by Maria Heiskanen and Mikael Persbrandt.