#de dagar som blommorna blommar

[sflow-er]

Happy three years of Young Royals

I remember I kept coming across the trailer in June 2021 and being unimpressed by what looked like Swedish Elite. The only reason YR ended up on my watch list was this post by author Jonas Gardell:

It took me a week or two more to actually start watching, but once I did, I could not stop. So, my thanks for everything this show brought into my life go out to the entire cast and crew - but also to one of my favourite Swedish authors for that final nudge!

In that spirit, I want to promote Gardell's own stuff here as three of his shows are now available worldwide on SVT Play. There are no subs only Swedish subs, so you can put those YR-inspired Swedish skills to good use! I've written English blurbs under the cut.

That happy GIF of Rasmus and Benjamin breaks my heart. Anyway...

De halvt dolda (2009, 4 episodes)

Tells the stories of four families living in Stockholm with particular emphasis on the children. In the 1970s, there are three brothers, rebelling against their religious father and dealing with the loss of their mother. In the 1990s, there's a young skinhead with two little brothers and an alcoholic mum, and a withdrawn closeted young boy from a suburban family who is targeted by the skinhead and his friends. The fourth family consists of a married couple in the 1970s; the husband is emotionally abusive to his wife and jealous of his successful brother.

Won the Kristallen award for best drama.

Torka aldrig tårar utan handskar (2011, 3 episodes)

Probably Gardell's best-known work, this is a tragic story about a young gay couple and their friend group, set during the AIDS epidemic in 1980s Stockholm. The story starts with small-town boy Rasmus moving into the big city and being taken under the wing of an out-and-proud man named Paul. Through him and his friends, Rasmus meets and falls in love with Benjamin, a closeted Jehovah's Witness. All their lives are soon overshadowed by the new sickness sweeping through town.

Won the Kristallen award for best drama.

De dagar som blommorna blommar (2019, 3 episodes)

A heavy drama about three boys whose families are neighbours in 1970s Stockholm. There are tensions bubbling under and facades being upheld by their parents, with long-lasting impact on their lives. In the 1990s, one of the guys has decided to take his family to Estonia to discover his heritage (with tragic consequences). Another is still stuck under the abusive influence of his older brother, while the third is directing a play about his parents' divorce.

This one got slightly mixed reviews; Aftonbladet gave it four stars while Svenska Dagbladet gave only two. Apparently, the jumps between timelines can be hard to follow and the story gets melodramatic at times, but the acting is top notch. I didn't actually get the chance to watch it when it came out so I intend to do it this summer!

[laszonasabisales]

Andreas Mattsson - De dagar som blommorna blommar

[zeldanyx]

Omg, I just remembered that there’s another TV show Simon Kaijser and Jonas Gardell worked on together besides Don’t Ever Wipe Tears Without Gloves. I had totally forgotten about that! It’s called De dagar som blommorna blommar (The Days the Flowers Bloom). 

I’d love to watch that, but I don’t think I’ll find a version with subtitles or anything (especially as I’m avoiding illegal sites). 

[rrebecka]

serier i tre delar på svtplay

Systrar 1968, 

De dagar som blommorna blommar,

En engelsk skandal, 

[antonforsdik]

bit.ly/2PslfZ0