Cinema in Isolation: Swedish Nurse will be the Only Participant at the Gothenburg Film Festival

Swedish nurse Lisa Enroth, who has long been involved in the fight against Sweden Covid, won a competition to watch the program of a film festival on an isolated island. According to its terms, Enroth must have spent a week at a lighthouse off the coast of Sweden to taste all the sensations of a completely different reality.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all the world’s live film festivals had to be canceled. Instead, the organizers of the Gothenburg Film Screening went completely digital. Now everyone can watch a program of 60 films without leaving their own home. And to somehow diversify the new format of such events, its creators held a completely shocking competition. According to its terms, the winner is sent to the Swedish island for a week to watch all the world’s novelties of the film industry.

However, he has no right to use phones, tablets, and any other gadgets. Books and diaries are not allowed. The only thing that is allowed to a participant in such a film marathon is a video diary, where he is invited to share his impressions of each of the 60 films watched. Also, as part of the project of such film isolation, the lucky one will be visited every day by the caretaker for security reasons. Contestants should be good at movies and enjoy watching them. Since this is exactly what they will have to do for 7 days at the Pater Noster lighthouse.

But the main criterion is the applicant’s psychological and emotional readiness to complete the assigned task. The demand was posted on the BBC Stockholm page by Maddie Savage. The tempting offer brought together moviegoers from all over the world who, for whatever reason, were looking for a way to escape from their usual routine. In general, more than 12 thousand people wishing to participate in something very unusual.

The winner herself, Lisa Enroth, was taken from Sweden to the island of Hamneskar

by boat as early as January 30th. To watch the entire film program, she spent time at the top of the Sweden lighthouse in a room where a special screen is already equipped, like in a movie theater. Besides, she gained access to a bird’s eye view of the entire coastline and a 360-degree view.

In her application, Enroth wrote that she was very tired since her work requires constant involvement and tension. Since the pandemic causes a lot of stress, primarily among the doctors themselves. The woman worked all this time in the city in Shevde. She was also a regular member of the local cinema club.

For the nurse, such a trip was a real gift. Arriving by boat to the coast, she wrote:

“This incredible atmosphere of another dimension, gusts of wind, and such a beautiful sea ‒ the truth is the most incredible thing that happened to me.”

According to the director-general of the Gothenburg Film Festival, Mirja Vester, the victory of a healthcare representative in this competition is very significant in the era of the coronavirus pandemic. Vester argues that doctors, with their responsible and important work, as no one else, should take a rest and get an opportunity for such events.

It was also significant that a compatriot won the competition. Since it was held among moviegoers from 45 countries of the world. Enroth lives in the south of the country, just 150 kilometers from the festival site. She has rightfully become a symbol of the new time and a heroine of our days since her life is more devoted to the fight against coronavirus.

Large cinemas stopped their work due to the global quarantine. That is why one of the largest Scandinavian film projects decided to create an isolated cinema. The organizers decided that cinema should become personalized and that is why they would hold the next festival surrounded by the sea and rocks and in complete isolation from people. According to the authors’ concept, only one of the participants could receive this gift.

This format of film screening is innovative and extraordinarily creative.

The initiators of the idea created a special individual cinema.

It is worth noting that the Gothenburg Film Festival itself has been held for over 40 years since 1979. It lasts about 10 days in winter, usually in January-February.

During this time, viewers can watch over 450 films from 60 countries.

The very first film festival gathered 3 thousand spectators, who could see 17 films.

This event is still the largest among similar events in Sweden.

In 2021, its concept changed radically. This was stated by the artistic director of the Gothenburg Film Festival, Jonas Holmberg. According to him, cinema has moved to another dimension. At the moment, it is worth focusing on a completely new world that was formed as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, and what place cinema has now taken in the human world.

Creating festivals in an era of isolation for each individual in the most beautiful places on the planet, leaving him alone with art is a new way, firstly, to create a safe space so as not to spread the virus, and another way to find out how society’s attitude towards films has transformed. That is why the lonely lighthouse on the coast of Sweden so metaphorically recalls the era of isolation, which had to be visited by millions of people around the world who directly or indirectly faced the coronavirus. This is very similar to the most crowded places, which at some point in time were empty. This is what a Swedish nurse who is fortunate enough to be in the middle of the Pater Noster and the sea breeze could feel.

The festival organizers say it looks completely renewed, just like the world in the era of a pandemic. The festival is now digital. This is the only secure format that allows you to function even when the whole world is closed within four walls.

Pater Noster is an extraordinarily beautiful but deserted place in the North Sea. It is located on the edge of a large mountain archipelago. Here everything is blown by the wind. By right, this is one of the windiest locations in the country.

Lisa Enroth, a Swedish covid nurse, was staying alone from January 29 to February 8. She was accompanied only by characters from 60 films, which she was watching for 7 days.

Her impressions were be recorded and will be published.