Samtidigt på Jorden (2020)

Samtidigt på Jorden: Directed by Carl Olsson. When we die, there are still some practicalities needed to be taken care of before our time among the living is finally over. Meanwhile on Earth enters the world around our end station, an industry of death. A place where the existential meets the mundane, and the sacred meets the profane.

“A documentary quite unlike anything else Iu0026#39;ve seen. This Swedish offering is more like a Roy Anderson film. Scenes play out one by one, the camera locked as the actionu0026#39;s captured within the frame. Now I say action, but thereu0026#39;s nothing scripted. Itu0026#39;s an honest albeit carefully crafted look at how funerals work. Itu0026#39;s probably not for everyone. In all honesty Iu0026#39;ve no idea how things of this nature work in England, but Iu0026#39;m pretty sure the Swedes do it better. It certainly appears to have style, grace and a beautiful minimalism. Thereu0026#39;s a sense that you could point the camera almost anywhere and capture something cinematic. Maybe thatu0026#39;s just Sweden? I need to visit. Thereu0026#39;s a weird mundanity to it and a sense that although weu0026#39;re party to some intimate settings and candid moments, weu0026#39;re kept at arms length by the camera. Itu0026#39;s respectful. Despite its declaration to document the industry of death. It is carefully crafted and clearly intent on being a piece of cinematic art as much as anything else. Itu0026#39;s nice though, simple. Nothing to decide, just watch and study. Preparing bodies, preparing funerals. Digging graves, adjusting wreaths. Everything we see has a purpose and connection, if not always immediately obvious. Itu0026#39;s playful, drip feeding this world to us without anything extra, no guide, no narration. Just what we pick up from those on screen, bits of conversations, details of whatu0026#39;s happening in the moment, but for their benefit, not ours. Itu0026#39;s not at all somber, thereu0026#39;s even some light humour, but mostly thereu0026#39;s calm. Quite, well organised, uncluttered calm.”