“[A] buoyant, self-willed, defiant biopic” — on June 11, see the heroic story of long-distance champion swimmer Sally Bauer in New Nordic Cinema!

In 1939, World War II is around the corner—but the only thing Sally Bauer (Josefin Neldén) can think of is the ocean. Obsessed with swimming since childhood, her father’s attempts to curb the habit have been unsuccessful, until an unwanted pregnancy forces her to abandon her dream. As an unwed single mother, she has no room for ambition. But when her sister Carla gives her renewed purpose, the two set out to dismantle the conventions working against them to realize Sally’s ultimate goal: swimming across the English Channel.

Facing sexism, raising a seven-year-old, and raising money to train and prepare abroad are daunting enough, and as war spreads across Europe, the Channel soon becomes a frontier between Allies and Axis powers. But as Sally steps onto the shores of Dover to take her first steps into the open and icy sea, her journey has only just begun. A complex and heroic film, The Swedish Torpedo (Den svenska torpeden, dir. Frida Kempff, Sweden 2024) features a riveting performance by Josefin Neldén as an ultimate trailblazer.

“Exhilarating and heartfelt… Josefin Neldén is utterly mesmerizing” (Reel News Daily)

This program has been supported by the Swedish Film Institute and the Swedish Institute.