The girl king (2015)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2015
	Director: Mika Kaurismäki
	Actors: Malin Buska, Sarah Gadon, Michael Nyqvist, Lukas Bryant, Hippolyte Girardot, Patrick Bauchau
	Country: FIN, CDN, S, F, D
	Genre: Romance, Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 07.11.2015, CineStar 1, NFDL2015, English version with German subtitles
Synopsis: Sweden 1638. Crowned Queen at the age of six, Kristina of Sweden (Buska) was thrust into a labyrinth of power and tradition lead by austere Lutheran men. She finds sanctuary and love with her lady-in-waiting, the beautiful and elegant, countess Ebba Sparre (Gadon), although the Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna (Nyqvist) pressures her to pair with his son, Johan (Bryant). As Queen of the Lumières (Enlightener) and influenced by the French Ambassador Chanut (Girardot) and Descartes (Bauchau) she promoted liberty of ideas. Soon her ennemies realize that Ebba is the key to control her but they underestimate Kristina's brilliant mind and her drive to be free.
Review: Even if the poster is not very inviting, the plot is. And the movie is a very good historical movie. From the historical point of view, I do not know. But at least for the effort of reconstitution of that era yes.  As young Queen Kristina, her clothes are very modern for a woman of that time. Her behaviour also. And that is good. Her lesbian love affair is suggested but never shown explicitly. The focus of the story is really on the policital conflict and not on the romance. And the intrigues are well presented, even if the correspondence with Descartes could have been better enhanced to show how much could be expressed via mail.  The acting of Malin Buska is fine while Michael Nyqvist is really impressive in an intrigant strict Lutherian role. It was funny to see the rare Hippolyte Girardot.  The directing is very fine and gets the most free and open-minded impression of Kristina. Via the way she runs through the castle or rides in the country.  Kristina of Sweden gets another meaning to me.
Rating: 6 /10