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Poster for Fanny and Alexander

Fanny and Alexander

Seen it?

1982 | 188 min | Fantasy, Drama, Mystery

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won 4 Oscars, audiences rate it highly (7.8 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and fantasy fans. If you loved The Sixth Sense or Donnie Darko, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Tense.
The pace
Unhurried and epic, at 3 hr 8 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: meant for adults.
  • It's long: 3 hr 8 min.
  • It's in Swedish, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

As children in the loving Ekdahl family, Fanny and Alexander enjoy a happy life with their parents, who run a theater company. After their father dies unexpectedly, however, the siblings end up in a joyless home when their mother, Emilie, marries a stern bishop. The bleak situation gradually grows worse as the bishop becomes more controlling, but dedicated relatives make a valiant attempt to aid Emilie, Fanny and Alexander.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 100 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.8 out of 10

  • AwardsVery strong

    Won 4 Oscars: Best International Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design. Won 1 Golden Globe: Best Non-English Language Film. Won 1 BAFTA: Best Cinematography. Also nominated for 2 more Oscars, 1 more Golden Globe and 2 more BAFTAs. Plus 12 other awards.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $7 million worldwide on a $6 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 163K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Ingmar Bergman

  • Pernilla AllwinFanny Ekdahl
  • Bertil GuveAlexander Ekdahl
  • Jan MalmsjöBishop Edvard Vergérus
  • Ewa FrölingEmilie Ekdahl
  • Gunn WållgrenHelena Ekdahl
  • Börje AhlstedtCarl Ekdahl
  • Anna BergmanHanna Schwartz
  • Kristina AdolphsonSiri
  • Erland JosephsonIsak Jacobi
  • Mats BergmanAron Retzinsky