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Göteborg Breakout Johanna Pyykkö on Love, Lies and Symbolism in ‘My Wonderful Stranger’ and Getting Tips From Claire Denis, Jane Campion
Finnish-Swedish helmer Johanna Pyykkö talks ‘My Beautiful Stranger,’ the Norwegian fantasy suspense vying for best Nordic film in Göteborg.
“Parts of the story is based on reality – I’ve met women, with similar mythomaniac traits, able to lie a lot,” says Pyykkö, sitting in the buzzy new hub of the Göteborg Film Festival’s Hotel Draken. “We wanted everyone to get into the symbolism and be motivated,” says the director who enjoyed her team work with DoP Torbjørn Sundal Holen (“Power Play”) and production designer Kristian Lahn Vestby (“Nach”) with whom she executed some drawings, hanging on the walls of the central house and location in the movie. Visual and mood references for the sensuous, fluid style ranged from Ingmar Bergman – “he can mix genres, be altogether ironic, funny, existential and symbolic” – Lynne Ramsay “for the texture in the rooms, to Claire Denis.
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