Stena Foundation provides film education grants for schools in Gothenburg in collaboration with Alicia Vikander and the Gothenburg Film Festival

With the purpose to give young people opportunities to create and express themselves through motion pictures, Alicia Vikander and the Gothenburg Film Festival, with the support of the Stena Foundation, are starting the Alicia Vikander Film Lab project. Over three years students in schools in different parts of Gothenburg, with the help of mobile film workshops and experienced film teachers, will be able to make their own films, which will then be shown at a special gala during the Gothenburg Film Festival.

During the jubilee celebration of the Stena Foundation's 25th anniversary last week, the Alicia Vikander Film Lab was announced. The project has been made possible thanks to Alicia Vikander, recipient of the Stena Foundation's honorary scholarship 2021, donating her scholarship and contributing her own funding. In addition, the Stena Foundation has made an additional donation of SEK 1,500,000.

The project means that high school students at three to four selected schools in different parts of Gothenburg during February to October can learn about film making and create their own films. Alicia Vikander Film Lab runs for three years, 2022 - 2024.

Gothenburg Film Festival's experienced film teachers will visit the schools every week with mobile film workshops. They will meet the students during class time to study, discuss and make films. The project will also provide continuing education and inspiration to teachers at the schools.

The project has several objectives in addition to teaching filmmaking:

• broaden young people's perspectives through film and filmmaking
• inspire young people towards a future in the film industry
• increase source-critical thinking and create an understanding of how motion pictures can influence
• provide equal access to filmmaking, irrespective of socioeconomic background

Alicia Vikander has been involved in designing the project and hopes to be able to participate actively in selected workshops with the students.

“I feel enormously grateful and honoured to receive the Stena Foundation scholarship. To have the chance to start this film lab, together with the Gothenburg Film Festival, to inspire young people and create opportunities for them to explore the world of film is something I am extremely excited about,” says Alicia Vikander.

“The passion Alicia Vikander shows to increase young people's opportunities to access cinematic expression is extremely inspiring. It will be fantastic to further develop the film festival's educational work in collaboration with her and the Stena Foundation. And who better to inspire young people in Gothenburg than Alicia who has proved that there is no limit to how far you can go,” says Mirja Wester, CEO of Göteborg Film Festival.

“We are very pleased about Alicia Vikander's initiative and the Gothenburg Film Festival's commitment. We want to give more children and young people access to film as a form and means of expression. At the same time, we want to promote young people's life and development opportunities in Gothenburg, and we see that this project can contribute to that,” says Madeleine Olsson Eriksson, chair of the Stena Foundation.

Alicia Vikander Film Lab will start in January 2022. The first year, Kannebäcksskolan in Tynnered, Nordhemsskolan in Linnéstaden and Skälltorpsskolan in Hisings Backa (where Alicia Vikander herself was a student) will participate.

Each year, the films that the students have created will be shown at their own gala during the Gothenburg Film Festival.

Interview with Alicia Vikander about the Alicia Vikander Film Lab: Sten A Olssons Kulturstipendium 2021 – Alicia Vikander, About Alicia Vikander Film Lab (eng subs) - YouTube

Background facts:

• Financing:
  The project has been made possible thanks to Alicia Vikander, recipient of the Stena Foundation's honorary scholarship 2021, donating her scholarship and contributing her own funding. In addition, the Stena Foundation has made an additional donation of SEK 1,500,000.
• Time period: 2022-2024.
• Three to four schools per year.
• Around 1 000 students will participate during the three years.

Photo: Peter Claesson

For more information, please contact:
Birgitta Plyhm
PR, Sten A Olsson Foundation
+46 707 77 12 90
 birgitta@plyhm.se

About the Stena Foundation for Research and Culture
The Sten A Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2021. The Stena Foundation was founded in 1996 in connection with the shipowner Sten A Olsson's 80th birthday. Through the foundation, the family provides support for research and cultural activities, primarily in Gothenburg and western Sweden. The foundation promotes scientific research and development, as well as all forms of arts and culture, the humanities and Christian communities. The first donation amounted to SEK 51 million and formed the basis for the Chalmers Innovation Foundation. The development of a centre for innovation activities at Chalmers was thus made possible. From 1996, when the Stena Foundation was founded, until 2021, decisions have been made to distribute over SEK 540 million as support for specific projects, including a total of 155 scholarships in the cultural field and 320 master's scholarships as travel grants. www.stenastiftelsen.se/en

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