‘It Could Have Been Us’ is Viaplay’s latest original documentary film
- ‘It Could Have Been Us’ presented by Emma Örtlund and Ida Johansson (Viaplay’s Kristallen-nominated ‘Catwalk’)
- Documentary film directed by award-winning filmmaker Björn Tjärnberg
- Viaplay set to premiere at least 70 Originals in 2022
A journey back to a dark time in Swedish history is the theme of ‘It Could Have Been Us’, Viaplay’s next original documentary film. Presented by Emma Örtlund and Ida Johansson, stars of Viaplay’s Kristallen-nominated feature ‘Catwalk’, ‘It Could Have Been Us’ relates the experiences of people with disabilities who were confined to institutions across the country from the start of the 20th century. The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Björn Tjärnberg and will premiere exclusively on Viaplay in 2023.
Together with Pär Johansson, founder of the renowned Swedish theatre group Glada Hudik, Emma and Ida meet relatives of those affected, along with expert researchers. They share the true story of Olle, a young man who wrote moving letters to his mother from Lund’s Vipeholm facility – and cast unsettling light on events that to this day remain largely unknown to a broad audience.
Björn Tjärnberg: “When we started to learn more about what life was like for people with disabilities earlier in history, we soon faced a reality darker than we ever imagined. Through Olle’s eloquent and often witty letters, Emma and Ida hear a voice from the past who makes this story even more tangible.”
Filippa Wallestam, Viaplay Group Chief Content Officer: “This deeply affecting film shows the human consequences of an inhumane worldview, and how its scars remain in our societies today. At the same time, it offers glimpses of hope and joy. We’re proud that Viaplay’s viewers can once again spend time with the very charismatic Emma, Ida and friends, and gain many thought-provoking insights along the way.”
‘It Could Have Been Us’ (Swedish title: ‘Det kunde varit vi’) is written by Björn Tjärnberg (‘The Old Man and the Sea: The Expedition’) and Rebecca Brander (‘Flipping the Ladder’) and produced by Candamo Film for Viaplay. The Swedish-language film is distributed globally by Viaplay Content Sales.
About Viaplay Originals
At least 70 Viaplay Originals are set to premiere in 2022. Upcoming Originals include ‘Threesome’ season two; ‘R.S.V.P.’; ‘The Fortress’; ‘The Hunt for Jasper S.’; ‘Liv Ullmann: The Road Less Travelled’; ‘Those Who Kill’ season three; ‘Face to Face’ season three; ‘The Meaning of Life’; ‘Something Stupid’ and ‘The Guilty’; ‘Stockholm Bloodbath’; ‘Delete Me’ season two; ‘Boys’; ‘The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen’; ‘Fenris’; ‘Gold Run’; ‘Billy the Kid’; ‘Last Light’; ‘Cell 8’; ‘Elvira’; ‘North Sea Connection’; ‘Limbo’; ‘Litvinenko’; ‘Karma and Jonar’; ‘Ronja’; ‘The Uninhabitable Earth’; ‘Polish Murderesses’, ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Freedom of the Swallow’; ‘Honour’ season three; ‘Hammarvik’ season four; ‘Pørni’ season three; ‘Hilma’; ‘Who Shot Otto Mueller?’; a biopic of Börje Salming; ‘Fadime’; ‘Taylor’s Island’; ‘What about Monica’; ‘THE KINGDOM EXODUS’; ‘Estonia: The Last Wave’; ‘Stella Blómkvist’ season two; ‘The Swarm’; ‘Perfect People’; and ‘Margeaux’.
Two major English-language films will be produced by Viaplay every year. The company has also established a UK-based joint venture with FilmNation Entertainment and invested in US studio Picturestart.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Viaplay Group AB (publ) is the international streaming challenger. Our Viaplay streaming service is available in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland, the US and the Netherlands, and we are expanding rapidly by launching in the UK in 2022, followed by Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2023. Viaplay will have a market presence in at least 21 countries by the end of 2023, including at least five partner markets for the Viaplay Select branded content concept. Every day, millions of customers enjoy our unique entertainment offering, including acclaimed Viaplay Originals and an unrivalled line-up of premium live sports. From streaming to TV channels, radio stations and production companies, our purpose is to tell stories, touch lives and expand worlds. Viaplay Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (‘VPLAY B’).
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