One morning just before Christmas, Leena receives a phone call
from a hospital in her childhood town where she grew up. She
learns that her mother is dying. This news takes the young woman on a journey to face her mother for the first time in her adult life. Leena has fought hard to let go of her grief over her lost and dark childhood. She is now forced to deal with her past to be able to move on.
Beyond is a 2010 Swedish drama film directed by Pernilla August. The original Swedish title is Svinalängorna, which means »The swine rows« and refers to the housing project where parts of the story are set. The film is based on the novel with the same name by Susanna Alakoski. It was shown at the »67th International Venice Film Festival« and got the International Critics' Week Award 2011. The Swedish Film Institute submitted Beyond for a 2011 »Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film«.
