About The Disapproving Swede

The expression The Disapproving Swede was coined in Budapest after someone told me she referred to me that way. The visit there was no coincidence since I have watched and admired Hungarian films for many years. For almost as many years, I’ve been considering whether to write about them. It eventually became clear that films are also made outside Hungary. Thus, this webpage is the result: writings on Hungarian cinema and non-Hungarian films as I happen to encounter them.

Expect straightforward analysis that values real cinematic form over trends, clear opinions, and a general impatience with anything that feels lazy or insubstantial. No forced enthusiasm, no hedging. You will find film criticism with a low tolerance for lacklustre cinematic qualities, uninspired cinematography, indifferent editing, and the general absence of genuine craft that marrs the overwhelming majority of contemporary filmmaking.

Besides my interest in Hungarian cinema. I also cover festival premieres from Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, Black Nights, and elsewhere, as well as other international titles that warrant attention. When a film is genuinely accomplished, it will be evident. When it is not, which is more often the case, the disapproval will be unmistakable. In addition to reviews, the reader can look forward to interviews with directors. Meeting them has become a favourite endeavour at film festivals, not least with debutants.

My taste leans toward directors such as Godard, Resnais, Jancsó, de Oliveira, Ruiz, Straub, L’Herbier and Antonioni. I am considerably less enthusiastic about Fellini, Bergman, Bertolucci, Lanthimos, Östlund, Eggers, Aster and Chazelle, among many others.