Lilja 4-ever (2002)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Lukas Moodysson

Writer:

Lukas Moodysson (writer)

Release Date:

23 August 2002 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Lilja is 16 years old. Her only friend is the young boy Volodja. They live in Estonia, fantasizing about a better life. One day, Lilja falls in love with Andrej. He is going to Sweden, and invites Lilja to come along and start a new life.

Plot Keywords:

Sweden | Friend | Prostitute | Grocery Store | Tragedy

Awards:

12 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Oksana Akinshina	...	Lilja (as Oksana Akinsjina)
Artyom Bogucharsky	...	Volodya (as Artiom Bogutjarskij)
Lyubov Agapova	...	Lilja's Mother (as Ljubov Agapova)
Liliya Shinkaryova	...	Aunt Anna (as Lilija Sjinkarjova)
Elina Benenson	...	Natasha
Pavel Ponomaryov	...	Andrei (as Pavel Ponomarjov)
Tomasz Neuman	...	Witek (as Tomas Neumann)
Anastasiya Bedredinova	...	Neighbor (as Anastasia Bedredinova)
Tõnu Kark	...	Sergei
Nikolai Bentsler	...	Natasha's Boyfriend (as Nikolaj Bentsler)
Aleksander Dorosjkevitch	...	Friend #1 (as Aleksandr Dorosjkevitj)
Yevgeni Gurov	...	Friend #2 (as Jevgeni Gurov)
Aleksandr Sokolenko	...	Friend #3
Margo Kostelina	...	Cashier #1
Veronika Kovtun	...	Cashier #2

Also Known As:

Lilya 4-Ever (UK) (USA)
Lilja 4ever (Sweden) (alternative spelling)
Lilya 4-ever (International: English title)
Лиля навсегда (Russia) [ru]
Daima lilya (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Lilja 4-ever (Finland) [fi]
Lilja 4-ever (Poland) [pl]
Lilja gia panta (Greece) [el]
Lilya 4-ever (France) [fr]
Lilya Forever (Spain) [es]
Lilya Para Sempre (Portugal) [pt]
Para Sempre Lilya (Brazil) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, a rape scene, drug use and language.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

Sweden | Denmark

Language:

Russian | Swedish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Portugal:M/16 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Hungary:16 | Spain:18 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Film i Väst, Nohab Industrial Estate, Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden

Company:

Memfis Film

Trivia:

The assistant director, Alexandra Dahlström, can be seen on a balcony when Lilja is writing "Lilja 4-ever" on the bench.

Quotes:

Volodja: I killed myself and went to heaven and yeah, it's really good in heaven. But I regret it, 'cause I wanted to live on earth a little longer. You remain dead for all eternity, but you're alive only for a brief moment.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "High Chaparall: (#3.7)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Mein Herz Brennt

LILJA 4-EVER (DIDIER BECU)

Will Lukas Moodyson be the Andy Warhol of cinematography? It seems like he's on its way to achieve it as film after film Moodyson seems to find a subject that is shocking but stays a part of the society we cann't deny. "Lilja 4-ever" puts us back in some godforgotten village that used to be the powerful USSR. A place at where nothing really happens and where the youth just has to face violence and drugs (cheap medicine like syrup against coughing). Lilja is left alone by her mother who immigrates to the US and how much she defends, Lilja ends up as a childwhore. The movie is hard (the first seconds of the movie with Rammstein's "Mein herz brennt" already is unforgettable) and Moodyson does nothing special to shock his audience...the facts are just there and you can do with it what you want. A masterpiece.