Scandinavian Film Fest (Los Angeles)

The Scandinavian Film Festival is a great place to catch up on Oscar-nominated foreign films. It takes part over two weeks showcasing films from various Nordic countries. The following are my favorites from the first session:

Original (Denmark)
It's a quirky film about a guy, his mentally ill mother, his wacky best friend and an offbeat singer. That's how strangely entertaining the story is. Original comes across refreshing sweet in an Amélie kind of way.

Upperdog (Norway)

I'm not familiar with Norwegian cinema but this was a great introduction. Upperdog tells the story of a brother and sister who were adopted by different families and how they end up meeting in an unlikely way. It skillfully weaves in charming romantic stories along with the heavier family issues for a completely delightful film experience.

Terribly Happy (Denmark)

Terribly Happy is the Danish submission for "Best Foreign Film" at Academy Awards this year and once you see it you'll understand why. Set in smalltown Denmark the community is eerie and secretive. Without giving too much away this film will definitely surprise you and its enigmatic catch phrase linger in your mind.

Official Site: www.scandinanvianfilmfestivalla.com