She Monkeys

She Monkeys is a modern western about control, sex and creatures, directed by Lisa Aschan.

When Emma meets Cassandra, they initiate a relationship filled with physical and psychological challenges. Emma does whatever it takes to master the rules of the game. Lines are crossed and the stakes get higher and higher. Despite this, Emma can’t resist the intoxicating feeling of total control.

She Monkeys had its domestic premier at the Gothenburg International Film Festival (Dragon Award 2011 nominee) and world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in the Generation 14plus.

Awards

Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Sound at the Swedish Academy Awards (Guldbaggen).

World Narrative Competition Award Winner at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival.

Haunting, resonant, but never posed. Conventional shots become dangerous. With balanced storytelling that moves between danger and innocence, this film speaks of sex, adolescence, power, and ambition. It is original and authentic.

From the jury’s statement

Dragon Award Best Nordic Film at the 2011 Göteborg International Film Festival, GIFF. The prize is one million SEK.

This was a film we loved unconditionally. It stayed with us all the time, and finally we felt that we must give this award to support a new, very special talent.

From the jury’s statement

The FIPRESCI Critics Award at GIFF

... Beautifully crafted, She Monkeys has a rythm as spellbinding as the sound of horses’ hooves that punctuates the film. Lisa Aschan plays quietly with the codes of thriller, western and a very delicate eroticism. She preserved elements of mystery which gives us only one desire: to see her make a new movie.

From the jury’s statement

Special Mention from the jury at the Berlinale (Berlin Film Festival)

... A film that is confusing and disturbing, chilling and startling, it triggers an avalanche of thoughts and questions…

From the jury’s statement

Best Cinematography Award at Transilvania International Film Festival, Cluj.

Reviews

Delivering one of the most intense and complex feature debuts to come from Sweden since Lukas Moodyson’s Show Me Love, helmer Lisa Aschan thrillingly subverts the coming-of-age genre, political correctness, gender roles and (without ever becoming graphic) just about everything to do with the depiction of developing sexuality in the taboo-breaking She Monkeys.

Alissa Simon, Variety

Festivals & Screenings 2011

Göteborg 28/1-7/2 - Best Nordic Film Dragon Award
Berlinale 10/2-20/2 - Generation 14plus Competition - Special Mention
BUFF 15/3-19/3 - In competition
Kosmorama Trondheim 4/4-10/4
BAFICI Buenos Aires 7/4-16/4
CPH Pix 15/4-1/5
Tribeca 20/4-1/5 - Narrative Competition Winner
San Francisco IFF 21/4-5/5 - New Director’s competition
Kristiansand 3/5-7/5
Transilvania Cluj 3/6-12/6 Best Cinematography Award
München 25/6-3/7
Karlovy Vary 1-9/7 Variety’s Ten
Paris Cinema 3/7-14/7 - In competition
Outfest Los Angeles 7/7-17/7 - Four in Focus
St Petersburg Kinoforum 10/7-15/7 - In competition
New Zealand FF Auckland 14/7-31/7
Wellington 29/7-14/8
Eur. FF Palic 16/7-22/7 - In competition
Melbourne 21/7-7/8
Dublin Gay 29/7-1/8
Montreal 18/8-28/8
Haugesund 18/8-25/8
Film Forum Zadar Croatia 23/8-30/8
Helsinki 15/9-25/9
Oslo gay 16/9-21/9
Reykjavik 22/9-2/10
Mosaico Ravenna 24/9-1/10