The Swedish Torpedo

The Swedish Torpedo by director Frida Kempff brings the true story of Sally Bauer to life. In the tense summer of 1939, with the threat of World War II looming over Europe, a thirty-year-old single mother in southern Sweden has an unwavering goal: to be the first Scandinavian to swim across the English Channel.

Sally's dream is weighed down by financial worries, prejudice and social pressure to prioritise motherhood. Moreover, in the hope of gaining the necessary support from those close to her, including her son's married father, she must also overcome her own stubbornness. This impressive drama film is an inspiring portrait of a determined woman who dares to defy convention in the run-up to a record-breaking achievement.

The Swedish Torpedo premiered last year in the Centrepiece section of the Toronto International Film Festival and was subsequently screened at film festivals in Reykjavík, Stockholm and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, among others. Earlier this year, it was nominated for eight Guldbagge Awards, winning four.