Discovering Swedish Cinema: A Decade Of Compelling Stories

Clara Moreau
Clara MoreauDecember 6, 2025
The Swedish film industry has been thriving in recent years, producing a wide range of captivating movies that showcase the country's unique culture and perspective. From gripping thrillers to poignant dramas, Swedish cinema has something to offer for every kind of film enthusiast.

One of the standout aspects of Swedish films is their ability to balance entertainment with thought-provoking themes and social commentary. Many of these movies tackle complex issues such as racism, identity, and social justice, making them not only engaging but also intellectually stimulating.

The period between 2010 and 2019 was particularly fruitful for Swedish cinema, with a number of critically acclaimed films gaining international recognition. This list highlights some of the best Swedish movies from this decade, featuring a diverse range of genres and styles.

Whether you're a fan of crime dramas, fantasy films, or comedies, there's something on this list for everyone. From the true story of a major legal scandal to a poignant exploration of Sami culture, these movies showcase the diversity and creativity of Swedish filmmaking.

So why not embark on a journey to discover the best of Swedish cinema? With this curated list, you'll be able to explore the country's vibrant film scene and experience some of the most compelling stories from the past decade.
The Perfect Patient
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The Perfect Patient

#1

A true and captivating story about the biggest legal scandal in Swedish history, the story about the reporter who questioned an entire legal system. Hannes Råstam was dedicated to proving the innocence of Thomas Quick and unmask the legal chaos which sentenced Quick to a life in psychiatric prison.

2019110 min
CrimeDramaThriller
6.3
114 votes
About Endlessness
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About Endlessness

#2

A reflection on human life in all its beauty and cruelty, its splendor and banality, guided by a Scheherazade-esque narrator. Inconsequential moments have the same significance as historical events. Simultaneously an ode and a lament, presents a kaleidoscope of all that is eternally human, an infinite story of the vulnerability of existence.

201976 min
DramaFantasyComedy
6.5
207 votes
438 Days
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438 Days

#3

On the eve of June 28th, 2011 Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson put everything at stake by illegally crossing the border from Somalia into Ethiopia. After months of research, planning and failed attempts, they were finally on their way to report on how the ruthless hunt for oil effected the population of the isolated and conflict-ridden Ogaden region. Five days later they lay wounded in the desert sand, shot and captured by the Ethiopian army. But when their initial reportage died, another story began. A story about lawlessness, propaganda and global politics. After a Kafkaesque trial they were sentenced to eleven years in prison for terrorism. And they were far from alone. Their cellmates were journalists, writers and politicians persecuted for not bowing down to dictatorship. Their reportage about oil was transformed into a story about ink, and their daily lives turned into a fight for survival inside the notorious Kality prison in Addis Ababa.

2019124 min
DramaThrillerHistory
7.1
81 votes
Britt-Marie Was Here
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Britt-Marie Was Here

#4

Britt-Marie, a woman in her sixties, decides to leave her husband and start anew. Having been a housewife for most of her life and living in the small backwater town of Borg with few jobs available, she soon finds herself fending a youth football team.

201998 min
DramaComedy
5.2
59 votes
The Unthinkable
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The Unthinkable

#5

Sweden faces a mysterious attack while Alex tries to reunite with his youth love, Anna.

2018129 min
ThrillerActionScience Fiction
5.7
179 votes
Border
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Border

#6

When a border guard with a sixth sense for identifying smugglers encounters the first person she cannot prove is guilty, she is forced to confront terrifying revelations about herself and humankind.

2018110 min
FantasyDramaCrime
6.7
889 votes
The Nile Hilton Incident
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The Nile Hilton Incident

#7

Cairo, 2011. A police officer investigates the murder of a woman in a luxurious hotel in the days leading up to the Egyptian revolution.

2017111 min
ThrillerDramaCrime
6.6
373 votes
The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared
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The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared

#8

Drinking the tasty Folk Soda puts a spring in the 101 Year Old Man’s step and his next adventure takes him around the World and back to Sweden, during which time he is chased by the CIA, a Balinese debt collector and becomes an executive at a soft drink company.

2016108 min
AdventureComedy
6.4
200 votes
Sami Blood
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Sami Blood

#9

Elle Marja, 14, is a reindeer-breeding Sami girl. Exposed to the racism of the 1930s and phrenological examinations at her boarding school, she starts dreaming of another life. To achieve this other life she has to become someone else and break all ties with her family and culture.

2016110 min
Drama
7.3
145 votes

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