SWEET LAND

Written and directed by Ali Selim

Starring Tim Guinee as Olaf Torvik and Elizabeth Reaser as Inge Torvik

Based on Will Weaver’s short story A Gravestone Made of Wheat and shot on location in Southern Minnesota, Sweet Land is that rare independent feature that uses painterly images and understated performances to tell a universal story of love and discovery. David Tumblety’s glorious magic-hour cinematography recalls classic American art cinema like Days of Heaven, transforming the amber majesty of Southern Minnesota’s farm country into an elegiac metaphor for memory, family, and history.

SWEET LAND is a poignant and lyrical celebration of land, love, and the American immigrant experience. When Lars Torvik’s grandmother Inge dies in 2004, he is faced with a decision – sell the family farm on which she lived since 1920, or cling to the legacy of the land. Seeking advice, he turns to the memory of Inge and the stories that she had passed on to him.

Featuring supporting performances by veteran performers Ned Beatty, Paul Sand, and Lois Smith, SWEET LAND is the story of immigrant America, made by the son of first-generation immigrants themselves.

   Interview with Ali Selim, Writer/Director  

Interview with Tim Guinee, Olaf

Interview with Elizabeth Reaser, Inge