Directed by Tomas Alfredson in 2004, Four Shades of Brown (Fyra nyanser av brunt) is a group portrait of a mentally decaying society, composed of four distinct yet interconnected episodes in four different Swedish geographical locations. Up north, a well-dressed man meets his destiny; in the south, a zealous father tries to encourage his son; in Göteborg, a diverse group convenes for cooking lessons; and furthest north, a patriarch dies and his son attends the funeral, which has strong Asian influences.Celebrated as a particularly perceptive portrait of a country, this far-reaching, ambitious and terrifically entertaining black comedy swept the Swedish Guldbagge film awards, with its director and three main actors all taking home prizes in their respective categories. Four Shades of Brown (Fyra nyanser av brunt)Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue at 38th StreetNew York CityMarch 21 at 6:30 pmMarch 24 at 3 pmDirected by Colin Nutley in 2006, Heartbreak Hotel is the story of two women (one divorced, the other a widow) who initially dislike each other but later become friends and support each other as they fight their way towards new lives. The two actors own their (very different) characters: Bergström is outspoken and actively out there, while Lundquist’s character, Gudrun, is most often at home watching TV. Everything changes, however, when she discovers the dance club Heartbreak Hotel. The universal story is not new, but the performances are terrific, the tempo is brisk, and Stockholm looks very romantic photographed in warm, sensual colors. Heartbreak HotelScandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue at 38th StreetNew York CityMarch 28 at 6:30 pmMarch 31 at 3 pmFor more information: www.scandinaviahouse.orgImage: Four Shades of Brown, Swedish Film Institute