Struggling bodies and body struggles: explorations of body and religion in contemporary Nordic film

• Main Author: Sofia Sjö
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Donner Institute 2011-01-01
• Series: Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis
• Subjects: Body, Human; Films; Media and religion; Scandinavia; Popular culture; Salvation
• Online Access: https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67397

This study focuses on representations of the body and religion in Nordic film. The aim is to illustrate the kinds of representations of religion and the body that can be found in contemporary Nordic films, demonstrate how these representations relate to religion, the body and film more generally, and explore what perceptions of and attitudes to the body and religion the representations suggest. The analysis begins with an introduction to religion and film studies, religion in Nordic film and the themes and films chosen for this study. After this a short overview of earlier studies dealing with the body, film, and religion is presented, before delving into the issue of the body and religion in Nordic film. The article is concluded by reflecting on the more over-arching ideas and attitudes that the material can be argued to point to and the possible changes and challenges the films express.