Ruben Östlund: Cultural politicians are embarrassingly uneducated

Star director Ruben Östlund is tough on the cultural policy being pursued in Sweden today. He urges politicians to "grow up and become less embarrassingly ignorant".

» Published: January 25 2025

Ruben Östlund: Cultural politicians are embarrassingly uneducated
Photo: Adam Ihse/TT

During the opening speech of the Gothenburg Film Festival by Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand (M), she was met with boos.

In her speech, she said, among other things, that it is not "politics' task" to be the industry's best buddy.

Ruben Östlund, who is the honorary chairman of the festival, reacts against the Culture Minister's speech and says in a post published in Aftonbladet that none of his films could have been made without "the film and cultural policy that was developed in the 1960s in Sweden".

"Unfortunately, it is not the cultural policy driven by Sweden's politicians today", says Östlund.

He further says that "Sweden's cultural policy and cultural politicians, or at least the PR department, must grow up and become less embarrassingly uneducated".

Östlund did not attend the opening ceremony, as he is in Budapest filming his new movie.

Tags

TT News AgencyT
By TT News Agency - Translated and adapted by Sweden Herald under license from TT News Agency

More news

Pulp Returns with First New
1 MIN READ

Pulp Returns with First New Album in 24 Years

Tarik Saleh's "Eagles of the
3 MIN READ

Tarik Saleh's "Eagles of the Republic" Competes for Cannes' Top Prize

Celebrated Swedish Author Carl-Göran Ekerwald
1 MIN READ

Celebrated Swedish Author Carl-Göran Ekerwald Dies at 101

Patti Smith's New Memoir Angels'
1 MIN READ

Patti Smith's New Memoir Angels' Bread Explores Her Formative Years

Watch Live: Historic Relocation of
1 MIN READ

Watch Live: Historic Relocation of Sweden's Most Beautiful Church

Director James Toback Ordered to
1 MIN READ

Director James Toback Ordered to Pay 16 Billion in Assault Case

Rami Malek Embraces Outsider Roles
3 MIN READ

Rami Malek Embraces Outsider Roles in New Thriller The Amateur

Johan Persson Wins 2025 Slangbellan
1 MIN READ

Johan Persson Wins 2025 Slangbellan for Children's Literature

Damn Guys Takes the Stage:
1 MIN READ

Damn Guys Takes the Stage: Shanti Roney Stars in Stockholm Monologue

The Last of Us Renewed
1 MIN READ

The Last of Us Renewed for Season 3 Ahead of Season 2 Premiere

Miss Snusk Replaced by New
1 MIN READ

Miss Snusk Replaced by New Artist at Grebbestad Live Festival

Swedish Ministry Not Involved in
1 MIN READ

Swedish Ministry Not Involved in Maryam Moghaddam's Legal Case

Thomas Pynchon Returns with New
1 MIN READ

Thomas Pynchon Returns with New Novel After 12-Year Hiatus

Library Association Sues Trump Administration
1 MIN READ

Library Association Sues Trump Administration Over Funding Cuts

Ernst Billgren Reimagines Karl XII
3 MIN READ

Ernst Billgren Reimagines Karl XII at Stockholm's National Museum

Gustav Lindh Stars in Hamlet
3 MIN READ

Gustav Lindh Stars in Hamlet as Dramaten Faces Stage Closure

Europe and Rival Sons Rock
1 MIN READ

Europe and Rival Sons Rock Gärdet in Stockholm This June

Falstaff Scholarship Prize Boosts to
1 MIN READ

Falstaff Scholarship Prize Boosts to 500,000 Kronor for Directors

Michael Moore Collects Over 1000
1 MIN READ

Michael Moore Collects Over 1000 Trump Portraits for Art Exhibition

Anette Alsing Reflects on Husband
2 MIN READ

Anette Alsing Reflects on Husband Adam's Final Days and Her Journey Forward

Sanna Nielsen and Robin Paulsson
1 MIN READ

Sanna Nielsen and Robin Paulsson Reunite for Festive Christmas Show

New Crime Thrillers and More:
3 MIN READ

New Crime Thrillers and More: This Week's Must-See Films and Series

TV Personality Nassim Al Fakir
1 MIN READ

TV Personality Nassim Al Fakir Revives Beloved Gnuttarna at Gröna Lund

Arcade Fire's New Album Pink
1 MIN READ

Arcade Fire's New Album Pink Elephant Drops This May

Solvej Balle Advances to Final
1 MIN READ

Solvej Balle Advances to Final Round for International Booker Prize

Werner Herzog Honored with Golden
1 MIN READ

Werner Herzog Honored with Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival

Kids Choose Their Favorite Books
1 MIN READ

Kids Choose Their Favorite Books in Sweden's Great Book Vote

Hotel Årjäng Cancels New Fröken
2 MIN READ

Hotel Årjäng Cancels New Fröken Snusk Concert Over Authenticity Concerns

Tom Cruise Brings Mission Impossible
1 MIN READ

Tom Cruise Brings Mission Impossible Premiere to Cannes Film Festival

Pete Best, Former Beatles Drummer,
1 MIN READ

Pete Best, Former Beatles Drummer, Retires from Music at 83

Sweden's Museum of Technology Wins
1 MIN READ

Sweden's Museum of Technology Wins Prestigious 2025 Award

Oslo Unveils New Memorial Honoring
1 MIN READ

Oslo Unveils New Memorial Honoring Victims of 2011 Attacks

Robbie Williams Reveals Scurvy Battle
2 MIN READ

Robbie Williams Reveals Scurvy Battle After Extreme Dieting

Paul Schrader Denies Harassment Allegations
2 MIN READ

Paul Schrader Denies Harassment Allegations in Open Letter

Renovation Duo Returns to Sicily
1 MIN READ

Renovation Duo Returns to Sicily for New TV Series on Kanal 5

Marianne Jean-Baptiste Reunites with Mike
3 MIN READ

Marianne Jean-Baptiste Reunites with Mike Leigh in Hard Truths

Alex Schulman Directs First Film
1 MIN READ

Alex Schulman Directs First Film Arkipelag with Star-Studded Cast

Genre image
1 MIN READ

Podcast Trio Launches New Book on Swedish Military History

Stephen King's Lida Thrills on
4 MIN READ

Stephen King's Lida Thrills on Stage This Fall at Riksteatern

Madonna and Elton John Reconcile
2 MIN READ

Madonna and Elton John Reconcile After Longstanding Feud