In an understaffed police district in the Klarakvarteren area of Stockholm, a "daring experiment" begins in the late 1950s: Sweden's first female police officers join the police force. When Netflix now makes a TV series about the pioneers, it takes its starting point in real events.
In "Skiftet", Josefin Asplund plays the police officer Karin, who, together with her colleagues, tries to navigate the great resistance the newly graduated meet – both from the public and from their male colleagues.
These women had to go through a lot, and it was probably much worse than what we show in the series. There was an incredible distrust that they would be able to handle it, she says.
"Pure gold"
Hip-hop and punk set the tone for the series, which at the same time is a costume drama where impractical narrow skirts, tights, and heels make up the female police officers' uniform.
Getting to portray a person from another time describes Josefin Asplund as "pure and simple gold":
Scenography, costume, and makeup are a great help when you need to find your character and your role in another time. For me, it has been really cool to imagine that this actually happened to these people, she says.
Something that has surprised Asplund during the work with "Skiftet" is the courage the 14 women who in reality underwent the first police training for women must have had.
It took a lot for a woman in the 1950s to take that step, even if female labor was needed during and after World War II. To some extent, there is probably still a distrust of women in the police force, but it's not near how it was in 1958, she says.
Change
Now Asplund hopes that a modern audience will appreciate "Skiftet" for the story about women who want to change and improve.
I hope that one will get an understanding of how much crap women have had to take – and take. The series is about young women with a drive and a will to make Stockholm better, and who at the same time are fighting for women's rights, but also for human rights in general, she says.
Sara Haldert/TT
Facts: "Skiftet"
TT
Direction: Rojda Sekersöz ("Young royals").
Script: Patrik Ehrnst.
Participants (in selection): Josefin Asplund, Agnes Rase, Malin Persson, Christopher Wagelin, and others.
Premiere: October 3 on Netflix.
