Stolen (2024)
Director: Elle Márjá Eira
Cast: Elin Kristina Oskal (as Elsa Stuorbma), Martin Wallström (as Robert Isaksson), Lars-Ánte Wasara, among others
Stolen (2024), directed by Elle Márjá Eira, marks a striking #IndigenousCrimeDrama set against the sweeping landscapes of Sweden’s Sápmi region. Drawing from Ann-Helén Laestadius’s novel and directed by a Sámi filmmaker herself, the narrative centers on Elsa—played by Elin Kristina Oskal—who, as a child, witnesses the heartless killing of her reindeer by a non-Sámi outsider. A decade later, the trauma resurfaces, igniting her quest for justice. WikipediaFictionMachine.
Oskal delivers a deeply grounded and nuanced performance, channeling the weight of generational grief and cultural displacement. Opposite her, Martin Wallström portrays the antagonist with chilling detachment, embodying the broader social tensions of prejudice and entitlement. The supporting Sámi cast imparts an authentic dynamic rooted in shared heritage and survival. WikipediaMoviepedia
Visually, Ken Are Bongo’s cinematography is a standout—vast snowscapes and reindeer herding scenes transform into expressive visual poetry. The film thrives on quiet tension, subtle sorrow, and the formal beauty of Sámi traditions. MoviepediaWikipedia
At its core, Stolen explores colonial trauma, resilience, and the fight to preserve indigenous identity in the face of indifference and exploitation. Critics commended it for its fidelity to source material and cultural truth—while some noted the narrative occasionally leans too close to its literary origins, creating a rigid feel. Still, the emotional weight and visual lyricism resonate deeply. WikipediaMoviepedia
On streaming, the film confronts issues of xenophobia and climate change with compelling subtlety, offering both a haunting drama and a needed voice to Sámi storytelling. It’s a courageous debut that educates and unsettles, inviting reflection on what it means to fight for tradition in a changing world.
Stolen (2024), directed by Elle Márjá Eira, marks a striking #IndigenousCrimeDrama set against the sweeping landscapes of Sweden’s Sápmi region. Drawing from Ann-Helén Laestadius’s novel and directed by a Sámi filmmaker herself, the narrative centers on Elsa—played by Elin Kristina Oskal—who, as a child, witnesses the heartless killing of her reindeer by a non-Sámi outsider. A decade later, the trauma resurfaces, igniting her quest for justice. WikipediaFictionMachine.
Oskal delivers a deeply grounded and nuanced performance, channeling the weight of generational grief and cultural displacement. Opposite her, Martin Wallström portrays the antagonist with chilling detachment, embodying the broader social tensions of prejudice and entitlement. The supporting Sámi cast imparts an authentic dynamic rooted in shared heritage and survival. WikipediaMoviepedia
Visually, Ken Are Bongo’s cinematography is a standout—vast snowscapes and reindeer herding scenes transform into expressive visual poetry. The film thrives on quiet tension, subtle sorrow, and the formal beauty of Sámi traditions. MoviepediaWikipedia
At its core, Stolen explores colonial trauma, resilience, and the fight to preserve indigenous identity in the face of indifference and exploitation. Critics commended it for its fidelity to source material and cultural truth—while some noted the narrative occasionally leans too close to its literary origins, creating a rigid feel. Still, the emotional weight and visual lyricism resonate deeply. WikipediaMoviepedia
On streaming, the film confronts issues of xenophobia and climate change with compelling subtlety, offering both a haunting drama and a needed voice to Sámi storytelling. It’s a courageous debut that educates and unsettles, inviting reflection on what it means to fight for tradition in a changing world.