Lukas Moodysson Fucking Åmål

Lukas Moodysson (director and writer); Alexandra Dahlström as Elin Olsson; Rebecka Liljeberg as Agnes Ahlberg (as Rebecca Liljeberg); Erica Carlson as Jessica Olsson; Mathias Rust as Johan Hulth; Stefan Hörberg as Markus; Josefine Nyberg as Viktoria; Ralph Carlsson as Agnes' Father Olof; Maria Hedborg as Agnes' Mother Karin; Axel Widegren as Agnes' Little Brother Oskar

go to the script of the movie, translated from the swedish

First of all, I'd like that you think of the movie in general: Is there anything in the movie that you find specially important or meaningful? Is there anything disgusting, in bad taste, wrong or that you in any way reject on moral grounds? Do you believe that these characters could be real people, like the ones you know: teenagers like you friends or even yourself? Do you think that they experience some of the doubts or conflicts that you live? Do you sympathise with any of the characters? why? Is there any one with whom you don't sympathise at all? why?
I love Elin!!!!!!!!!!
Then, the first issue I want ou to discus about is homosexuality: What are your feelings about it?, do you think that it is not normal?, do you condemn it?, do you accept it as another sexual option? Do you think that homosexuals should be medically treated because they are sick people, that they should be sent to jail, ...? Or maybe, that they have the right to be as they want, but not in public: at home, in their bars, in their places, not to mingle with the normal people? A friend comes to you and tells you that he / she is homosexual, how do you think you would treat him / her? What do you think about the homosexual marriage? Most homosexuals don’t ask more than not to be discriminated: at schools, in their jobs, ..., do you think they have the right? A good way to think about it is to put yourselves in Agnes’ shoes for a while: it happens that you are in love with a girl (or with a boy, if you are a boy, and it doesn’t matter why it happens so, it just happens), what are the things that your colleagues could do to you that you wouldn’t like?
	Three guys sit near a locker just above Agnes'. They have hung up a page from a porno magazine. It's a picture of a naked woman with huge breasts. She looks at the picture, but just goes to her locker and opens it. ONE GUY: What do you think? Is she pretty? AGNES: Not too good. Fair. Good looking breasts. GUY: What do you think about her cunt? Agnes looks at them. She doesn't answer. She only goes. The guy shouts after her: GUY: What do you think about her cunt? [Fucking Åmål, script]
Agnes is harassed by her colleagues at school, that's what we call bullying: At school, she is being harassed by the other pupils: how, in what ways?, why? Do you know, have you heard of any case at school or wherever? What effect does it have on her? What effect does it have on the other pupils? And on bullies? Is it reason enough to kill herself? (Of course, you know that there have been kids who have killed themselves to scape bullying, see link 2 below) What are the signs of social success between you, of being appreciated? What are the signs of social failure?  What happens with someone who isn’t able to succeed? How do you treat  those who have failed to get this recognition? What happens if someone is just a bit weird? Is Agnes watched by the colleagues? Why? Are you Is there any obvious reason to bully / harass somebody? Is viktoria a clear example of someone who is not cool at all? Even only suspected homosexuals are often harassed at school, so much so that hardly ever a homosexual will come out in the open. Why do you think this happens? Do you think it's right?
some cases in Spain: link 1 | link 2 | link 3 homophobic bullying tackling hompohobia
	JESSICA (bored): Markus has demonstrated everything that can be done with his mobile phone. MARKUS: But girls don't understand these sort of things. ELIN: What sort of things? MARKUS: Cell phones and that sort, sports, cars, porno... hehehe Markus tosses himself backwards with his hands over his head. He thinks Jessica will hit him, but she doesn't. ELIN (to Markus): You're so stupid. What are we good at, then? MARKUS: I don't know... Make‑up and such things... JESSICA: So you think we just tease and put make‑up on ourselves the whole day. MARKUS: No, what the heck, I don't know ELIN: What else then? MARKUS: What 'what else then'? ELIN: Other things we're good at. MARKUS: I don't know, appearance, clothes, make‑up, and those kinds of things. ELIN: You are so bloody stupid! [Fucking Åmål, script] COACH: I'll have a good game here today. I'll not have an old woman's game. I want passes on the blade, I want sweat... This isn't a youth hostel for mummy's boys. Let's get tough! [Fucking Åmål, script]
In Agnes' case, bullying has to do with a behaviour that her comrades don't consider normal: but what is normal?, what do we know about the normal behaviour? That's the next subject to reflect about: When, how do you learn to behave as a girl or as a boy? Who teaches you? Have you thought about it before? Do you think that they are the right ways to behave? Or maybe you don’t like some of them? Which? Why? For instance: which are the things that you can not do (as a girl or as a boy)? Which the ones that you should? Can you trace the influence of the media: the movies, ads, soaps, videos, the internet, on your behavior? Do you think that they are right, that it is the truth or is it possible that we all are being lied to? How? Why? Collect ads where the image of a man or a woman are used in a sexist way, where women or men are presented as a model to behave in some way or the other, where sex is used to sell whichever products, that is: examples of what we call sexist advertising. What do you watch on tv? On the internet? How do women / men appear in the media? How is treated sex and teenagers' relationships? Do you think that they copy reality or is it rather the other way round, that teenagers tend to copy what they watch in tv? What rule models do you know about masculinity and feminity (for instance: that men should be protective and women seductive)? Do you recognise any of them in advertising?
	Olof has sat himself on the edge of the bed besides Agnes, who lies in a fetus position with her face in towards the wall, away from him. It is pitch black in the room. Agnes is crying. AGNES (is screaming): No one likes me! Why am I alive? I don't want to live! OLOF: Now now, love. Olof strokes Agnes' back, but Agnes slaps his hand. AGNES: I want to die! [Fucking Åmål, script]
Agnes: What do you think of her?, would your opinion be different if she were not homosexual? She’s obviously a weird one, would you mind to sit by her at school, to have her as a friend? Isn’t it enjoyable to nag her as Camilla does in the movie? Why does she behave with Viktoria as she does? Is viktoria then right to treat her as she does in revenge?   “But I don't have friends! I don't have one. Mother can't understand that, because she has always been so awfully perfect and has always had it so good. I know exactly how she was, I know exactly; she was someone they liked... And now she thinks it's so awful that her daughter has become so strange and ugly and disappointing and nasty.” That’s how Agnes thinks about her mother. Is it so usual that girls argue in this way with their mothers (and boys with their fathers)? Why? Do you really think that your fathers or mothers want you to be perfect? What happens if you fail? Her father tries to convince her that she is not an ugly, nasty and disappoiting person, but Agnes doesn’t give in. Why is it so important that we get the recognition of somebody? How do we use to get it? “Have you heard that she is lesbian?”, says Jessica. Do you gossip about any of your colleagues?, are you interested in their lives? Why? Is it fair game then, for us to harass?, May we make jokes, may we laugh at her? “If you kiss her you will probably get AIDS!” says Jessica. Do you think possible to get AIDS by kissing? What has to do being lesbian with being ill, in any case? Agnes is quite strong to endure the bullying and aggressions, how can she? Do you think that anyone would? What happens if you can not stand it? With Agnes' family: why does she argue with her mother, is it so important that she reads her diary?  Do you all have locks on your bedroom? Imagine that you find yourself fancying someone of your own sex: what would you think, feel, what do you think that you would do? why? What happens to her mother when she finds out? what does she think / feel? Is she right? What would you do? What do you think that your own parents would think / feel? And your friends? Isn’t it reason enough not to get involved in such a relationship, to repress what you feel?  “Have you been with many girls before?”asks Elin. Why is it that we think that to be homosexual is to be promiscous? And Agnes feels herself a bit insulted, is she right? “If you lived in Stockholm for example, you would have as many girls as you wanted.” says Elin. What does she mean? Do you agree? Agnes' father tries to console her, talking about how things may turn out to be in 25 years, would it be a consolation for you? Or must things be fair right now? Why?
	ELIN: I have never slept with anyone. JESSICA: No, but you have made out with about 70,000. ELIN: It's all shit. JESSICA: Do you know that people are talking about you? ELIN: Oh, yes? Don't you know that it means nothing? So I don't care that people are talking about shit. I don't think about what they will make of me when I am the world's greatest film star. They will be bloody proud and say that they knew me and we went to the same school... So here: "Ooh, look at ‑ there's the house she lived in" and so on. ELIN: What else then? MARKUS: What 'what else then'? ELIN: Other things we're good at. MARKUS: I don't know, appearance, clothes, make‑up, and those kinds of things. ELIN: You are so bloody stupid! ELIN (to Johan): But what do you think then? What? Why are just sitting there without saying anything? JOHAN: Weeell, I don't know... [Fucking Åmål, script]
Elin: What can you say about her? Do you like how she dresses?, isn’t she a bit vulgar? or is she just sexy no matter what? Elin wants to become a model, wants to be miss Sweden, to be a famous film star. Are these every teenage girl’s dreams? Is it the same for boys? Do they read too many magazines? Everybody is preoccupied by their appearance, that girls usually take one hour before they go out to a party and boys five minutes means nothing at all. Do ou agree? Is Elin so cool really? Well.. she’s pretty but she’s been with all the boys in the school (she’s necked 70.000, says Jessica, even if she hasn’t slept with any of them, except Johan)... What happens to a girl who is too free? What happens when a girl is considered a slut? Do you think that she knows what she wants? (is it important for you to know it?) Isn’t she too young to go to raves?, to get high on drugs?, to have sex?, isn’t she just bored?, isn’t she just a spoilt brat? Isn’t she a fool: for instance, that boys are nasty is a reason to become lesbian? “Do you know what my nightmare is? That I'll live here in Fucking Åmål and have a family and children and a car and a house... all those things. And then my husband will leave me for a younger and prettier girl, so I'm just left with screaming children. It's completely meaningless!” What does she hate? Do you think as well that this is a nightmare? “Have you been with many girls before?”asks Elin. Is it something that you believe important to know about your partner? Why? Elin is quite wild, even so she’s afraid that any one knows that she’s attracted to Agnes. Why does it take so long to make up her mind and let every body know about it?
Johan and the boys: Johan is a bit ashamed to be in love with Elin, do you think it normal? Why should he be?, are boys usually ashamed of it?, why? What happens when a boy is rather tender / sensitive? Markus: “Do you know how many boys she’s been with?, she’s been with all of them” Should it be important for Johan? Is it important for you that your partner has more sexual experience? That he/she has had another (many) partners before? Do you understand why Elin and Johan split up? Does elin treat johan right when they split? Do you think that this is an usual situation with you? Boys don’t want to study: they drop school earlier than girls, they want a job as soon as possible, they are on electricity or mechanics courses: are they stupid?, are they really as stupid as they appear in the movie? Why do you think that girls study more? Why is it that boys drop school earlier than girls? Are girls really mor sensible and smarter than boys are? What do they worry about? What are the boys interested in? What do they think that girls are good at? Are they right? Is there any difference in the way that boys treat their girlfriend when they are alone and when their friends are around? Is it the same with girls. Do you know specific misunderstandings between men and women, do you think that they are able to understand each other?
	JESSICA: Did it hurt? ELIN: No, I only said it so he would pity me. He stopped just when it became nice. He came in only like five seconds. JESSICA: Markus is also weak, but he's better now. Initially it was only "pfft". ELIN (laughing): "Pfft"? [Fucking Åmål, script]
Young people and sex: Why does Elin do it? Is it only because he wants it? Is she satisfied? Why do boys want it so bad? Why do girls give in? Or is it the other way round? By the way, which one of them do you think that should bring the condom? What do you think about infidelity? And about promiscuity? About jealousy? Would you hang out with someone that your friends disapprove of /don’t fancy? Would you leave someone because your friends disapprove him / her? Would you hang out with someone only because you know that your friends approve of / fancy?
[for the girls (nothing personal asked):] what are you worried about when you think about sex? what are the girls’ main worries the first time? what do you want or need in a relationship with a boy? what do you think that boys want? would you rather be alone than with someone that you don’t love? is there any kind of concurrence between girls concerning boys? is there any way of homophobia between girls?: try this to prove it: a girl comes to you and says that she fancies you; one of your friends says that she’s hanging out with another girl. What would you and your friends think?
[for the boys (nothing personal asked):] what are you worried about when you think about sex? what are the boys’ main worries the first time? what do you want or need in a relationship with a girl? what do you think that girls want? would you rather be alone than with someone that you don’t love?             is there any kind of concurrence between boys concerning girls? is there any way of homophobia between boys?: try this to prove it: a boy comes to you and says that he fancies you; one of your friends says that he’s hanging out with another boy. What would you and your friends think?