Inga Lindström: Die Farm am Mälarsee (2004)

Eva Winklund is a textile designer, but she has now taken four weeks off to support her best friend Britta, who is soon to become a mother. Along with Britta’s sister Malin, she takes over the small arts-and-crafts shop in Barkhult. Her partner and boss, Henning Westerberg, hopes she will come up with a few creative new ideas despite being on leave, but Britta’s shop takes up all her time because sales of the hand-knitted wool sweaters are in danger of collapsing, as not enough wool is being delivered. Eva wants to know why, so she visits the supplier, Gustav Axelsson, at his farm. She finds him in the barn, suffering from severe back pain and barely able to move, so she calls an ambulance. But he resists, afraid that nobody will take care of his sheep. Eva promises to look after them, even though she knows nothing about sheep. Gustav’s ambitious daughter Monica lives in Stockholm with her boyfriend, David Lilienberg. They are in the process of planning their move to Chicago, where they will both work for the same company. So when Eva calls to tell Monica that her father is ill, it comes at a very inconvenient time. Besides, Monica has no affection for either the farm or her father. Nevertheless, she travels to Barkhult with David. While she visits her father in the hospital, David looks around the farm. He feels responsible for helping his future father-in-law, so he suggests that Monica fly to Chicago alone for now while he takes care of the farm in the meantime. When David first meets Eva at the farm, it is love at first sight. They both know this does not fit into their plans at all, but they grow closer anyway. Together, they try to keep the farm running. The sheep need to be shorn, and the cheese supplier is waiting for the delivery Gustav promised. Gustav is devastated by his diagnosis: he has a herniated disc and needs urgent surgery. But he refuses and tries to escape from the hospital during the night. A nurse catches him and takes him back to his room. Britta quickly realizes that Eva has fallen in love, though Eva is not yet willing to admit it to herself. When Eva is back at the farm, Britta calls to say she is in labor. Eva rushes to the hospital, but by the time she gets there, the baby has already been born. After her visit, she meets Gustav outside; he is trying to escape again. He tells Eva that he has only strained his back. But afterward the doctor explains to her what Gustav really has. As Eva and David shear the sheep, they grow closer and kiss. Their intimacy is interrupted when the cheesemonger, Emil Martinsberg, arrives and reminds them that Gustav promised him a delivery. Monica calls David from Chicago and urgently asks him to make up his mind. But he is unwilling to commit. He realizes that something must have happened between Monica and her father, because she is insisting that the farm be sold. Eva brings Malin the good news that there will soon be wool again; she just needs Malin to tell her where the spinning mill is. Afterward, Eva meets David, and they spend the night together. The next morning, David tells her what happened with Monica, but he is not willing to leave the farm. Eva also feels pressure from Henning, who urgently wants new designs. But she first has to deal with the wool, and at the spinning mill she meets Sonja, who has very creative ideas. Gustav finally manages to escape from the hospital. On his way home, he meets Emil, who tells him that Eva and David are taking care of the cheese production. Surprised, Gustav goes to the farm to taste the cheese. Afterward, he sends the two of them away because he does not want any help. David, however, cannot be persuaded to leave. Eva sketches designs using Sonja’s new wool and shows them to Malin and Britta. She asks Malin to knit one sample of each design. Then she meets David again, and they are both sure they no longer want to leave Barkhult or the farm. Monica returns from Chicago and surprises David by telling him that she has already found a house for them. But she needs money for it, and persuades her father to sell the farm and give her the money. He agrees because he still feels guilty about the past. Eva learns from Malin what happened back then. She goes to Gustav, shows him the samples of the new sweaters, and tries to make him understand that selling the farm would be a mistake. When Gustav tries to stand up, he is struck by severe pain again and must go to the hospital urgently. But he does not want to have surgery. Eva tries to persuade him once more, telling him she has big plans for their future. In the process, she learns that he intends to sell the farm. David goes to Monica and breaks up with her. He also learns that Gustav plans to sell the farm, as well as the reasons behind it. He tells her plainly that he does not support what she is doing. When he goes to the farm to see Gustav, he cannot find him. He guesses where he might be and finds him at the hospital. David tells him that Monica is not accepting the gift, and Gustav finally agrees to have the operation. Eva thinks David supports the sale and talks to Britta about it. Britta tells her that she does not trust David, so Eva decides to speak with him. He explains that the sale is off. Monica apologizes to her father and goes to Chicago alone. Eva and David have made their decision too: they stay together.