Inga Lindström: Herz aus Eis (2013)

Eva Sellgren, a divorced woman with two dependent children, is forced to close the kiosk where she works after the land on which it stands is sold. To support herself and her family and try to get the business back, Eva pretends to be a housekeeper and manages to find work at the estate of Kristian Norden, a wealthy business consultant—a cold, aloof man who lives alone with his secretary and assistant, Frans Vidmark. Eva is a strong, independent woman, and Norden, initially annoyed by her, is gradually won over by the new housekeeper’s qualities. Eva, for her part, is fascinated by Norden’s strange personality, and when she discovers a nursery in the villa, she realizes that he is hiding a secret. The atmosphere in the Norden household is disrupted by the sudden arrival of Svenja, Norden’s teenage daughter. Svenja lives at boarding school but is forced to return home to avoid an infection that has spread through the school. Norden reacts very badly to his daughter’s arrival and wants nothing to do with her, so Eva decides to take her in at her own home. Svenja is very mature and sensitive for her age, but suffers deeply from her father’s coldness and quickly grows attached to Eva. Grateful to Eva for her help, Frans explains the reason for this absurd situation: Norden’s wife died giving birth to Svenja, and Norden suffered so much that he refused to form a bond with his daughter. Frans has looked after Svenja over the years, acting as a father to her, but realizes that he did not do the right thing. Svenja, for her part, is convinced that she is responsible for her mother’s death and therefore deserves her father’s hostility, but she makes no secret of how much she misses her mother. Eva’s daughter Lisa returns home from Stockholm for a short visit; she is studying law there. Lisa confesses to her mother that she has received a job offer at her father’s law firm. Out of pride, Eva forbids Lisa to accept the position, but Svenja and Norden’s story makes her reconsider. In the end, she encourages Lisa to take the job, realizing that this might be an opportunity for Lisa to grow closer to her own father. Eva now decides to help Svenja and Norden reconcile, but all her attempts founder on the indifference Norden continues to show his daughter, despite everything. Although she understands that, in reality, Norden is simply afraid to let himself go, Eva finally decides to leave her job as housekeeper. Eva’s departure deeply affects Norden, and he understands that he can no longer live in isolation. At last, he realizes that he needs Svenja’s affection, and Eva’s too: with her spontaneity, she has finally managed to melt Norden’s icy heart. The time comes for Svenja to return to boarding school, and Eva, realizing this is the girl’s last opportunity to understand her father’s true feelings, takes her to Norden’s villa and shows her the room her parents had prepared for her. Norden has kept the room untouched all these years, and Svenja understands that he really does love her and has never blamed her for her mother’s death. Father and daughter are finally reconciled. At last at peace, Norden declares his love for Eva, who happily returns his feelings.