The story of Stolen is intimately tied to its picturesque setting of northern Sweden, home to the rural Sámi people, so it’s no surprise that the Netflix movie was filmed on location in this remote region. A revenge story based loosely on real events in the Sámi community, the filming locations are nonetheless just as important as the characters.
Stolen was filmed on location in Sweden. Much of the work was done in Norrbotten in Sweden, a Swedish province that borders south to Vasterbotten, east to Finland, and west to Swedish Lapland.
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The film was produced to show an honest representation of the Sámi community, and their environment and lifestyles, so it was important for filmmaker Elle Marja Eira to be as authentic as possible when making the movie.
Location and, of course, casting would play an important part in the film’s tone, and the shoot would take place in the snow-covered landscape, reflecting the harsh weather and even harsher realities that our protagonist would face.
It is hard to express to certain audiences what a lifestyle that is so different from our own can look like, and the film shows that our first-world problems don’t mean a thing to the population living in more rural and rugged climates.
Posts on the director’s Instagram page would reveal some background shots of the filming process and also suggest that some location work took place in surrounding areas, including Norway.
Filming Production Timeline
I’ve put together a brief timeline of Stolen‘s development from page to screen:
- The film is based on a novel written in 2021. It would come to the attention of the director, who was looking to produce a film set within the Sami community.
- Once the film was greenlit, production would begin in early 2023.
- By February 15th, 2024, Netflix released a first look at the movie ahead of a full release.
- Two teaser trailers were released on March 19, 2024, and April 5, 2024.
- Stolen was released globally on Netflix on April 12th, 2024.
Who produced and directed Stolen?
Stolen was directed by Elle Marja Eira and produced by Khalil Al Harbiti, along with Kolibri Films and Netflix.
Elle’s website reveals she is talented in many areas, including music and film. Hailing from Kautokeino, the film’s director has a very personal connection with the story, as she comes from a reindeer herding family, so you can see why this film would mean so much to her.
She has had exhibitions, film screenings, and concerts that have been performed all across the globe, including the USA, Russia, and the UK. She is a member of a three-piece band that formed in a musical snowstorm at Ice Station Vadso, Northern Norway, in 2017. The band, called Snoweye, creates unique musical soundscapes and can be found in clips on YouTube.
Although the film focuses on the Sámi culture and society and raises awareness of the people, it was not produced in association with the charitable facility The Sámi Foundation.
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