We hear people say that the Swedish film industry has seen better days.
For a long time, we were known for our bold stories, our iconic directors, and that unique ability to make audiences sit through two and a half hours of existential angst in black and white. But something has changed.
Cinema attendance is still far from pre-pandemic levels. Swedish productions are struggling with profitability. Internationally, we see films like Oppenheimer and Barbie filling theaters, while Swedish cinema mostly just… happens. And despite our tradition of innovation in filmmaking, we seem to be stuck.
The question is: Where do we go from here in a time of radical change?
STOCKHOLM AI FILM CONFERENCE – A FIRST SEED OF CHANGE
On March 12, 2025, filmmakers, innovators, and industry professionals gathered at the Stockholm AI Film Conference. It felt like the true beginning of AI-assisted, or fully AI-generated, film in Sweden.
For the first time, AI was discussed as a creative tool, not as a threat. Production speeds up, ideas grow bigger, and the financial barrier shrinks. Now, independent Swedish filmmakers can compete on a global level, without begging for million-dollar grants or fighting for a place in an overcrowded system. Instead, they can fully focus on storytelling, creative collaboration, and artistic creation.
But with great power come great questions… or something like that.
HYPERACTIVE CONTENT ORGASM OR TECHNO-PHOBIC HERMIT LIFE?
There are a few different ways to respond to what’s happening.
We can dive in headfirst, produce as much as we can, as fast as we can, prioritizing quantity and clicks over quality.
We can reject everything and fear the change.
Or we can shape the development in line with our better values and the visions we carry within us.
A path where we take responsibility for the technology.
What do we want to tell?
How do we use AI in a way that enhances the art of filmmaking rather than replacing it?
What is our most loving and creative adventure?
We are shaping the norms of the future right now. We decide what AI filmmaking will become in Sweden. Will we allow it to become a mass-produced, soulless market, or a new artistic tool that transforms our industry for the better?
OWNERSHIP AND ETHICS – WHEN “STEALING FROM OTHERS” IS NO LONGER AN ARGUMENT
One of the biggest controversies around AI filmmaking has been the question of ownership. “AI steals!” has been a common critique. But now, the playing field is shifting.
Video models are being developed that use only licensed material. Content is being created ethically.
So what happens now? Will the world embrace AI film when it is done the right way? Or will we continue pretending the technology doesn’t exist, until the rest of the world leaves us behind?
NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE A STAND
We stand at a crossroads. AI can be a springboard to something new and rewarding. We need to use it wisely, truthfully.
We can choose not just to consume the future, but to create it.
As filmmakers, we can step into a new era of creativity.
And it starts here. With us. With you.
So, what do you want to create?
