Pernilla August’s debut feature as a film director, “Svinalängorna” (“Beyond” in English), has been selected as Sweden’s entry for the 2012 Oscar.

The film is loosely based on Susanna Alakoski’s award-winning novel with the same name, and is partly set in the 1970’s in Ystad, a town known to many Americans from Henning Mankell’s Wallander-books. It tells the gripping story of a woman’s confrontation with memories from her difficult childhood.

It stars Noomi Rapace (known as Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish Millenium films), Ola Rapace, Ville Virtanen and Outi Mäenpää. The film has also picked up a raft of prestigious international awards, including prizes at last year's Venice festival and at festivals in Hamburg and Sao Paulo. At home in Sweden, “Svinalängorna” scooped up three Guldbagge awards.

We met and interviewed August after her first appearances in Hollywood, a great actress, direct and person: Pernilla August on Phantoms and Ghosts