Jag Ar Maria -1979-
(Peter Lindgren): A lonely painter grieving the loss of his family, misunderstood by his community.
At its core, "Jag är Maria" is a poignant drama about friendship, prejudice, and a child's uncorrupted view of the world. The story follows 11-year-old Maria, played by Lise-Lotte Hjelm, who is forced to leave her mother and stay with her cousin Lennart and his wife Maj-Britt in a small Swedish town for a while.
The town's treatment of Jon highlights how small communities can ostracize those who do not conform to social norms. Maria’s unbiased, child-like perspective allows her to see the person behind the gossip.
View the complete technical credits and production history on the Swedish Film Database See audience ratings and additional cast information on Read a brief synopsis and review snippets at MovieMeter way to watch this film, or are you more interested in the original novel by Hans-Eric Hellberg? I Am Maria (1979) - IMDb
Examine the role of Maria’s aunt and the village neighbors who forbid the friendship, representing a fear of the "other" and the unknown. Jag ar Maria -1979-
The film adaptation of Jag är Maria premiered in Sweden on December 15, 1979. It was directed by Karsten Wedel and produced with a budget of 2.5 million Swedish kronor. The screenplay was written collaboratively by Wedel, Hellberg, and Göran Setterberg. The film was a co-production involving Drakfilm Produktion AB, the Swedish Film Institute, Treklövern HB, and Wedelfilm, with distribution by AB Europa Film.
Direction and Visual Style Karsten Wedel adopts a restrained, realist aesthetic. Long takes, observational camera work, and a muted color palette ground the film in everyday textures. Wedel avoids melodrama: close-ups are measured and often held to let micro-expressions register—hesitations, small smiles, the way Maria’s hands fidget. The cinematography favors medium shots in domestic interiors to create a sense of constrained intimacy; exteriors use wider framing to show Maria’s smallness against the city.
: As Jon begins to paint again, inspired by Maria, art dealers and the media descend upon him to exploit his talent for profit.
Jag är Maria (1979), released internationally as , is a poignant Swedish drama directed by Karsten Wedel. Based on the novel Jag är Maria, jag by Hans-Eric Hellberg, the film explores themes of isolation, artistic discovery, and the bond between two societal outcasts. Plot Overview (Peter Lindgren): A lonely painter grieving the loss
Delivers a brilliant and poignant performance as the lonely, misunderstood painter.
—released internationally as I Am Maria —is a poignant Swedish drama film directed by Karsten Wedel. Based on a popular novel by Hans-Eric Hellberg, the film serves as a landmark piece of late-1970s Scandinavian cinema. It breaks away from traditional family tropes to explore isolation, childhood rebellion, and non-conformist bonds. The film is celebrated for its raw performance by child actress Lise-Lotte Hjelm and a powerhouse, award-winning performance by Swedish cinema veteran Peter Lindgren. Key Film Specifications
While not a mainstream blockbuster, the film is available through several channels:
: The unlikely connection between a young girl and an outcast. The town's treatment of Jon highlights how small
Today, Jag är Maria is remembered as a classic of Swedish youth cinema, celebrated for its tender and non-sensationalized portrayal of an unusual friendship. It represents the fruitful relationship between Swedish literature and film in the 1970s, bringing Hellberg's socially conscious storytelling to a wider audience. The film is a hidden gem that continues to resonate for its honest depiction of the often cruel nature of small-town prejudice and the redemptive power of art and human connection.
Assuming you are looking for a technical "feature" description (for a dataset, media library, or metadata file) for this work, here is a structured feature set:
: Lise-Lotte Hjelm, Peter Lindgren, Helena Brodin