Passage to Sweden is a moving documentary centered on the heroic actions of Sweden and certain Swedish individuals during World War II. Presenting energetic and dramatic historic footage establishing the timeframe of the war, Passage to Sweden operates in relative similarity to the golden age of Italian cinema with such films as Rome, Open City (1945). That is, while Mussolini’s Italian fascism and Nazi alliance gave Italy and her citizens a stigmatized reputation, the Italian people were often victims of Nazism and fascism themselves.
Rome, Open City cinematically presents this victimization, thereby challenging the stigma, while highlighting the people and resistance movements aiding the Jews and Italian populace alike. Similarly, Sweden effectively purchased its neutrality and peace by operating as a major provider of iron ore to the Nazis, questioning the country’s quote-unquote neutrality and culpability.
Though a documentary and not a cinematic narrative, it is through that most powerful of persuasions, the personal testimonials of Jewish Holocaust survivors and their relatives, Passage to Sweden illuminates that while those in power fed the Nazi war machine to buy peace, many of her citizens did not. While Sweden initially turned fleeing Jews away from their borders, the country ultimately opened itself up and saved thousands of Jewish lives. Through the use of these testimonials and emphasizing such iconic heroes as Raoul Wallenberg and Count Folke Bernadotte, Passage to Sweden presents not only a compelling and authentic voice to those who have suffered but is also chock-full of valuable historic content and information.
The filmic qualities of Passage to Sweden are noteworthy and professional. Editing and the blending of historic imagery with the modern speak not only to the stark contrasts between the two eras but serve to emphasize the extreme trauma the Jewish people suffered during this time. While the notion and use of such techniques in a WWII/Holocaust documentary are nothing new, Passage to Sweden expertly engages them so that viewing the film does not lend itself to the tedium of the mundane. The score of the film is also on point giving rise to drama and fear when and where it is needed without being distracting or off-putting.
As Passage to Sweden exists as a testimonial-centered documentary, the balance of mise-en-scène, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, and other elements are not necessarily a focus though they are employed. Most of the settings presented are personal homes or real-world locations and cityscapes; none of which feel out of place or awkward at any time. While heavy accents color some dialogues, they are not such that detracts from understanding the speakers – though subtitles in English are provided. The professional quality of Passage to Sweden makes viewing this documentary a pleasure instead of a burden, especially if one connects to and empathizes with the testimonials.
The educational documentary Passage to Sweden is an appropriate film to screen for WWII enthusiasts, historians, classrooms, and for anyone interested in the Jewish plights, sacrifices, and sufferings of the time. The film speaks highly of Jewish endurance, perseverance, and—for those who are religious—the grace of God. However, Passage to Sweden should not be screened in a public setting or to those younger than college age because of the mature content containing graphic imagery of starvation, emaciation, death, and dehumanizing nudity.