Cook County News Herald

Grand Marais’ Erickson in Scandinavian film




Coffee, Kringla, Ole, & Lena: Samples from
Scandinavian America
is a light-hearted educational exploration of contemporary Scandinavian America. Award-winning Swedish filmmaker Stefan Quinth has previously brought to the Midwest films about Swedish and Norwegian horse-and-sled drivers, Kodiak bears, and Aleutian-Scandinavian Americans. He returns with a 50-minute program illustrated with film clips from closer to home, exploring the experience of immigration, the process of Americanization, the presence of landmarks, the power of family and community, the vitality of arts and craft, the matter of language, and the enjoyment of humor.

The film includes an insightful interview with 100-plus-year-old Grand Marais resident Gunnar Erickson. The film screening is sponsored by the North House Folk School Program Committee and will be shown at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at North House.

Quinth worked with William Beyer, former education, collections, and programs director for the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Together they compiled over 100 hours of footage filmed in Scandinavian Minnesota and a bit into neighboring states.

Donations will be accepted at the door.


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