A gay woman struggles to cope in the repressive home of her bourgeois father on the eve of WWII in Helsinki in Tuija-Maija Niskanen’s haunting period drama.
In this beautiful, poignant Swedish-language drama by Finnish director Tuija-Maija Niskanen, a gay woman, Valerie (Pirkko Nurmi) struggles to cope in the repressive home of her haute bourgeois father on the eve of WWII in Helsinki. We witness key moments in her childhood and life as a young adult with her cruel father and passive mother, as she determines to follow her heart.
Niskanen’s film is infused with the spirit of Ingmar Bergman’s period dramas and features many of his regular collaborators, including actors Gunnar Björnstrand and Stina Ekblad (the latter, who plays Valerie’s lover, starred as the androgynous figure of Ismael in Fanny and Alexander the following year). Sweden and Finland paved the way to greater LGBTQ+ equality in the 1980s – the repressive society depicted in The Farewell shows just how far they had come.
Sweden-Finland 1982 dir Tuija-Maija Niskanen 90 min
Ticket prices
Students £11
Unwaged £11
Over 60s £11
Under 18s £6
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Mekella Broomberg
Mekella Broomberg is a Creative Producer, maker of festivals and Humanist Celebrant. She has written, performed and produced in the worlds of literature, puppetry, circus and film. She currently curates the public programme of the Royal Society of Literature.
Explore the rest of Queer 80s
There are plenty of great films screening as part of Queer 80s throughout June.
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Cinema 2
Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue.
Address
Beech Street
London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Access
Cinemas 2 & 3 are located at Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican Centre’s main Silk Street entrance. There are a couple of steep, dropped kerbs and an incline to negotiate between the two sites. Level access from Beech Street.
Mobility
Each auditorium has three permanent wheelchair spaces (two in the third row and one in the front row) and 153 fixed seats with capacity for a further three spaces in the front row. Access to each auditorium is up a ramp. There are also a number of seats with step-free access.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs may be taken into the cinema – please tell us when booking to ensure your seat has enough space. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the foyer staff during the performance.
Hearing facility
An infrared system for hard of hearing customers is provided in each auditorium; headsets or neck loops can be collected from foyer staff. The ticket desk counter is fitted with an induction loop.
For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section.
