Global Expansion: The Greats of Northern European Cinema!

As defined by the streaming era and the accessibility of media from around the world, international filmmaking and viewing continue to become universal. With companies like the Criterion Collection, among others, audiences have been exposed to thousands of titles from foreign lands, expanding the landscape of what there is to consume.  In this edition of "Global Expansion", we’ll dive into 5 essential Northern European film directors and some of their notable films!

1. Ingmar Bergman (Sweden)

The first order of business here is to discuss not only a Northern European movie legend but a director widely considered by film communities to be one of the most prestigious filmmakers of all time. Ingmar Bergman was born in Sweden in 1918 and passed away in his home country in 2007, but not before he provided the world with several cinematic masterpieces. Most notably, Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957) is regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made and is among other visually and psychologically evocative films such as Persona (1966) and Wild Strawberries (1957). 

WHERE TO WATCH:

The Seventh Seal - HBO Max

Persona - HBO Max

Wild Strawberries - HBO Max

2. Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)

Moving over to Denmark, Thomas Vinterberg is one of the best working directors in the industry today. His early career consists of films derivative of the "Dogme 95" movement, a style that included handheld cameras, radical realism, and used little to no lighting or effects. The Celebration (1998) is an excellent example of this style used by Vinterberg, who more recently directed two of the 21st century’s best films out of Northern Europe: Another Round (2020) and The Hunt (2012).

WHERE TO WATCH:

The Celebration - Criterion Collection

The Hunt - Prime Video, Pluto TV, Tubi

Another Round - Prime Video, Hulu, Tubi, PLEX

3. Joachim Trier (Norway)

Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier is another contemporary director who has produced some of the best work in Scandinavia as well. Garnering two Oscar nominations for his modern masterpiece in The Worst Person in the World (2021), Trier has also provided audiences with other films taking place in the Norwegian capital with Oslo, August 31st (2011) and Reprise (2006). More recently, Trier debuted his latest film Sentimental Value (2025) at the Cannes Film Festival, which releases later this year.

WHERE TO WATCH:

The Worst Person in the World - Tubi

Oslo, August 31st - MUBI

Reprise - VOD/Digital

Sentimental Value - In theatres November 7

4. Ruben Östlund (Sweden)

Another director hailing from Sweden, Ruben Östlund is also an Oscar-nominated contemporary artist whose work is gaining more and more prominence. Most recently, his two Academy nods came from his work on Triangle of Sadness (2022). Before his critically acclaimed social satire, Östlund released The Square in 2017, and in 2010, a personal favorite of mine, his short film "Incident By a Bank".

WHERE TO WATCH:

Triangle of Sadness - Hulu

The Square - Prime Video, Hulu, Pluto TV, Tubi

Incident By a Bank - YouTube (see below)

5. Lars Von Trier (Denmark)

Though a heavily controversial figure both publicly and artistically, the Dane Lars Von Trier is one of the most notable filmmakers of the 21st century. Von Trier is known to push the boundaries in story, visuals, and in style, becoming an extremely influential director. Both Dogville (2003) and Melancholia (2011) come to mind when talking about Von Trier; however, don’t expect anything but dark, bleak, and edgy.

WHERE TO WATCH:

Dogville - MUBI

Melancholia - PLEX