The 11 Best Swedish Movies On Netflix For Learning Swedish

One of the easiest ways to learn Swedish is to integrate and immerse yourself into it. This might be hard if you don’t live in Sweden. But watching a movie is just as good.

Swedish movies give you a deeper understanding of grammar and sentence structure, while also immersing you in Swedish culture.

And what better way than using Netflix to accomplish this? It’s available in most countries and has a nice selection of movies in varying genres and themes. 

So that's why I've put together this list of Swedish movies on Netflix. You'll find titles of varying difficulties and genres so you're sure to find something to watch.

Please note that the whole selection mentioned in this article might not be available to you, depending on where you're located. Some content is geo-blocked by Netflix due to licensing rights. But hopefully, the selection is big enough, so that you'll still be able to find something that you can watch.

1. (JJ + E) Vinterviken

Vinterviken, internationally known as JJ + E, is a movie released on Netflix in 2021. It’s based on the book of the same name by the author Mats Wahl and is a remake of the earlier Vinterviken movie from 1996.

The movie is about John-John and Elisabeth and is a classic story about a rich girl and a poor boy. The story starts somewhat unconventionally with John-John saving Elisabeth’s sister from drowning and is subsequently invited to her house by her parents.

John-John is immediately enamoured by Elisabeth and the rest of the movie is about their developing relationship. 

The plot is simple and straightforward which makes it a very easy movie to follow along to, even if you don’t fully understand all of the spoken Swedish.

The parts you don’t understand are probably somewhat guessable since it’s an obvious and simple plot with recognisable scenes.

The language spoken in the movie is, for the most part, somewhat manageable for a beginner, with not too complex dialogue and discussions between the characters. 

The thing you might struggle with is the suburban Swedish being spoken among John-John and his friends. They use a lot of slang and terms that aren’t Swedish but from other languages like Arabic, Turkish, Serbian and more.

If you're familiar with these languages, it might be easier to understand the suburban Swedish being spoken, but a lot of words have also developed completely different meanings from the words they originated from. All in all, a good movie to start with!

2. Invisible

Invisible is another movie based on a book by Mats Wahl. The movie is from 2002, so it’s a bit older than the last one.

The movie stars Gustaf Skarsgård as Niklas, a young man who dreams of being a poet, and Tuva Novotny as the violent girl, Annelie.

Annelie is often seen acting out and being violent since she lacks support and acknowledgement from a parental figure. In a way she's “invisible” to the adults around her.

After getting caught for stealing and mistakenly thinking that Niklas was the one who snitched, she beats him up and leaves him for dead. Niklas later returns to school, but no one can see him as he has become invisible. 

The language in this movie is a bit more difficult than in Vinterviken, since it’s an older movie and the language mirrors its time well.

The tone of the movie is also more mature, with themes such as death, bullying and familial expectations. There might be harder terms to understand and more difficult language when speaking about these things.

This makes it a movie more suited for intermediate learners. But there's good news – the characters speak clearly which makes it easier for you to catch the words. 

3. To Kill A Child

Stig Dagerman’s most famous short story, To Kill a Child, has been adapted multiple times by different directors. On Netflix, you can find the original movie from 1953. The video above is Alexander Skarsgård's 2003 version.

It’s a short film, rather than a full movie, but I still want to include it in this list since it’s a very famous story in Sweden and the original novel is something that most school children have read at least once.

I don’t want to spoil the plot, since it’s so short, so I’ll just let you go blind into this film adaptation of the famous novel. I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

The language is naturally quite hard since it’s from 1953, but the short format and the reliance on mood, music and images rather than speech make it easy to follow along with the story.

There isn’t too much dialogue since it’s just a narrator speaking, which should make it easier to understand what's being said. I recommend it to everyone learning Swedish since it’s such a vital part of Swedish literature!

By the way, if, like me, you're into learning languages through books and reading (I call it StoryLearning) then you'll enjoy these books to learn Swedish.

And if you like both your movies and books short, check out my short stories in Swedish.

4. The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out On The Bill And Disappeared 

This movie is the second one about Allan Karlsson – the very vigorous 100-something man who is always up to new antics.

This title sees Karlsson trying to recover the secret formula to his Folksoda he created many decades prior in the 70s and hid away in a cigar box in an apartment in Berlin. The catch? It's not just Allan who's after the desirable secret formula. 

I recommend this movie to advanced learners, that can understand a fair bit of Swedish. The dialogue is at times somewhat difficult to understand, and as it's a comedy, it features a lot of jokes that might be difficult to understand without a wide knowledge of the Swedish language.

The words aren't enunciated that clearly either and can at times sound a bit garbled, making it even more difficult for inexperienced Swedish speakers to understand what is being said. That said, it’s a fun movie that most will be able to enjoy!

5. Ted – Show Me Love

Ted – Show Me Love is a must-watch if you enjoy music, or more importantly music by Ted Gärdestad.

Ted was one of Sweden’s biggest artists during his time. So this a great movie to watch if you want to enjoy his songs, (beautifully covered hereby the main actor ,Adam Pålsson), as well as the language.

It’s a very nice movie for music lovers and movie lovers alike and shows Ted Gärdestad’s rise to fame, life in the spotlight, and subsequent death. The film is biographical, but please note that it’s loosely based on the true story.

The nice thing about this movie is that a lot of songs and singing parts are featured, which makes it quite easy to watch.

The songs are in Swedish and repetitive, so it shouldn't be too difficult to understand what the songs are about if you've built a somewhat extensive vocabulary in Swedish.

The spoken dialogue is a bit more difficult. But the actors speak clearly and the language isn't too advanced, which should make it easier to understand what's being said.

I would recommend it for beginner to immediate learners, but remember that you’ll probably not be able to understand everything at all times. The most important part is understanding some and then piecing together your understanding of the rest!

6. Black Crab

If you like more action-based movies, Black Crab might be the movie for you. It’s about a group of soldiers, and a speed skater, on a mission to transport a package across a frozen landscape plagued by war.

The dialogue is intermediate to advanced when spoken, but many parts of the movie are without dialogue as the soldiers move silently across the ice. 

That’s a good thing which gives you plenty of time to follow along and understand the dialogue in the movie. One of the characters, Malik, is Danish, which also will give you a bit of the Danish language as well!

The scenes are also beautifully shot with the vast snow-covered landscape making a stunning backdrop. 

7. Vem Är Du, Mamma Mu?

Mamma Mu is a classic children’s book that most Swedish children have read. A couple of movies have been released as well and the latest one (at the time of writing) is Vem är du, Mamma Mu?

The movie is about the title figure and her work as she is trying to set up her own moo-sical. A sweet and fun story enjoyable for all ages! Children’s movies like this usually have very simple language and are perfect for beginner learners.

The movie about Mamma Mu is no different and the speech is simple and clear which makes it perfect for new learners. However, there might still be some words you don’t understand. Don’t feel discouraged if you come across them!

While the movie is useful for beginners due to the simple language and clear speech, there will probably be some words you don’t understand. View it as a good practice to hear the Swedish language and try out the new words that might come your way!

8. Pelle Svanslös

Another movie based on an iconic children’s book is Pelle Svanslös. This entry from 2020 is a new, more modern version of the books and the movies from the 80s.

It’s a fun, light watch about a cat, Pelle, who lacks a tail. This is something he's teased for by the other cats as he learns to navigate life in the big city when moving from the countryside to Uppsala. 

The language is simple and easy, making it perfect for those wishing to learn the language. It’s suitable for beginners, but learners of all levels could probably find this movie a fun and engaging watch. 

9. The Importance Of Tying Your Own Shoes

A heartwarming and sweet comedy about the ensemble at Glada Hudik Theatre, this movie is loosely based on a true story and most of the main cast are from the theatre group.

The people working in that group are people with different disabilities and the story is about finding your own way in a world where you perhaps don’t fit in with the norm and have to fight preconceived notions and prejudice. 

The language isn’t too difficult, but the movie is fast-paced so it might be difficult to understand it at times. The speech isn’t completely enunciated either, which will make it harder for an untrained ear. It’s best suited for intermediate learners. 

10. The Conference

Horror lovers, this one's for you. The Conference is about a group of co-workers gathered for a, you guessed it, conference. But strange things begin to happen when a mysterious figure appears and starts to murder the participants.

This is the only horror entry on this list, so if that's your cup of tea I definitely recommend it! 

The language is difficult at times since the characters speak quite quickly. It’s also a comedy which means that some of the jokes featured are a bit difficult for learners not familiar with Swedish humour and the speech used when joking.

So, I recommend this movie to you if you've come a bit further in your learning and have reached a more advanced level. 

11. A Part Of You

A Part of You is about two very different sisters. While the older one is more popular, cool and extroverted, the younger one is more quiet and introverted.

But tragedy strikes and the characters are forced to deal with the aftermath of a relative’s death. Meanwhile, the younger sister is trying hard to reinvent herself to be more like her older sibling.

The language is suitable for a beginner/intermediate learner since the vocabulary isn’t too difficult and the characters speak relatively slowly and clearly.

But some parts of the movie might be more difficult than others. The movie stars Zara Larsson as the older sister for those of you interested in the pop star!

Swedish Movies On Netflix FAQ

The Best Way To Use Swedish Movies On Netflix 

So there you have it! The list of the best Swedish movies on Netflix to watch when learning Swedish. Please continue to browse Netflix by yourself as well!

You might find even more movies you can watch. Due to Netflix's algorithm, they'll probably be similar to the movies you’ve already seen, making it easier for you to find something that fits your taste. 

Another tip is to see if it’s possible to change the audio dubbing to Swedish. In this way, you can watch your favourite series in Swedish audio, regardless of where the title is from.

I recommend watching children’s movies this way since they usually have easier language that's more suitable for beginner learners. You can also add subtitles in your preferred language to make it even easier to follow along with the story. 

And if Swedish movies on Netflix still seem a bit too daunting, why not learn Swedish on YouTube, with shorter, more digestible videos.

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.