Lilja 4-ever (2003)
91%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: 12 wins & 11 nominations
Lukas Moodysson’s Lilya 4-ever is a cinematic masterpiece that delves into the harsh realities of life for a 16-year-old Estonian girl. Moodysson’s direction is raw and emotional, and the luminous performance by Oksana Akinshina is nothing short of glorious. The film raises important social questions and serves as a deafening humanitarian alarm that will continue to outrage and overwhelm audiences for years to come. Moodysson’s work pushes the limits of social realism, and the exceptional acting and heart-wrenching story make Lilya 4-ever a must-see film that will tear you apart and leave you feeling more than just a passive observer.
Lilya 4-ever is a heart-wrenching film that will leave you feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck. Moodysson’s direction is powerful, and the performances by the young actors are nothing short of incredible. It’s a tough watch, but one that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Just make sure you have a box of tissues handy, because you’re going to need them.
Production Company(ies)
micro_scope T S Productions, Phi Group
Distributor
Newmarket Film Group
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Film i Väst, Nohab Industrial Estate, Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong sexual content, a rape scene, drug use and language
Year of Release
2002
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 49m
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Language(s):Russian, Swedish, English, Polish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 11, 2003 Wide
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Lilya 4-Ever, drama, Swedish, Lukas Moodysson, Lars Jönsson, written by Lukas Moodysson, starring Oksana Akinshina, Artiom Bogucharski, Elina Benenson, Liliya Shinkaryova, Pavel Ponomaryov, R-rated, box office gross $181.7K, reviewed by James Christopher, Alexander Walker, Ty Burr, Steve Murray, Robert Denerstein, Stanley Kauffmann, Jay Antani, Brian Orndorf, Brian Gibson, James Verniere, Boyd van Hoeij, Lawrence Toppman, tragic, hard-hitting, prostitution, poverty, downward spiral, suicide, drug use, rape, strong sexual content, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital
Worldwide gross: $1,007,747
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,671,411
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,458
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 182,270
US/Canada gross: $184,023
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $305,214
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,456
US/Canada opening weekend: $33,731
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $55,945
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,164
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Artiom Bogucharski – Volodya
Elina Benenson – Natasha
Liliya Shinkaryova – Aunt Anna
Pavel Ponomaryov – Andrei
Tomas Neumann – Witek
Director(s)
Lukas Moodysson
Writer(s)
Lukas Moodysson
Producer(s)
Lars Jönsson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
12 wins & 11 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (69) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (11)
After making such a brilliant splash with his first two films — Show Me Love and Together — the Swedish director Lukas Moodysson seems to dry up in Lilya 4-ever.
December 7, 2018
James Christopher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The social questions it raises are real enough; its sentimentality is what makes one doubt Moodysson is Ingmar Bergman’s heir. Not by a long sob.
January 10, 2018
Alexander Walker
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
[Moodysson] dives into the soul of a 16-year-old Estonian girl and tears you apart.
July 25, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
A wrenching feel-bad movie graced by a luminous central performance.
June 27, 2003 | Rating: B
Steve Murray
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
It tells a heartbreaking story, one of those tales that need to be told and about which only pain can be felt.
June 20, 2003 | Rating: B
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
TOP CRITIC
It is Akinshina’s presence and performance that make the pedestrian story heart-wrenching.
May 28, 2003
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
Lilya 4-Ever gives us a glorious, heart-wrenching debut performance in the lead, as auspicious as any in the history of cinema.”
August 17, 2010 | Rating: 3/4
Jay Antani
Cinema Writer
A harsh dramatic brew, Lilya 4-Ever is a monumental, abrasive document of a young life flushed down the drain; it’s an exceptional, deafening humanitarian alarm that will continue to overwhelm and outrage for years to come.
December 17, 2009 | Rating: A
Brian Orndorf
BrianOrndorf.com
So seamless and relentlessly powerful that the social-realism of not just this film, but the genre itself, is pushed to its limit. Acting and action that rips so deeply, you’ll feel you’ve got to do more than simply watch.
February 26, 2009
Brian Gibson
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)
July 16, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
James Verniere
Boston Herald
It is undeniable that Moodysson’s work has a raw emotional power that transcends most of the film’s flaws.
February 24, 2005
Boyd van Hoeij
european-films.net
You’ll see superb acting by two teens.
November 14, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/4
Lawrence Toppman
Charlotte Observer…
Plot
Lilya, a teenager living in poverty, turns to prostitution for money and is offered a job in Sweden, but her life quickly spirals out of control in this tragic drama.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Lilya 4-Ever features a “glorious, heart-wrenching debut performance” by lead actress Oksana Akinshina.
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