Entertainment

FILM FESTIVALS

Göteborg Film Festival is a huge event held in late January and is the biggest film festival in northern Europe, screening more than 500 films from all over the world (S) (E)

Stockholm Film Festival is an international event over 10 days in November each year. (S) (E)

Arctic Light Film Festival The ALF is held over a week in Lappland during February. Its intent is to enlarge the interest and the understanding of film and film culture with the large audience in northern Norrbotten. (S) (E)

Fantastisk Film Festival is held in MalmØ and Lund . Fantastisk is a 9 day festival of feature films, short films from over 20 different countries. (E) (S)

Uppsala Film Festival Uppsala Internationella Kortfimfestival held in October, screening over 200 short films (S) (E)

Children's Film Festival Barn och Ungdomsfilmfestivalen or is held in Malmö and is internationally recognised. (E) (S)

Umeå Film Festival UFF has been held for over 15 years in this northern town. (S) (E)

CINEMAS IN SWEDEN

Sweden has more cinema screens per capita than anywhere else in Europe. The non Swedish-speaking will be pleased to hear that foreign films in Sweden are shown in the original language with Swedish subtitles. The one exception to this is in children's movies, which are usually dubbed into Swedish. Even with children's movies, however, you may find that there are two versions available, subtitled or dubbed. This is especially likely with the major Disney movies, and it could be well worth your while to check with the box office. And be prepared for one cultural difference: Movie tickets come with assigned seats.

Svensk Film or SF is THE biggest cinema chain in the country. You can check out the films in your town on line as well as book tickets. (S)

Sandrew Metronome Bio is the other biggie with screens in many towns (S)

Cinema Sture is an Art-house cinema in central Stockholm. The emphasis is on European quality films. Film club repertory in the afternoons. Childrens' programs on weekends. (S)

Zita's in Birger Jarlsgatan, Stockholm also screens quality European films (S)

Fågel Blå at Skeppargatan 60, ( tel. 08/661-80-35; T-Bana to Karlaplan or Bus 42, 44 to Skeppargatan), in Òstermalm, (Stockholm ) is a truly charming cinema, with classics, independent films and documentaries on offer. They also host the occasional festival. There are two screens: Fågel Blå (with 187 seats) and the tiny Holken (which only seats 20). There is also a friendly café here for those needing a caffeine fix, and the city-centre nightclubs are just a short walk away.

What films are being released? Check out Bioprogrammet which links to cinemas in over 110 Swedish towns. Search for what's coming out in YOUR town! (S)

THE MUSIC SCENE

Sweden is one of the world's leading music centres. It all began with ABBA, the first Swedish group to achieve international success in the 1970s. ABBA proved that it was possible to export Swedish pop music abroad.With big-selling Swedish groups such as ABBA, Europe, Roxette, Ace of Base, Robyn Cardigans, and Kent Sweden is the third largest exporter of music today after the US and Great Britain. Swedish music industry exports amount to SEK 3.3 billion a year with 90 per cent of the Swedish music industry located in Stockholm.

Release Magazine Based in Göteborg, Release is an independent international alternative music web magazine with news, reviews, features, competitions and links (E) (S)

Scandinavian Indie This is an internet guide to Scandinavian independent music and covers bands, gigs, festivals, news, reviews, record labels (E)

The Cable Cabal or Swedish Independent Music brings a total of 59 Swedish top-class bands in the fields of more or less independent/alternative/ underground pop/rock, rock/metal and world/rock

Underground Productions This site is the home of the magazine devoted to the Swedish hip-hop culture, graffiti, break dance, and rap. (S) (E)

Zero Music Magazine A magazine about music like Gothic rock, industrial techno and other music based on synthesiser. (S)

Hit 60 The chart from HITFM 94.2 Stockholm is Hi/Euro nrg chart that updates weekly (E) (S)

Sweden Rock Website for the popular summer rock festival held in various parts of Sweden (S) (E)

Svenska Tonsättares Internationella Musikbyrå or STIM is the Swedish link in an international system established to safeguard the financial rights of composers and lyricists under copyright law. (S)

Swedish JazzWeb is a site which includes information about artists, clubs, labels, media, and links to related sites to do with jazz (not necessarily Swedish) (E) (S)

Svensk Folkmusik or Swedish Traditional Music introduction, tune types, instruments, fiddle playing, and links to clubs and sites dealing with this type of music (E) (S) There are also a lot of links at Svenska folkmusiklänkar (E) (S) The big festival is the Falun Festival. (E) (S)

NIGHT LIFE

Swedes used to go home early. Today - in the cities at least - that has all changed and night clubs, dance restaurants and discos stay open all hours, particularly on Friday and Saturday. The rural areas, however, offer little late-night entertainment, except in hotels.

With the very high price of alcohol, a night out is always expensive, piano bars, jazz and rock clubs or discos are often the best bet. Younger people should note that many night clubs have surprisingly high minimum age limits. The legal drinking age is 18, but drinking in a club can be a little tricky because of age requirements. It's completely arbitrary: Some places say you have to be 18 to get in, while others say you have to be 21, 23, or even 27. The night club scene is ever changing, though, as new clubs come and go.

Look for magazines like "Stockholm This Week" (or similar in Göteborg, Malmö etc) and check out what is going on and what is "in" when you are in town ..

STOCKHOLM NIGHT CLUBS

Stockholm 's undisputed centre of nightlife is the area between Kungsträdgården and Stureplan. This is where you find the hottest clubs and bars, and you can count on long queues after 11pm>, even in the snow!

Kungströdgården Here, Café Opera (behind Operahuset) is the ultimate nightlife attraction. This is Stockholm's most famous night club. Expensive and stylish, it's where celebrities go when in town. But Victoria and Daily News Café are also very popular.

If you make your way towards Stureplan, you may want to check out Biblos (Biblioteksgatan 9), Sophie's Bar (Biblioteksgatan 5), or Karlsson & Co (Kungsgatan 56) on the way. If you like rock music there's only one place to go Halv trappa och en gård (Lästmakargatan 3)

Stureplan Once here, you cannot miss the queues outside Spy Bar (Birger Jarlsgatan 20), East,Laroy (Biblioteksgatan 21) and Sturecompagniet .(Sturegallerian 30)

PUBS

Söder If you prefer local pub life, Söder is the place to go.

Söders Hjärta

(Bellmansgatan 22B), Snaps (Medborgarplatsen), Guldapan (Åsögatan 140), Folkhemmet (Renstiernas Gata 30), or Fenix (Götgatan 40) are all safe bets. Akkurat (Hornsgatan 18) has good live music and 400 different sorts of whisky (and great mussels!).

Vasastan also has a number of good pubs and bars, such as Cliff Barnes, (Norrtullsgatan 45 ..and yes, it's Cliff from Dallas>!) Storstad (Döbelnsgatan 44) and Brittania. (Odengatan 54). Or why not explore the huge selection of whiskeys and the genuine British pub atmosphere at Bishop's Arms on St Eriksgatan.

For a genuine pub feeling, The Loft (Regeringsgatan 66) an Irish style place is highly recommended for those who prefer to stick to the central parts of downtown Stockholm. The food is excellent!

JAZZ CLUBS

Norrmalm Fasching Jazzklubb (Kungsgatan 63) has an international reputation for really good jazz music with performances almost every day of the week. If you love jazz, this is a must. Friday night it's salsa, Saturday it's soul. Open nightly from (S)

Gamla Stan Stampen (Stora Nygatan 5) is a classic jazz club, with swing, Dixieland, blues and rock, too. It attracts a more mature crowd than Fasching. (S) (E)

Ostermalm Lydmar Hotel (Sturegatan 10) has a great stage and features many top-class artists. The crowd tends to be young and fashionable. (S) (E) Also Nalen (Regeringsgatan74) holds frequent jazz events and there is often live dance music on Sunday nights (S) And Glenn Miller Cafe (Brunnsgatan 21A) has a really cosy atmosphere with nightly jazz from Monday to Saturday.

Summer months For a different experience, try a jazz cruise on the vintage steam boat SS Blidösund. They run jazz cruises of the archipelago 4 times a week. The boat is lovely and it's a great fun experience.