Does a post-holiday winter escape sound good? Look no further than our fifth annual trip to the Gothenburg International Film Festival! Orgnized by the documentary club but open to all and in no way restricted to documentaries or movie watching, the weekend is a great getaway. In addition to movies, there is a city to explore, fickas to be enjoyed, and time to socialize with each other and members of our sister club AWC Gothenburg. Rumors of the fun to be had have spread, so we might be joined by members of other sister clubs in the region.
The Basics
On Friday, January 26, we plan to take the Swebus that departs Oslo Gallery at 11:00 and arrives in Gothenburg at 14:35. For the return trip on Sunday, we plan to take the bus that departs Gothenburg at at 16:00 and arrives in Oslo at 19:30.
For lodging, we are going to stay at the Avalon Hotel. A bouique hotel with a lovely breakfast, it is also just one block away from the festival’s main theater.
Each traveler is responsible for her own reservations, so this is a flexible trip. You can arrive and depart whenever you like, stay in other hotels, see whatever movies you want etc. You may even decide at the last minute to join us in Gothenburg. However, if you want to be part of the conversation about movies to see and/or get assistance finding a roommate, please contact Rena Levin (fawco@awcoslo.org) before January 13 (the day the festival program will be released).
Useful Links
Bus: www.swebus.se/SwebusExpress_com/
Hotel: www.avalonhotel.se
Film Festival: www.giff.se/en (Don’t let the Swedish language info scare you. All films are either in English or subtitled in English.)
Movie Selection Protips from a Veteran
1. Only look at options that are showing the days (and times) you’ll be in town. Rather than looking at the whole program and then hoping that films I like will coincide with our stay, I start my searching by date.
2. Pay attention to where the movies are showing. Many will be at the multiscreen Biopalatset which is a short walk from our hotel. Draken and Bio Roy are 1km away. Other theaters are walkable too, but it’s always smart to check the map. If something you really want to see is further afield, you’ll want to budget enough time to get there and to your next destination when planning your schedule.
3. When planning your schedule, save time on Saturday evening for dinner with AWC Gothenburg. The time is TBD, but past dinners have been held at 6 or 7 with guests lingering for an extended fun evening.
4. See what you want to see. Though we try to share what we’re interested in with the group, that doesn’t mean everyone has to see the same movies or even the same number of movies. You may be the only person interested in a particular movie. You may want more time to explore the city, shop, rest or take a long slow ficka. That’s all ok. Please feel free to do so.
5. Related to #4, don’t wait to buy tickets for the movies you know you want to see. Screenings do sell out.
