Swedish world premiere in Toronto

Lars Vega’s debut feature Arne Goes to Space was making its world premiere in the Discovery program at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), September 10–20, 2026.  

  • Rolf Lassgård and Lennart Jähkel in Arne Goes To Space, directed by Lars Vega. Photo: Magnus Pehrsson / Nexiko Drama.

  • The selection of Vega’s film marked a strong Swedish presence at this leading world film festival, along with Swedish director and screenwriter Amanda Kernell’s Brace Your Heart in the Platform program.
    “Being selected for Toronto is a great honor, I’m told. It felt truly special to make my feature debut on home turf together with a film crew from the Norrbotten region. I hope Toronto audiences will enjoy a film from Norrbotten – and our beautiful landscapes. But above all, I’m looking forward to finally having an oyster martini. Gin and oyster juice – what could possibly go wrong?” says director Lars Vega.
    The film’s producer Anette Brantin says, “I’m incredibly happy and proud that Arne Goes To Space has been selected for Toronto. It has been our goal from the very beginning, and having the film meet an international audience is both exciting and deeply rewarding."
    Originally set for Papua New Guinea to learn more about earth, an alien lands in a Swedish forest and ends up with the two aging brothers Arne and Stefan in Norrbotten. The brothers lead a quiet small-town life, concerned with hunting team disputes and Arne’s growing illness. Stefan doesn’t want a free loading space man in his home, while Arne welcomes and names the alien Roland. The brothers begin to teach him about the important things in life: moonshine, hunting and the concept of love, but as Arne’s illness starts to flare up, Stefan is forced to face the inevitable, a life without his brother.

  • Lars Persson, alias Lars Vega, a Swedish director and scriptwriter is known for the short films Arne möter döden (2022), Brothers in Midnight Sun (2016) and the current feature film Arne Goes to Space (2026) which he wrote and directed. Photo: Christian Karlsen

  • Debut feature by the director
    The sci-fi dramedy is Lars Vega’s debut feature. He has directed several acclaimed short films, often exploring life in rural Sweden through tragicomic stories and distinct characters.
    The film stars The Hunters (Jägarna) duo Rolf Lassgård and Lennart Jähkel as the two brothers. Lassgård is internationally recognized for roles in films including A Man Called Ove (2015) and Alexander Payne’s Downsizing, while Jähkel is a recurring collaborator of Vega’s and has appeared in leading roles in several of the director’s short films. Kiran Shah stars as the alien Roland. The British-Kenyan actor and stunt performer has appeared in major productions including Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings films, and has worked with directors such as James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Peter Jackson.
    The film is selected for TIFF’s Discovery program, which highlights emerging filmmakers from around the world presenting their debut or sophomore features. Films in the program are also eligible for a number of the festival’s awards. Arne Goes To Space has been developed through Moving Sweden, the Swedish Film Institute and SVT’s joint talent initiative supporting filmmakers early in their careers; its selection for Discovery underlines the potential of the new cinematic voices the initiative seeks to support.
    Lars Vega also wrote the screenplay together with Theodor Östberg. The film is produced by Annette Brantin for Nexiko Drama, in co-production with Filmpool Nord, SVT and NonStop Winning Formula. The film received support from the Swedish Film Institute’s former film commissioner Hanna Sohlberg. NonStop Entertainment is the film's Swedish distributor, while international sales are handled by TrustNordisk.
    The 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival takes place between September 10–20, 2026. https://tiff.net/about-the-festival

  • CAPTIONS:
    Rolf Lassgård and Lennart Jähkel in Arne Goes To Space, directed by Lars Vega. Photo: Magnus Pehrsson / Nexiko Drama.

  • Lars Persson, alias Lars Vega, a Swedish director and scriptwriter is known for the short films Arne möter döden (2022), Brothers in Midnight Sun (2016) and the current feature film Arne Goes to Space (2026) which he wrote and directed. Photo: Christian Karlsen