Recently, Samnytt reported that director Michael Lindgren, with about 20 years of experience as director and producer for SVT, is releasing a film that portrays the Sweden Democrats (SD) in a mocking way—just two weeks before election day. Lindgren claims it is not an SVT production since the public service company did not initiate the project. The film is his own idea but, surprisingly, is co-produced by SVT, which also holds the rights to broadcast it next year. Despite this, Lindgren accuses Samnytt of “damn dishonest journalism” and also says we “should be ashamed.”

The film is called “Flaggan” (The Flag) and is set on election night in 2010, when the Sweden Democrats entered parliament for the first time. The story revolves around two young SD supporters who set out to put up a large Swedish flag at Rinkeby Square.

The director and producer behind the film is Michael Lindgren, a well-known SVT figure with about 20 years in public service. He broke through with the comedy group Grotesco and has since worked on many notable productions, including Svenska nyheter, Herr Talman, and IFS – Immigrants for Swedes.

After Samnytt’s reporting at the end of July on the new cinema film, director and producer Michael Lindgren has appeared in several media outlets to explain that the film is not at all intended to ridicule SD.

READ ALSO: SVT launches SD-mocking film just before the election

Lindgren also rejects claims that it is an attempt to bring down the party just before the election. On the contrary, he maintains that the main characters are portrayed in an unusually sympathetic way.

In an interview with Swedish Radio, Lindgren is asked why he paints a “generalizing image” of the Sweden Democrats.

– I watched the film, and some of the SD members are stupid and just want to party and do drugs, some are true hardcore racists, and some are insecure nerds. I feel it is quite a generalizing image of Sweden Democrats, says the SR program host.

The SR host then asks why Lindgren chose to depict SD this way. But the SVT director dismisses that description and instead argues that the film offers a “nuanced image.”

– It’s not in any way an anti-SD film, nor is it pro-SD. It’s more a comedy about Sweden in this era, Lindgren states.

The SR presenter, however, points out that while Lindgren generalizes SD supporters, he doesn’t appear to do the same with immigrant youths portrayed in some scenes.

Lindgren has no clear answer for why he hasn’t generalized immigrant youths, instead trying to explain his perspective without actually addressing the question. He then moves on by urging people to see the movie in theaters.

In the SR interview, Lindgren describes himself as an “anti-polarization activist” and says that through humor, he wants to contribute to a less polarized social climate.

In interviews in recent days, Lindgren has been very clear that he believes the Sweden Democrats were treated poorly when the party first entered parliament.

– The entire media and political establishment really tried to push SD down, Lindgren said in the SR interview.

The attack on Samnytt when SVT is mentioned

The film is a co-production with, among others, SVT involved and is distributed by SF Studios. SVT’s participation also means the film will later be broadcast on SVT’s terrestrial network. Several actors are also strongly linked to SVT.

The focus on SVT comes from our previous article on the topic, where we highlighted the connection to the tax-funded public service company and the fact that the cinema film is launched just two weeks before the election. This has triggered a strong reaction from Michael Lindgren.

In an interview with Kvartal, he attacks Samnytt’s reporting multiple times and insists that this is not an SVT production, but that they are merely a “co-producer.”

– They write that SVT made the film, so they are twisting it to fit their angle. Flaggan is a private cinema production. SVT gave minor support at a late stage, which gives them the right to show the film, like, next year, Lindgren says about Samnytt’s article.

READ ALSO: SVT launches SD-mocking film just before the election

He repeatedly refers to Samnytt’s reporting.

– To then trumpet in the headline that it’s an SVT production. You really ought to look at yourselves in the mirror. And comb your hair. That’s damn dishonest journalism, says the SVT profile in the Kvartal interview.

At the same time, Lindgren says he understands why Samnytt highlights the connection to SVT. He says Samnytt does its journalism for “its crowd” and wants to “pursue its narrative.” He also claims that Samnytt is “just as bad.”

Lindgren’s comparison ignores a crucial difference. Samnytt is a media entity funded voluntarily by our own readers—no one is required to support us or even read us. SVT, on the other hand, is funded by a mandatory public service fee and is regulated to be impartial and objective.

That SVT is putting money into a politically charged film launched shortly before a parliamentary election is therefore relevant to highlight, regardless of whether Lindgren chooses to call his long-time employer only a “co-producer.”

SD-critical in the cast: “Open your anal”

Among the cast are people who have previously spoken critically about the Sweden Democrats. One is Sudanese Michael Dawod, better known under the stage name “Megic Mike,” whom Samnytt has reported on in several articles over the years, including for his statements against the Sweden Democrats and people he considers “racists.”

READ ALSO: Sudanese SVT profile prosecuted after fraud

In a video clip previously highlighted by Samnytt, the Sudanese expressed the following:

READ ALSO: Sudanese “will take over Sweden and fuck SD” – now works at SVT

– Sweden Democrat I am going to open your anal.
– Do you think we should go to our homeland? What do you think?
– No, we are not going to. We are going to stay here in Sweden. We are going to take over Sweden. Do you understand we are going to take over Sweden.

We have also reported on him in legal contexts. Most recently in May when it emerged that he had been prosecuted for involvement in a fraud case.

READ MORE: South Sudanese “will take over Sweden and fuck SD” – now works at SVT

It’s not just Michael “Megic Mike” Dawod who appears in the film. The lead role went to Noel Flike from the music group Hov1, a choice that can be described as on-target given the film’s theme.

Flike has previously been critical of the Sweden Democrats and came to attention in 2017 after an incident where he confronted Sweden Democrat politicians and Samnytt staff member Kent Ekeroth, who was then dining at a restaurant with friends.

In a podcast, Flike later recounted the incident. His Hov1 bandmate had declared that “the Sweden Democrats are a racist party” and that the politicians “proudly express their disgusting views.” Flike continued by describing how he approached Ekeroth in the restaurant to express his opinions. Afterward, the Security Police approached Flike and escorted him away from the table.

– I went up to him and said, “Sorry to interrupt your meal, but I have to say I don’t agree with you at all, not a single part of me agrees with you. I sincerely hope you don’t win the next election, and I think your views are disgusting. And I hope my generation does not share your views,” Flike recalled according to Nyheter24.

SVT refuses to disclose costs

Samnytt has contacted SVT for an account of how much taxpayer money, as well as other resources within the organization, have been used to “co-produce” Michael Lindgren’s film, which will be released just before the election.

Despite several clear questions and against the background that SVT’s operations are funded by the statutory public service fee, SVT refuses to disclose this. Instead, SVT simply states that they co-produce many productions every year and such information is only reported “at an overall level.”

The state television also announces that the cinema film will also be broadcast on the terrestrial network for the entire Swedish public to watch next year.

Director: “Samnytt should be ashamed”

Michael Lindgren appears to be noticeably troubled by Samnytt’s reporting. In the interview with Kvartal, the SVT veteran argues that our article risks “scaring away” SD supporters from seeing his film.

Lindgren hopes that the film will create a “campfire idea” and believes it is a patriotic duty to go out and see Swedish films in theaters.

– It protects our language area and our culture, unlike watching Netflix, which is supporting American fast-food culture. That’s why Samnytt should be ashamed, the SVT veteran tells Kvartal and continues:

– They should not scare away good patriots from going to see Flaggan. Because it is in the nation’s interest to keep Swedish film alive.

READ ALSO: SVT’s language use: “Right-wing extremist” mentioned 79 times more often than “left-wing extremist”

The film “Flaggan” is produced by the production company FLX, founded by Felix Herngren, in co-production with SF Studios, SVT, RMV Film, and Brunnen Group. The film premieres in theaters on August 28.