Gammel And Ramqvist To Adapt Söderberg’s Gertrud

After the success of Jordskott, Moa Gammel is to adapt Hjalmar Söderberg’s play Gertrud along with writer Karolina Ramqvist.

Moa Gammel is a leading actress in Sweden, but is less well known for her work as a creative producer (Känn Ingen Sorg and Tommy) and has now moved in to screenwriting. Together with writer Karolina Ramqvist she is writing a feature film based on Hjalmar Söderberg’s 1907 play Gertrud.

“It was my idea, I modernised the basic script and Karolina is now writing it with input from me. It is really great to work with Caroline, I love the way she writes and interprets the female characters,” says Moa Gammel.

The original play was set in Sweden in the early 1900s, and centred on the middle-aged Gertrud and her relationships with three different men in three different ways; her politician husband, her poet former lover and her newfound composer lover.

This version will transpose the story to a contemporary Swedish community in Los Angeles. Gertrud has lost a child when she accompanies her husband, who is a television producer, to Hollywood.

Casting has yet to be decided, but Ramqvist knows who most looks like Gertrud: “Moa. Gertrud is a person who wants film roles, is a former model, and also wants to write. The role is perfect for Moa although she certainly would not say that.”

Gammel is also creative producer of the film and to work behind rather than in front of the camera is something she wants to continue: “I feel more and more that I want to both write and produce for it is so great rewarding to be part of creating the whole picture and not just a small part.”

Gammel also hopes that there will be a second season of Jordskott: “I know they are sitting and writing season two, but we have not received the green light from SVT yet. Hopefully they will and from what Henry has told me it gets really exciting. They aim to make an even better season than the last, so it has soaring ambitions.”