Egghead Republic

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Wikipedia

Egghead Republic
Teaser poster
Directed by
  • Pella Kågerman
  • Hugo Lilja
Screenplay by
  • Pella Kågerman
  • Hugo Lilja
Based onThe Egghead Republic by Arno Schmidt
Produced by
  • Nina Lund
  • Pella Kågerman
Starring
CinematographyMalin Gutke
Edited byOskar Blondell
Music byJuhana Lehtiniemi
Animation byArild Andersson
Production
company
YouSavedMe
Distributed by
  • NonStop Entertainment
  • Folkets Bio
  • Best Friend Forever
Release date
  • 5 September 2025 (2025-09-05) (TIFF)
Running time
93 minutes
CountrySweden
Languages
  • Swedish
  • English

Egghead Republic is a 2025 Swedish science fiction film directed and written by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja. Inspired in part by Kågerman's tenure at Vice Magazine and the novel The Egghead Republic by Arno Schmidt, the film is set in an alternate reality in which the Cold War persists and a nuclear bomb has struck in Soviet Kazakhstan.[1][2]

The film was selected in the Discovery section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and had its World premiere on 6 September 2025.[3][4]

Cast

  • Ella Rae Rappaport as Sonja Schmidt, the young Swedish club kid
  • Tyler Labine as Dino Davis, the magazine owner
  • Arvin Kananian as Turan Hiram
  • Emma Creed as Gemma
  • Andrew Lowery
  • Gina Dirawi as Pin-Up Bob
  • Merlin Leonhardt as Sergeant Barcoff
  • Milan Dragisic
  • Hussain Currimbhoy as Journalist
  • Anna-Lu Franz
  • Lara Golay
  • Stephen Rappaport as Bob Singleton

Production

The film was shot in May 2023, in the island of Gotland in Sweden.[5]

Release

Egghead Republic had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September 2025 in Discovery section.[6][7]

It was presented at the Riga International Film Festival in Nordic Highlights on 17 October 2025.[8]

It was presented at the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival for its Italian Premiere and competed in Méliès Competition on 30 October 2025.[9][10]

It competed in Competition section of the 2025 Stockholm International Film Festival on 8 November 2025 vying for the Bronze Horse.[11]

In March 2026, it will be presented in the Country Focus section of the Glasgow Film Festival.[12]

It is scheduled for release in Swedish theatres on 28 November 2025 by NonStop Entertainment.[13][14]

Reception

Davide Abbatescianni of Cineuropa, at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, described the film as a "cinematic anomaly" marked by its extremes. Abbatescianni noted that the film shifts "from genius into sheer madness," with humour that is "broad" and surreal elements that verge on excess. Because of these qualities, Abbatescianni found the film unforgettable, calling it "hilarious and gruesome, incisive and idiotic, at once inspired and deranged." He suggested that while some viewers may dismiss it as nonsensical, others might regard it as visionary, concluding that "forgetting [the film] is not an option".[15]

Accolades

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Stockholm International Film Festival 16 November 2025 Bronze Horse Egghead Republic Nominated [16]
Audience Award Won [17]
Guldbagge Awards 19 January 2026 Best Film Nina Lund, Pella Kågerman, and Hugo Lilja Nominated [18][19]
Best Actress in a Leading Role Ella Rae Rappaport Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Arvin Kananian Nominated
Best Makeup and Hair Tuija Valén Nominated
Best Production Design Petra Kågerman Won

References

  1. ↑ Ntim, Zac (3 September 2023). "'Egghead Republic' Clip: Pella Kågerman & Hugo Lilja Return To Feature Filmmaking With TIFF Competition Title — First Look". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "Egghead Republic" (PDF). Best Friend Forever. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  3. ↑ John Hazelton (23 July 2025). "Toronto film festival unveils Discovery selection with 23 world premieres". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  4. ↑ Adolvsson, Fredrik (23 July 2025). "Nu kläcks ägget! Svensk sci-fi får världspremiär på Toronto filmfestival" [Now the egg is hatching! Swedish sci-fi gets world premiere at Toronto Film Festival]. Moviezine (in Swedish). Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Ntim, Zac (18 May 2023). "Pella Kågerman And Hugo Lilja's 'Egghead Republic' Casts Tyler Labine, Ella Rae Rappaport & Arvin Kananian; Production Begins In Sweden". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Egghead Republic". Toronto International Film Festival. 12 August 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  7. ↑ Katz, David (25 July 2025). "Toronto announces its Discovery line-up, seeking the auteurs of tomorrow". Cineuropa. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Egghead Republic". Riga International Film Festival. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "Egghead Republic". Trieste Science+Fiction Festival. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  10. ↑ De Marco, Camillo (23 October 2025). "The Trieste Science+Fiction Festival showcases the best in fantastical cinema". Cineuropa. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Egghead Republic". Stockholm International Film Festival. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "Glasgow Film Festival Reveals Glimpse of New Look". Glasgow Film Festival. 18 November 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  13. ↑ Lilja, Hugo (23 July 2025). "Egghead Republic". Cineuropa. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "Egghead Republic". NonStop Entertainment. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  15. ↑ Abbatescianni, Davide (8 September 2025). "Review: Egghead Republic". Cineuropa. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  16. ↑ "Stockholm Competition". Stockholm International Film Festival. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "Egghead Republic is the winner of Peroni 0.0% Audience Award 2025". MyNewsDesk. 18 November 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "De kan få Guldbaggen 2026 – här är alla nominerade". Sveriges Television (in Swedish). 11 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  19. ↑ Lumholdt, Jan (20 January 2026). "Eagles of the Republic scores six wins at the Guldbagge Awards". Cineuropa. Retrieved 20 January 2026.