The brutal and heartbreaking murder of Swedish journalist really affected us here at The Killing Times, and now news reaches us that the investigation into her disappearance and death is to be made into a TV series.
Tobias Lindholm is to make it and for Swedish channels C More and TV4. “A murder case in which you are looking for a submarine – and where you have a perpetrator before finding a corpse – is by nature a spectacular story,” he says.
“I do not want to make a criminal series occupied by the perpetrator or the crime. Instead, I’m interested in the process and the people behind the solving of the crime. And the people who have to live on, despite the crime. It is, therefore, a deliberate decision that the perpetrator will in no case be featured in the series.”
Joining Lindholm on the project is Jens Møller, as Our Charlotte said, was the lead investigator on the case. So the hope is here is that it will be a sensitive, authentic, fact-heavy portrayal of events.
More news when we get it – this could be a must-watch.
The Killing Times 
Jens Møller is the head investigator who worked on the case, which means that this should be a very accurate depiction of the procedure of the case. It’s also important to note that Kim’s parents, who have done a lot to make sure her legacy is about the person she was and her achievements as a journalist rather than how she died, are cooperating with Tobias Lindholm in this project. To me that makes all the difference, especially since it’s only been 14 months since the murder and the sentence was only just confirmed as it’s clear there will be no further appeal, and I expect this series will be as respectfully made as possible.
This case was in the news constantly as it unfolded, of course, and we know very much of how things progressed, but it will be very interesting to see the procedural work it took to find Kim and secure the conviction.
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I’m never really sure about these types of dramatisations of real events, and after watching Paul Greengrass’s film based on the Utøya massacre recently I feel they can definitely cross a line into exploitation as entertainment. There’s an old Sex Pistols lyric “cheap holidays in other peoples’ misery” that always sticks in the back of my mind with these things. That said, if Kim’s parents are involved in this project I have no doubt it will be a respectful piece. Like you say Charlotte it is a very recent case and emotions around it are still very present.
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Hej Andy, I haven’t seen the Grengrass film but I have seen the Norwegian film Utøya 22. juli by Erik Poppe which I thought was done with a great deal of care and consideration for those involved. The aim in was to focus on the victims and their experiences during the attack without making it a gory exploitation or entertainment. It should be in UK cinemas at the end of this month, if I remember correctly. I found it thought provoking and well worth seeing.
I guess it will take some two or three years before this series is actually broadcast anywhere as they are in the very early stages at the moment.
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A very good point Charlotte. Also I’ve yet to see Poppe’s film, would be interesting to compare it to Greengrass’s.
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I’ve watched the trailer for Greengrass’s film and I feel rather iffy about it. Norwegian and other Scandinavian reviews are not exactly overly positive and your comment above doesn’t sound like a recommendation so I’m not sure whether I will watch 22 July or not. Though it probably would be interesting to compare the two films, as you say.
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It’s out in the UK now: https://www.filmdates.co.uk/films/1003615-u-july-22/
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Troubling to see that the ‘Killing Times’ site for predominantly FICTIONAL crime films and series is recommending this atrocious, mercenary, anti-art, effort as a MUST WATCH.
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It’s going to be a dramatisation, and, despite what you think, it could well be a fascinating watch. An uncomfotable, heartbreaking watch, yes, and you could very well argue it’s far too soon to be making something like this about an incident that only happened last year. Jens Moller is involved, however, so no doubt it will focus on the investigation. Does this make it right? Perhaps not, but we’re perfectly within our rights to report on the story. Saying it ‘could be’ a must-watch does not mean we’re recommending it.
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Based on the information given about this series, I don’t agree with your assessment. It has been made clear that the focus will not be on the crime nor the criminal, but the investigation and the people affected by this awful murder. This police investigation has been called phenomenal and required remarkable efforts by both Danish and Swedish agencies working together. Tobias Lindholm has stated that the case will be handled delicately and with great consideration for the victim and her family, who he is collaborating with.
Here is a one hour radio programme (in English) in which Kim Wall’s mother talks about Kim’s life as well as the experiences of the family since August of last year. (It was aired this August.) https://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/1140591?programid=2071
If you listen to the programme and consider that Ingrid Wall is ok with Lindholm making the series, I think it is fair to say that the likelihood is strong that this will be a dramatisation that treats the subject matter with the utmost respect and probably well worth watching.
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