Aahana Swrup
Originally titled ‘Synden,’ the Swedish crime show ‘Land of Sin’ follows a tense narrative in which a small town murder takes center stage. Created by Peter Grönlund, the series revolves around the protagonist, Dani Anttila, a detective who possesses a unique history with a small town in Bjare. When she and her new partner, Malik, venture into the area to look into a missing person case, it quickly devolves into a murder investigation with several different angles at play. The cop’s connection to the victim, Silas, whom she briefly took in through foster care, makes things all the more complicated, given his family’s dislike of her. Nonetheless, as the investigation progresses, a more sinister truth about the family and their generational land begins to emerge, casting a suspicious light on the crime. As the Netflix show dives into the Bjare peninsula in exploration of the story’s central mystery, the community’s social eccentricities and the characters’ authentic narrative become the story’s most pivotal assets.
Land of Sin is a Fictional Story About the Dark Side of Generational Feuds
In creating ‘Land of Sin,’ writer/director Peter Grönlund charts an entirely fictitious path that retains no direct connections in real life. Therefore, while the story takes a realistic approach to depicting a crime-drama narrative, no off-screen criminal incident or individuals serve as direct inspirations for the tale. Instead, the show finds a sense of reality through an authentic foundation that remains based on extensive research, genre conventions, and a thrilling premise. The story, set in the Scanian countryside of Peninsula Bjera in rural Sweden, remains steeped in the various localizations of the area.
As a result, the familial feud in the family of the victim, Silas, regarding their land disputes becomes such an instrumental aspect of the storyline. Reportedly, Grönlund heard about many such stories during his research for the countryside murder mystery. The show’s creator heard about a number of intergenerational feuds that had persisted in families in the area. Furthermore, he was also inspired by what he perceived to be the real-life citizen guard mentality, where the locals aren’t opposed to taking matters into their own hands from time to time. Therefore, in the show, the Bjera area becomes highly informed by its closed-off and closely knitted nature.
In order to ensure this translated on the screen, the creator and his team even tried to stay as authentic in terms of filming locations as possible. Consequently, the overall thematic identity of the series remains resonant with a rural Swedish feel. Additionally, according to statistics between 1996 and 2007, Swedish rural areas showcased a higher rate of reported crime, showcasing the dangers that remain in such areas, especially when compared to urban areas. Therefore, while the show ultimately is a work of fiction credited to Grönlund, it still manages to retain a sense of realism in its criminal storyline.
Land of Sin Finds Authenticity Through Realistic Character Work
Apart from its realistic and grounded setting, ‘Land of Sin’ achieves a unique sense of realism through its various characters, who appear as well-fleshed-out and defined individuals. Much of this can be credited to creator Peter Grönlund’s writing and approach to characterizations. However, the unique casting choices behind the project are also worth noting. One of the defining aspects of Grönlund’s filmography stems from his decision to employ amateur actors in his project. For instance, multiple of his films, including the 2018 title ‘Goliath’, have been helmed by amateur or first-time actors. ‘Land of Sin’ carries forward this tradition. The show only stars a number of professional actors, such as Krista Kosonen, who steps into the protagonist role of Dani Anttila.
However, most other actors are artists who have no prior experience in front of the camera. One of the notable examples of this includes Peter Gantman, who plays Elis, Silas’ uncle and a prominent character in the narrative. Before stepping into the role, Gantman was a truck driver from Helsingborg who landed the project after driving his son to an audition for the series. This unique approach to casting is a result of Grönlund’s preference for actors to have real and grounded experiences in their lives that would help them relate to their characters one way or another. While he doesn’t necessarily look for actors with identical life stories as their on-screen counterparts, he’s always open to finding people with motley lives that are reflected in their craft. This realistic approach to casting, paired with extensive research that goes into creating a realistic world for the fictional story to occupy, lends prominently to the series’ authentic storytelling.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s Land of Sin Filmed?
