Love, May Xx: Stockholm's summer outdoor cinema

We have been so busy for the last month, travelling around Europe.

Finally, I'm back in Stockholm and the last 4 evenings were spent volunteering my time photographing for the Stockholm's Film Festival's sommarbio in Rålambshovsparken which was just 20 minutes walk from where we live. I had to admit, I actually had fun and the perks were well worth it!

Unfortunately, I was on a diet of soda, popcorns, chocolate bars, pringles and an occasional salami bread roll 4 evenings in a row. Whoops! But... 20 mins walking to and fro from home. 1.5 hours - 2 hours walking around the park, mingling with people sitting there, squatting and bending, sitting and jumping up, talking to different people. All while clicking with my finger! My thighs were killing by the end of the first night. 2nd night I was so sore, I was squatting and getting up like an old lady, 3rd night I was doing a certain someone, pointing at things on the ground and asking someone else to pick up. Last night, I felt really good and I was bending and squatting, sitting down and jumping up like my first day. Yep! I'm happy! Oh yeah! I have so many half full soda bottles in the fridge from those nights and a few bars of chocolates and Pringles sitting on the dining table ;)

We were allowed to have a soda, a chocolate bar, a box of popcorn and unlimited tea and coffee each day and I only worked from around 19:30 - 21:00 ( I finish around the time the movie started) Of course, by the time I actually left, got home, upload, edit and forward the photos, it'll be well over midnight.

Pringles were one of the major sponsors and they gave out quite a few small cartons of sour cream and original to everyone at the event. Last two days, zingo (another sponsor) was present and was giving out 'wagons' of free drinks. Unfortunately, they need to limit the bottles of drinks given as some people were running away with as many drinks as they could carry (Great opportunity for photos though!) and of course the Romanias with their plastic bags were out in force in the last few days, begging for money, bottles/cans (1KR each when returned at the local grocery stores). I seriously detest them. They were a nuisance throughout the whole event. They of course loaded as many drinks as they could into their garbage bags (which they stole from the bins around) yep! They pulled out the garbage bags lining the cardboard bins, emptied thrash in there and kept the plastic bags. Started with 2 or 3 of them. By the last day, there were at least 6 of them. Women among them.

Running away with his loot!

The last time I volunteered was at the Stockholm Film Festival 2 years ago. It's in November, dark and cold winter months and not even a hot drink was offered. Our volunteer passes allow us to watch as many movies throughout the festival (only after the cinemas are filled up first) but photographing before the movie and after (question time with the directors) can be tiring. Travelling on your own money to different cinemas in the city, sometimes waiting 2 hours or so for the movie to end (films you have no interest in) and sometimes the movies end late and after you return home, upload the photos and edited them, it could be well over midnight before you FTP your photos to their site. Very tiring!

Last year when they emailed us to help again, I was slightly reluctant but decided, I might as well work fewer days but unfortunately they wanted days on their terms. Hmm., no thanks. I'm volunteering my time and money. I'll give you days I want to work and not have you telling me the days you want me to work or nothing at all.

No offense to gender equality but females are better at organizing and persuading than males!!

Anyway, back to the sommarbio which means summer movies.. In the local park. They erected a massive screen and screened different movies in the last 5 evenings. They were Pulp Fiction, Darjeeling Ltd, Rust & Bones, 12 Years a Slave and Palo Alto. Great mixture of films!

They had tents erected around. Two tents connected together for the film festival selling chocolate bars, sodas, candies, popcorns, tea and coffee and of course passes for the upcoming film festival in November. There were tents for a couple of political parties and one for Telia/Sony - another sponsor.

Had to say was a good 4 days. The volunteers were quite friendly to chat with as well.