Songs From the Second Floor

The first film in the 'Living' trilogy is a pre-millennial classic, with an entire city in meltdown to the strangely uplifting melodies of Benny Andersson.

World of Glory was a warning shot, but no one was really prepared for what emerged from Studio 24 in 2000. Fully attuned to millennial anxieties and the financial shocks that would come much later, Songs from the Second Floor is a portrait of a society stumbling towards collapse while still doggedly preoccupied with house prices and golf. Like any Andersson synopsis we’ve made it sound thoroughly depressing, but if you’re in the right mood this film can be a strangely joyous and moving experience.

Why? Again, it’s often very funny: the infinite departure desk where corpulent men in suits struggle with overloaded luggage trolleys; the sawing-in-half trick gone terribly wrong; the skipful of crucifixes. Every shot in the film (all 46 of them) could be framed and hung on the wall. (The way Andersson arranges space is astonishing, his production team often spending weeks constructing a set that we may see for only a couple of minutes.) Props should also go to Benny Andersson – no relation, he of ABBA fame – for a score that adds grandeur and humanity to the tragicomic parade.

A Roy Andersson pass is also available for £25. This bundle gives access to all of Andersson's 'living' trilogy as well as a screening of his shorts and commercials.