Lisa Ridzén’s acclaimed debut When the Cranes Fly South, to be published on August 19th in the US, is the No. 1 pick on the on the American Booksellers’ Association’s Indie Next List for August – as chosen by US booksellers across the country. The announcement of When the Cranes Fly South as the No. 1 championed title was paired with a quote from bookseller Casey Gerken, Innisfree Bookshop:

“This honest, beautiful journey to the end of a life is the most affective piece of literature I’ve read in a long time. I haven’t gone a day without thinking of this book, these characters, and this author since I closed it.”

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Swedish actor Christian Hillborg has an ability to give his characters both intensity and depth, through a strong presence that captures the audience’s attention and emotions. His range as a performer is remarkable, spanning from comedy to serious drama to action and thriller.

During Hillborg’s impressive career, he has landed notable roles in major productions both in Sweden and internationally, including the successful action epic Netlix series The Last Kingdom (2017), the highly praised dramedy series Fleabag (2019) and the acclaimed Netflix series The Playlist (2022). For his lauded portrayal of Martin Lorentzon in The Playlist, he was awarded the Kristallen Award. Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s biggest morning newspaper, wrote “That which is most striking is, of course, Christian Hillborg, whose financier Martin Lorentzon burns with a chaotic energy like a living nuclear power plant, convincing the world with his clear blue laser gaze.”

Additionally, Hillborg’s background in gymnastics, martial arts, and stage combat gives him a unique edge in physically demanding roles. His artistic range also extends to dancing, singing and piano.

Khalil Ghazal is a versatile and captivating actor, most known for his role as “Osman” is the highly acclaimed Netflix series Snabba Cash (2021–2022), directed by Jesper Ganslandt and written by Oskar Söderlund.

Other prominent appearances include the 2022 romantic feature film Stammisar, directed by Måns Nyman, in which Ghazal portrayed “Krille”, as well as the role of “Farouk” in Daniel Espinosa’s drama feature Madame Luna from 2024.

Ghazal’s upcoming projects include the Sci-Fi series We Come in Peace and the legal thriller Till Death Do Us Part. He is also set to play the lead role of “Jean” in Fröken Julie at Stadsteatern.

Additionally, Ghazal has a deep passion for music and has performed across Sweden on some of the country’s biggest stages. He made history as the first Swede to be to be booked for the Danish Roskilde Festival, Northern Europe’s largest stage, before releasing his debut single. He has also worked as a model for brands including H&M.

Swedish Radio’s Children’s Channel has made an adaptation of Emma Karinsdotter’s Lisbet and the Samba King for this year’s summer drama series. A new episode of the hilarious, heartwarming, and norm-challenging chapter book will be released daily through July 18.

The voice cast features Mary Neldén as Lisbet, Anna Bjelkerud as the narrator, and the legendary Inger Nilsson, known worldwide as Pippi Longstocking, as granny the Samba King.

Director and screenwriter Tiina Lymi (b. 1971) is one of the most successful and exciting names emerging from Finland.

Lymi began her film career as an actor in the 90s. She played leading roles in numerous films, theatre plays, and TV series, and is a recipient of the prestigious Jussi Award for ‘Best Leading Actress’, with three additional nominations in the same category. After a few years of acting, Lymi took up writing. She wrote her first theatre play at the beginning of the 2000s, but it was in 2015, when Lymi directed her first short, that she found her true calling. Since then, she has written and directed several feature films and TV series.

Her latest feature, Stormskerry Maja — a historical drama based on the five-volume book series by Anni Blomqvist — had its international premiere at Rotterdam in 2024. The film was a major success in Finland, breaking box office records and earning critical acclaim both domestically and abroad. It went on to win multiple Jussi Awards, including ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Director.’

2025 saw the release of Lymi’s dark comedy TV series Queen of Fucking Everything, which premiered on Yle to the best opening week numbers of all time. The story follows real estate agent Linda, whose husband suddenly disappears, leaving behind nothing but mountains of debt. Unable – and unwilling – to let go of her lifestyle, Linda turns to crime. Something she appears to be really good at.