The Swindler
NEW DOCS
When Father Mac came ashore in Malmö, Sweden, the locals took him at his word: he was a Catholic archbishop who managed the Vatican’s portfolio in art and antiques. This pleasant priest quickly made friends and, giving life to dreams they didn’t even know they had, cleverly convinced a small army to invest their money with him. As with any Ponzi scheme, investments grew exponentially—that is, until the good priest left town with the funds. The film follows in the footsteps of this international conman, taking us on a journey across borders and back in time—through Sweden, to Israel, and Hungary—in an entertaining yet cautionary tale about dreams, greed, and the pursuit of happiness, ever more relevant in the age of Madoff. SB
Directors
Åsa Blanck, Johan Palmgren
Producer
Åsa Blanck
Editor
Petter Brundell
Cinematographer
Johan Palmgren
Release Year
2008
Festival Year
2009
Country
Sweden
Run Time
84 minutes
Premiere
North American Premiere