Paavo, a Life in Five Courses (2010)

A film about Ingrid Bergman's butler.

Paavo, a Life in Five Courses (2010) poster

Finnish farm boy Paavo Turtiainen is hired into the Parisian household of Swedish theatre producer Lars Schmidt and his wife, actress Ingrid Bergman. The couple “adopt” and train Paavo to navigate among the rich and famous. Later on, Paavo becomes the personal secretary for Schmidt and Bergman. His responsibilities include building up the personal archives of both Schmidt and Bergman. Ms. Bergman’s archives are now at the film archives of Wesleyan University and Schmidt’s archives are in the United States Library of Congress. After Schmidt and Bergman divorce Paavo decides to settle permanently in New York. His first clients are friends of Schmidt: celebrities and business personalities Paavo has met while working in Paris and on Dannholmen, a Swedish island owned by Schmidt. Eventually Paavo becomes an acclaimed chef and event planner for high society. Along the way, he has learned to stand on his own feet.

Director: Hanna Hemilä
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 71 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Dani Strömbäck
Cinematography: Ilmo Lintonen
Editing: Pentti Kakkori
Production: Handle Productions, Whooper
Country: Finland, United States of America
Language: English, svenska
Original Language: sv
More Films by Director: Hanna Hemilä
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Paavo, a Life in Five Courses about?
Finnish farm boy Paavo Turtiainen is hired into the Parisian household of Swedish theatre producer Lars Schmidt and his wife, actress Ingrid Bergman. The couple “adopt” and train Paavo to navigate among the rich and famous. Later on, Paavo becomes the personal secretary for Schmidt and Bergman. His responsibilities include building up the personal archives of both Schmidt and Bergman. Ms. Bergman’s archives are now at the film archives of Wesleyan University and Schmidt’s archives are in the United States Library of Congress. After Schmidt and Bergman divorce Paavo decides to settle permanently in New York. His first clients are friends of Schmidt: celebrities and business personalities Paavo has met while working in Paris and on Dannholmen, a Swedish island owned by Schmidt. Eventually Paavo becomes an acclaimed chef and event planner for high society. Along the way, he has learned to stand on his own feet.
Who directed Paavo, a Life in Five Courses?
Paavo, a Life in Five Courses was directed by Hanna Hemilä.
Who stars in Paavo, a Life in Five Courses?
Paavo, a Life in Five Courses stars Paavo Turtiainen, Pia Lindström, Isabella Rossellini, Lars Lundberg, Kalevi Turtiainen, Lars Schmidt.
How long is Paavo, a Life in Five Courses?
Paavo, a Life in Five Courses has a runtime of 1h 11m (71 minutes).
What genre is Paavo, a Life in Five Courses?
Paavo, a Life in Five Courses is a Documentary film.
Where was Paavo, a Life in Five Courses produced?
Paavo, a Life in Five Courses was produced in Finland, United States of America.