what it’s about
Norway native May decides to buy an apartment in Gullspang, Sweden to be closer to sister Kari. When they meet Olaug, seller of property they want, they see she’s a dead ringer for their sister Astrid, who committed suicide three decades earlier. Could these random strangers actually be related, and if so, what happened? Thus begins a bizarre odyssey of discovery for all concerned.
why we love it
Fredriksson’s stranger-than-fiction tale functions as both genealogical mystery and sociological experiment. When initial DNA results suggest Olaug and Astrid were twins separated at birth, the family re-examines their own history to get some answers, or at least hypotheses. Just as interesting is watching Olaug interact with her half-siblings, who are religiously devout and less cultivated than their newfound sister. In this strange, twisty case, blood may not be thicker than water. Offbeat and fascinating, “Miracle” is a doc David Lynch would have loved. That’s high praise indeed.