‘Becoming Astrid’ a feminist coming-of-age tale

The Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) is beloved around the world for her best-selling children’s books (most notably “Pippi Longstocking”), but “Becoming Astrid” doesn’t primarily concern itself with how she got to be a famous writer. Centering on the protagonist’s late teens and early 20s – when she was still known by her maiden name, Ericsson, the engrossing film by Danish director Pernille Fischer Christensen tells the story of Astrid’s affair with a married employer, the editor of the small-town newspaper where the 19-year-old had taken a job as a secretary and sometime reporter.

The resulting pregnancy and the birth of her son, Lars – who was sent to Denmark for several years, where he was looked after by a foster mother – forms the spine of this captivating story, which is both a feminist comingof-age tale and a romance, though not the kind you think.

Although much of the film concerns Astrid’s efforts to reunite with her little boy and marry his father (Henrik Rafaelson), the real love story takes place between Astrid and her child, who must remain apart from her until she can afford to raise him herself. Complications and delays arise when her married lover is unable to obtain a quick divorce.

This familiar-sounding melodrama works because of the extraordinary performance, in the title role, by Alba August, a young actress whose every emotion is made manifest, like passing clouds or a burst of sunshine, on her uncannily expressive face. Three stars. Unrated. Contains sex, nudity and mature thematic elements. In Swedish and Danish with subtitles. 123 minutes.