

Once in a Lifetime
Livet är en schlager
Synopsis
Mona Bergström is a sweet eurovision-obsessed woman in her 30s. She is married to a lazy husband and has four children, all named after her favorite Swedish Eurovision popstars. Her brother is a crossdressing guy self-titled "Candy Darling". Mona works in a retirement home for disabled people, where she is responsible for taking care of a young man named David who suffers a movement-restricting disease forcing him into a wheelchair. David's parents have abandoned him, as they wanted a normal child. Mona holds a big place in David's heart, and vica versa. David's goal is to get his parents to come and visit him, and he wants to show them that he is a great person, despite his handicap. Therefore he works with music on his computer, and his goal is to create a song, send it to "The Cardigans", a famous Swedish band and have them play the song and credit him, hoping his parents would spot it and want to visit him.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Helena Bergström
Mona Berglund
Jonas Karlsson
David Vogel
Thomas Hanzon
Bosse Berglund
Björn Kjellman
"Candy Darling", Kenny
Johan Ulveson
Leif
Regina Lund
Sabina
Lisa Olsen
Kikki
Jessica Andersson
Carola
Amanda Rasmusson
Lena PH
Sandra Kassman
Anna Book
Katarina Ewerlöf
Moa Rehnkvist, Studio Hostess
Sissela Kyle
Employment Agency Worker
Leif Andrée
Man in the Subway Speaking with Mona
Ia Langhammer
Waitress
Jessica Zandén
Mother at Cafeteria
Pia Johansson
Pirjo
Göran Forsmark
Journalist
Lasse Kronér
Song Contest Host, Lasse Kronér
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 18, 2001
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Susanne Bier
- Screenplay & Story
- Jonas Gardell
- Original Score
- Knut Haavik, Joakim Pedersen, Jesper Winge Leisner
- Original Title
- Livet är en schlager
- Country of Origin
- Sweden, Denmark
- Spoken Languages
- Swedish
- Runtime
- 1h 48m
- Production Studios
- SVT, Nordisk Film Sweden, Sonet Film, TV 2
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Susanne Bier
Jonas Gardell
Knut Haavik, Joakim Pedersen, Jesper Winge Leisner
Morten Søborg
Pernille Bech Christensen, Mogens Hagedorn
Thomas Heinesen
Department Leadership Roster
Jonas Gardell
Screenplay
Thomas Heinesen
Producer
Gert Wibe
Production Design
Morten Søborg
Director of Photography
Knut Haavik
Original Music Composer
Joakim Pedersen
Original Music Composer
Jesper Winge Leisner
Original Music Composer
Susanne Bier
Director
Pernille Bech Christensen
Editor
Mogens Hagedorn
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Once in a Lifetime.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Once in a Lifetime.
LGBTQ+
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Netflix
MovieLens[20K:30K]
Netflix Movies
Susanne Bier
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Frequently Asked Questions About Once in a Lifetime
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Once in a Lifetime about?
Mona Bergström is a sweet eurovision-obsessed woman in her 30s. She is married to a lazy husband and has four children, all named after her favorite Swedish Eurovision popstars. Her brother is a crossdressing guy self-titled "Candy Darling". Mona works in a retirement home for disabled people, where she is responsible for taking care of a young man named David who suffers a movement-restricting disease forcing him into a wheelchair. David's parents have abandoned him, as they wanted a normal child. Mona holds a big place in David's heart, and vica versa. David's goal is to get his parents to come and visit him, and he wants to show them that he is a great person, despite his handicap. Therefore he works with music on his computer, and his goal is to create a song, send it to "The Cardigans", a famous Swedish band and have them play the song and credit him, hoping his parents would spot it and want to visit him.
Who directed Once in a Lifetime?
Once in a Lifetime was directed by Susanne Bier.
Who stars in Once in a Lifetime?
The principal cast of Once in a Lifetime includes Helena Bergström, Jonas Karlsson, Thomas Hanzon, Björn Kjellman, Johan Ulveson.
When was Once in a Lifetime released and how long is it?
Once in a Lifetime was released in 2000 with a total runtime of 1h 48m.
Who composed the musical score for Once in a Lifetime?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Once in a Lifetime was composed by Knut Haavik, Joakim Pedersen, Jesper Winge Leisner.



















