'The politicians must act now!

..the Baltic Sea is one of the world’s most destroyed and bottom dead seas.' 

  • Mattias Klum is the director of “Betraktaren” a wake-up call to politicians to act in order to save the Baltic Sea. The film is also a declaration of love to the Baltic Sea. Photo: Samuel Svensäter. © Klum Photography

  • Strong words from nature photographer and filmer Mattias Klum, who says it’s high time for politicians to get engaged and save Östersjön – the Baltic Sea. “Time to roll up the shirtsleeves,” he says.
    For four years, Klum worked with the film “Betraktaren”, a film about the Baltic Sea. During filming, Klum realized how destroyed the sea is.

  • The Baltic Sea (here seen from above) is a brackish mediterranean sea located between Central and Northern Europe. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and the Little Belt. It is perhaps the largest body of brackish water in the world (other possibilities include the Black Sea, Hudson Bay and the Caspian Sea). The Baltic Sea. Photo: NASA Visible Earth gallery

  • “What’s most strange is (---) that we (Swedes) always have something to say about what happens abroad, and in debates we always put ourselves as good examples,” Klum says. “But the Baltic Sea is so close to us and it is one of the world’s most destroyed and bottom dead seas.”
    According to Klum there are many things that Sweden must get better at, and quickly to boot.

  • Image from Mattias Klum's film "Betraktaren" - still from SVT Play. (The film is so far only available in Sweden.)

  • “We must get environmental toxins under control, as well as emissions from agriculture and sewage along the entire coast, the fishing and the fish themselves in the Baltic are not doing very well.” The film “Betraktaren”, which is translated into “The Contemplator” was not shot in Sweden only. Klum also filmed in the Finnish, Polish, and Estonian archipelagos. “I like the diversity of the Baltic,” he explains. “But parts of the year I live on Österlen, and no matter what season, I always wake up to the sound of the Baltic Sea. I love the proximity to the sea and want that to be felt in the film.”

  • For more information: www.mattiasklum.com/news

  • If you happen to be in Sweden, you can watch Klum's production on SVT Play: Betraktaren - En film om Östersjön (Only licensed for viewing in Sweden)