"When you do things, there are consequences."

Linus Andersson does not see this as a threat, quite the opposite. You have to dare to do, to make things happen. His own film company Lampray has produced a string of unlikely successes over the past decade based on this simple principle.

New York, June 2025. Amused people wave from the pavement as a bloody EPA tractor (Volvo 740) glides through Manhattan. The artist Rivstart hangs out of the passenger-side window with his specially written song blaring from the speakers. The carriage stops in front of the Tribeca Film Festival, where the Västerbotten horror short film Epadunk will soon be shown to an enthusiastic audience.

Incredible? Yes, but also quite obvious if you've followed Lampray's journey from the start. The clip from the fun PR stunt in New York is on their Instagram for those who want to see.

The company's only permanent employee is Linus Andersson. He works at the Låtsaskontoret office collective in the centre of Umeå. The collective also includes the Epadunk director Mr Jakob Arevärn. In addition to feature films, they have made documentaries and adverts together, including Pantamera starring Hooja.

One explanation for Lampray's success over the past decade is its willingness to do things in co-operation with others who also want to. Not as partners in the same firm, but as long-term partners who work together when the opportunity arises.

The benefits of making films in Umeå are clear, says Linus. "There's a culture of helpfulness among local filmmakers and Film i Västerbotten offers support and resources. Not to mention all the strong stories that exist in northern Sweden.

Linus started Lampray together with Martin Gärdemalm 2010. They bought a camera with all their money and set off. One thing led to another and in 2015 they made their international breakthrough with David Sandberg's sensational action comedy Kung Fury. Since then, there has been a long line of films and awards. Earlier this year, the short film True Artist Sweden's biggest short film award, Startsladden, at the Gothenburg Film Festival.

Linus Andersson heard the news in the maternity ward, where he was awaiting the birth of his son Cooper (named after the lovable agent in Twin Peaks). Comparing the two milestones is silly - in Cooper's favour - but of course it was a victory that felt good after seven years of work on the film.

The True Artist creator Mr Viktor Johansson originally pitched to Linus was a feature-length pastiche of the character Splinter in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Eventually, the idea turned into the poetic story of a Japanese artist and his son.

This is how it is. You never know where it will end up, but it's not the exact idea I'm marrying either, but the person. With Viktor Johansson I know it will end up in something good, I trust him.

Linus always runs several film projects in parallel. The stress has gotten worse over the years. There's more at stake now and it's easy to worry about the decline in cinema attendance and the shrinking budgets of the advertising industry.

There are red flags everywhere.

So it's important to remember one thing. Nothing gets done if you sit and wait for perfect conditions. Perhaps it's also an advantage if, like Linus, you have a certain attraction to difficult situations. He enjoys it the most when he and the rest of the team are lugging stuff up a mountain in snowy rain.

Now he wants to make more feature films and for some years he has been lobbying for a Ostrobothnian film fund, similar to the one in western Sweden. The prospects for such a fund are brighter than in a long time. More and more decision-makers are realising there is much to be gained for the region, not only in terms of money and jobs, but also in terms of valuable film stories.

And finally. Doubt and hopelessness are part of any artistic endeavour. Linus has read that even Stanley Kubrick regretted his career choice.

Do you feel the same way?

Absolutely.

And you never intend to stop?

Exactly.

Text: Hanna Kangassalo

Seven Lampray films on SVT Play:

Epadunk, Epa, Folkrace, A Last Night for Folkets Hus, Moment, Assassination attempt and Qirat.

Find out more about these and other films at www.lampray.se.

Film producer Linus Andersson's three tips for those just starting out:

1. "You just have to do things. One thing leads to another. Get on with it."
2. "Find people who are fun to be with and whom you trust."
3. "Do a lot of 'bad' things. The awards and successes I have on my CV are at most five per cent of what I have done. You don't know in advance what will fly."