Emilie Björkman: Behind the Film with Emilie Björkman

Home Rivers Recycled:

Behind the Film with Emilie Björkman

The new film by Emilie Björkman and Ted Logart, Home Rivers Recycled, is about the love of the outdoors and the act of passing down a passion for fishing through generations. But it’s also about something a bit more sinister – the fate of the Baltic salmon, which was on the verge of extinction in the 1990s. We’ve had the chance to hook up with Emilie for a chat about the film and what she learned during the process of making it.

By THE EDITORIAL STAFF

We’ll get to your wonderful new film, Home Rivers Recycled, in a little bit. But first, can you tell us a little bit about your background? And why you’re still a salmon fisherman to this day?

Thank you for inviting me to do this interview. Well, I’m born and raised in a fishing and hunting family, so I’ve always been into fishing in some way since the dawn of time. Fishing has always been like a safe spot to return to whenever I’ve been- or felt lost in life.

After I graduated from the sport fishing academy I moved to Umeå. That’s one of the centers of the northern Baltic salmon rivers. I think there are like seven of them that you can reach during a day trip, which is awesome.

I can’t really say that I was hooked on becoming a salmon fisher after catching the first salmon. No, I was hooked because it fits my personality and the way I like to fish.

Like I say in the movie, you eat because you need energy to fish and you sleep whenever you find your rock. That’s why I am salmon fisherman to this day. I like the struggle.

What is it that fascinates you about salmon in particular?

It’s a beautiful fish and not easy to catch. It fascinates me that they return to their home river for spawning and that it works. Just imagine to actually find your birthplace after spending years in another environment.

I also like the fact that quite a few actually manage to survive all these dangers and obstacles like commercial- and sportfishing, predators and the long migration to the spawning grounds.

What are your dreams and aspirations as a salmon fisherman?

Of course I dream of healthy rivers with vibrant wild stocks and to catch a 121 centimeter salmon. Ted Logart’s (the photographer and editor behind our movie) biggest salmon from the rivers up north is 120 cm. That is my true dream. It’s not a competition, but I would just love to send him that photo of my salmon.

Onwards to your film. How did the whole idea and concept behind the film come about?

I like to have projects rolling all the time. In December 2021, I came up with an idea in my head that I wanted to do a film about Tomas Johansson, CEO of the Baltic Salmon Fund (https://balticsalmonfund.com). I really admire his work and long term efforts for the rivers in the northern parts of Sweden. He’s one of the people that you actually can say that have made a positive difference. Perhaps it’s even part of his work that has allowed me to catch a few salmon.

Anyway, so with a blurry idea I called Ted Logart and said I wanted to fish and that I wanted him to make a video about it. He said okay and here we are - the home rivers recycled.

What were the most important things you learned along the way, while you shot the film?

Puh - I don’t know how many times both me and Ted have said “let’s never make a movie about salmon ever again”. Ha ha! It was truly difficult for us.

You know, when salmon fishing, you hope for the right conditions, salmon in the rivers and the luck needed to be at the right place at the right time. We had neither. Perhaps the film would had turned out in another way if we have had awesome fishing but we’re happy how it turned out anyway.

What, do you think, the future of the Baltic salmon looks like?

Listen to Gustav Hellström the scientist in the film. The long term trend is pretty clear and the wild stocks should improve all over. There are, however, threats like diseases, strange governmental decicsions, climate impact and such that, sadly, may turn the trend. I have my fingers crossed that the positive trends will continue.

In your opinion, what is the most important message behind the film?

To explain the potential and challenges both in the rivers and for those who aim to catch a wild salmon. You can’t take anything for granted and we all need to remember that we can make a positive (and negative) impact.

We live now in a YOLO-type of way but we also have future generations to think about. I also like the fact that we have showed how it is to be fishing after the salmon and how we feel about it. We are really weird people, that’s for sure!

Watch the film here: https://youtu.be/1N_f8h0tztg