John Hron

Based on public records and interviews, this film relates true events.

Some events and characters are fictional, for dramatic purposes.

Some names have been changed. Our aim has been to comment on events - not on the people actually involved.

The peace after World War 2 has settled, the Berlin Wall has fallen.

New winds sweep through Europe.

In late summer of 1995, extremists murder 14-year old John Hron.

This film is about him.

We were only fourteen, doing the second term of junior high.

I'm trying to remember how things were in 1995.

We wore other clothes and listened to different music.

Otherwise, not much has changed.

It was one of those hot summers, with glaring sunshine.

And I remember John.

We were always tagging along with John.

When he had his club competitions, we would be there cheering him on.

Wide push-ups work your pecs.

Holding your arms together works your triceps. Check it out.

- Come on, then! - Quit it.

I'll work out every day leading up to the Swedish championships. Almost.

Mom's second cousin works out every day, and she competed in the Olympics.

Nice. You certainly don't lack ambition.

Hey, can we drop in at Maja's on our way home to meet my father?

- Sure. Why? - I thought I'd change.

- Into some new clothes... - Why?

Dad prefers a more elegant style. So perhaps you can take your jacket off.

- Get you into a nice shirt! - No thanks!

I guess we all looked up to John.

He was tall for his age. He wasn't afraid of anything.

And he had met this girl, too. Her name was Angelika.

She was four years older than us and went to senior high.

I think we all wished that we could be a bit more like John.

Edward Balkh. I'm Angelika's father.

John Hron, Angelika's boyfriend.

Angelika tells me you're a good paddler. Are you?

- John finished third in the SUCK cup. - SUC.

- "Suck..." - With juniors from all over Sweden.

The nationals are coming up. But Sven from our club...

He's won three years straight, so he'll be tough to beat.

I think you'll do just fine.

Do you always dress like that?

- Sure. Do you dress like that? - Yes. But not like that.

Listen... No, I'm on my way in in any case.

- What is it? - Why did you say that?

What?

- Wasn't that a bit unnecessary? - Nope.

Yes, it was! You always take things too far.

Can I see that picture again? You were so cute in it.

- "Cute"...? - Well, you are! Let me see.

No! We'll take new ones soon, anyway.

Don't be silly. That picture is the cutest!

- I'm not cute! I could be your age. - Yeah, right.

- What's that supposed to mean? - Stop it!

No, no...! Let me go!

- Ever ridden a motorbike? - I did once.

I wouldn't mind doing it again. Imagine a motorbike road trip.

So you like motorbikes?

- What, aren't girls allowed to? - Sure, it's cool.

Can you find me an adjustable wrench?

Look, the knives we bought in the Czech Republic.

I thought you sold those.

There's the accelerator... And that's the float.

It lets the gas into the engine.

Help me tune it up?

Ouch! What are you doing?

- We're not tuning it up! - Why not?

Okay- if you wait till you're 15 to drive it.

- And then I can tune it up? - I said you weren't to!

Remember we promised you a quality moped.

I could save that money and buy a lightweight bike when I'm 16.

- I could learn repairs and stuff then. - Sounds good, I guess.

- Just don't be in a hurry to grow up. - I won't be.

- What's that? - The engine...

- Above it you'll find the driver. - And that'd be me?

And the fuel tank's between you.

You be careful now! I don't want you killing yourself.

You were never bored with John.

He was always thinking up things, like having us swim across a lake

or climbing a mountain.

So we saw joining his canoeing club as yet another adventure.

- Fredde? Sven? - Here.

- Staffan Berg? - Yeah.

There are some newcomers as well, John's pals.

- Christoffer? - Here.

- Jacob? And Johannes? - That's me.

I've looked at our results, and we haven't improved since last year.

Quit it!

I said quit it! Ouch!

There is a lot of trouble at Staffan's school.

I'm going to buy a lightweight motorbike when I'm 16.

Imagine heading down the freeway, cruising along.

Give me those glasses.

You know you can't have them back, right?

I'm doing you a favor. You look like shit in them.

"Rambo" often started fights in class, for no reason.

You look like a fucking geek. But you can have them back if you cry.

- Can't you just give them back, please? - I'll trade them for your wallet...

So our teachers sent him outside to calm down, on his own.

He always found someone to harass, and we were kind of used to it.

That's the way things were. John had no limits either.

He was drawn to trouble.

Let's just leave, John.

- What are you doing? - Mind your own business, jerk.

Take it easy, dude.

Gustav, Oscar...

Let's check if the school nurse can stitch that up.

- What's your name? - Holger.

Newcomers, my name is Paul Milgram.

Don't forget your homework. Chapter 27.

We'll start off with a roll call.

- Matthew Andersson? - Yes.

- Christoffer Géntile? - Yes.

- Flora Andreasson? - I'm here.

- John Hron? - Yes.

We'd been friends since we were seven.

Strange how you can know a person without really knowing them.

I don't know if John wanted to make friends with Rambo or punch him.

- Did you give the budgie a name yet? - I'm gonna teach him to talk first.

- Is that even possible? - I don't know. Parrots can do it.

Let's record a tape for him to listen to.

- "Shut up!" - "Shut up!"

- "Shut up!" - "Shutterbug up!"

What do you get up to in school?

- I needed money. And he got cocky. - You're disgracing the family!

I'm sure he feels sorry!

Do you think I'd hit you? Well I ought to, considering how good we are to you!

- In Slovenia, you'd be thrashed. - Sure, he's kind as a wolf...

What did you say? Piss off, I don't want to see you.

The 16-year-old boy found dead in Stockholm had been murdered.

He had massive injuries and one hand was severed from the arm.

He had been celebrating New Year's Eve at a youth center...

Your shirt's dirty, Berra.

Do you have any friends in school?

I'll give you a t-shirt.

Try this one.

If they mess that one up they're fucking retards.

Don't tuck it in!

Hand me your plate, Staffan.

- You'll make her beg even more, Tony. - No, no.

- Gravy? Or berry sauce? - Yes, please.

I'll have veg instead.

- So how's school? - There's a guy there shoving people.

- You keep away if there's trouble, right? - Of course.

Those who strike at others, truly strike at themselves.

But you can't always just look the other way, either.

- He calls himself "Rambo". - Too many movies.

A colleague of Johan's is on disability pension due to a whiplash injury...

He was always sitting at home watching violent movies.

And his kid watched them too. He wasn't old, he sat on my lap.

That couldn't have been very good.

- Checking out "The Owl"... - Shut up!

Nobody ever tries to stop Rambo when he goes around harassing people.

- Too right. Someone should talk to him. - Yeah, it's about time.

- Why don't you do it, Christoffer? - John Hron?

Hey, John!

- Do you think I'm fat? - A little, yeah.

What...? You can't say stuff like that!

- Have you seen this? - Yes, it's cool.

Maria and I are related.

Come on!

Yes!

I'd like to show the court these images of Haakon's injuries.

These are the injuries to his back.

These are his shoulder injuries.

Here is a stab wound to his back.

And one more stab wound to the side of his abdomen.

And here is a stab wound to his shoulder.

- Thank you. - Thank you...

Examination with Haakon Géntile. Madam prosecutor, please proceed.

Thank you, your honor.

- Haakon, can you see your assailant? - Yes, it's him. Bergwall.

Can you please describe what transpired?

He tried to steal my car.

Look, Danne, Bergwall's got his blazer on.

...and then he stabbed me.

We fell, and then he stabbed me once more in the back.

It went deep. I sat astride him, but couldn't grab his arms.

He stabbed me eight times, until they could get the knife from him.

- I think it went rather well. - Me too.

- Was this your first trial? - Yeah. Really interesting.

I haven't seen you before.

- Von Schell. - Rambo.

Although his real name is Pontus. He rolls our cigarettes.

Figuring out who stole John's bomber jacket wasn't too hard.

But as usual, nobody had seen a thing.

Sentenced for assault, Bergwall was released after one month in jail.

- Hi, man! - Fucking great to see you again!

Hey, Danne. Everything okay?

- Was it cool inside? - Yeah, it was great.

How about a smoke? I've got a lighter as well.

On my first day inside, I met this dude called Anders. Cool as fuck!

He was doing seven years for shooting a guy right in the forehead. It's true!

- What the hell are you after? - You like my new jacket?

Keep it. I have another one, as you can see.

I'm tired of being mistaken for some fucking neo-Nazi anyway.

Apologize!

Apologize!

Go fuck yourself!

You're not so tough now, eh?

- John, are you all right? - What the hell do you think?!

- You were standing pretty damn close! - It all went so fast...