LENA KOPPEL

Rights 
Sweden

Awards

2004 – Best youth film, CINECID Amsterdam, Bombay Dreams
2003 – Best script, Guldklappan, Love Boogie
1994 – Best short film, Uppsala filmfestival, The flying north man (Den flygande Norrlänningen)

Nominations

2008 – Best actress in a leading role, Marie Robertsson, Rallybrudar
2007 – Best drama show, Kristallen, HÖÖK
2005 – Best children’s program, Kristallen, Grynets megashow
1999 – Best actress in a leading role, Lena Endre, Sanna Ögonblick 

Lena Koppel, born in Sweden with Estonian parents and partly raised in Canada, has an extensive background in television, film, and theatre. She has worked as a screenwriter and director for many years and her debut as an author is with the series about the stubborn and unexpected Maria. The first book of six in the Contrary Maria series will be published in September 2026. 

Lena has a long and well renowned career behind her, where she has written and co-written six feature films, directed several tv-series as well as theatre plays. Her strengths lie in creating comedy/drama and suspense and she is renowned for her warm, humorous, and deeply moving storytelling.

After film studies, her first internship was at Ingmar Bergman’s After the Rehearsal (1983). Among her most acclaimed and award-winning works, where she both wrote the scripts and directed, are Bombay Dreams, Rallybrudar (Rally Chicks), How Many Lingons Are There in the World?, and Saltön. 

She has also directed a number of successful children’s and young adult productions, as well as popular television series such as Sommaren med Släkten (The Family Summer).

 

Bibliography

2026 – No smoke without fire (Ingen eld utan rök), novel
2026 – More is More (Lagom är sämst), novel
2026 – Beggers Can’t Be Choosers (Nöden har egna lagar), novel
2026 – You Live and Learn (Man lever så länge man lär), novel
2026 – Make Your Bed and Sleep in It (Som man ligger får man bädda), novel
2026 – Live to Fight Another Day (Bättre illa fäkta än fly), novel

 

Author photo

Sebastian Borg. For photo rights please contact the photographer at info@sebastianborg.se