Lisa Langseth's new film "The dance club" is a socially critical comedy about psychiatric care. A psychology intern makes a revolt against the private healthcare company where he works and refuses to just prescribe more and more medication – without getting to the bottom of the reasons behind the patients' poor mental health.
Instead, he starts dancing with his patients to make them feel better.
What I really criticize is that we have a diagnosis industry funded with tax money where private actors make money from people feeling unwell. That is my biggest criticism, says Lisa Langseth.
Infected situation
It is, among other things, her own experiences of psychiatric care that are behind her commitment.
I have personal experiences in different ways, but I do not feel that I want to go into that, because then it would be about me. I am completely uninterested in that. I want to talk about this social situation, explains Lisa Langseth.
The issue of psychiatric care and the increase in various diagnoses is infected. Lisa Langseth is careful to point out that she does not distrust the diagnoses, but what society sees as the solution – as well as the emergence of private healthcare companies that set the diagnoses.
One must look at the reasons. Why do people feel so bad? What are the reasons? And that's not what these investigation companies do.
"Necessary to do"
If you are so passionate about the subject, why don't you make a documentary instead of a feature film?
I am a film director, that's my weapon. I have not done anything before about a social issue that has engaged me so much.
Actress Alva Bratt plays one of the main roles in "The dance club". She thinks the film is very urgent.
After reading the script, I think this film was extremely necessary to make, she says and continues:
I will not speak for everyone, but I think the whole gang felt like it was everyone's attitude that this is important. It stands out in its relevance, I think.
"The dance club" has its cinema premiere on September 19.
Mikael Forsell/TT
Facts: Lisa Langseth
TT
50 years old. Playwright and director, who after first devoting himself to theater made his film debut with "Till det som är vackert", 2010. Since then, she has made the films "Hotell" and "Euphoria" as well as the Netflix series "Kärlek & anarki".
