Her film is about the young mother Esther, who has the daughter Kelly and who no longer lives together with the child's father. Now she will leave her daughter to her ex for the first time, who will have her for a week, and this makes her become desperate with longing for her daughter. She walks around in the Stockholm night and seeks comfort.
To be the only Swedish contribution at this year's festival feels naturally good, says Lovisa Sirén.
Now we are so excited to get to show the film. It feels significant to be selected and to get to come here. It's tough to be a film worker. It opens up opportunities to get to make more films. If we win the competition, it will make more people dare to invest in me for new films.
Personal experiences
Lovisa Sirén, who is pregnant, tells that she had her first child when she was 20 years old, and that some experiences from her own life have colored "Utan Kelly".
I have gone through a similar experience. Those were the feelings I wanted to tell about, how it can become during a separation, not least when a small child is involved.
Lovisa worked as a film teacher at a folk high school and it was there she got to know Medea Strid, who has as a day job to work in a store.
I thought there was something about her that made her suitable for this role.
Surprising sex scene
There is a short but surprising explicit sex scene in "Utan Kelly".
I have not thought about any kind of censored version, even though I understand that it may not be able to be shown everywhere. It's something we haven't talked about. And SVT has been involved and produced and approved for Sweden, says Sirén.
I felt that it would be fun to make an explicit sex scene in the film and then that's what applies.
Lovisa Sirén made a few years ago the feature film "Maya nilo", and has plans to make a new feature film, she says.
And Medea Strid wants to invest in a professional acting career.
First and foremost a theater production with premiere next spring, she says.
Gunnar Rehlin/TT
Fact: Lovisa Sirén
TT
Age: 38.
Lives: Stockholm.
Occupation: director.
Previous films: "Himalaya", "Pussy have the power", "Audition", "Baby", "Kollektivet", "Maya nilo", "Thunder in my heart".
Current: With the film "Utan Kelly" at the film festival in Venice.
