First came "Sex", now comes "Love" – although actually the Guldbjörn-awarded "Dreams" should have come second.
Does it sound complicated? Not really, but Dag Johan Haugerud's trilogy about human relationships has gotten a bit out of sync due to different festival screenings. It was always intended that "Sex" would start, but then "Dreams" would come before it all ended with "Love".
I hope it gives something extra if you see them in the right order, that seeing one gives thoughts to the next, says Haugerud when TT meets him on a sweltering terrace during the film festival in Venice in May 2024.
Won in Berlin - again
"Sex" was shown at the film festival in Berlin 2024, where it won several prizes. Haugerud had hoped to show "Dreams" in Cannes and "Love" in Venice – but Cannes said no, and when Venice wanted "Love", Haugerud couldn't say no.
So "Dreams" got its festival premiere at this year's Berlin festival, where it was awarded the main prize Guldbjörnen on February 22. This at the same time as "Love" is released in Sweden.
You can see it both as a trilogy and as three separate films, says Haugerud.
They are different characters, it's, except for one, completely different actors. But it's the same theme. Sexuality and love, it's inexhaustible. And you don't have to like a film just because you liked the previous one.
Dreaming of Bowie
In "Sex", two chimney sweeps discussed their sexuality, one has recurring dreams about David Bowie, the other has just had sex with a man. In "Love", we meet Tor and Marianne, who both avoid relationships, but start thinking about spontaneous intimacy. And in "Dreams", a 16-year-old girl's sexual awakening is portrayed, and how her mother and grandmother react.
The first love can be both fantastic and problematic, notes Haugerud.
"Must feel natural"
The films contain a lot of dialogue – is it improvised?
Both yes and no. It follows the script, but at the same time it must feel natural for the actors. It's them who have to embody the written.
Now Haugerud is working on what will be his next film, but he can't say anything about it yet.
No more than that it will be a feature film, not TV. Feature film is the most interesting.
Age: 60 years.
Lives: In Oslo.
Occupation: Librarian, screenwriter, director.
Previous films: "As You See Me", "Children", "Sex".
Currently with: "Love", which gets its Swedish cinema premiere on February 28. Recently awarded the Guldbjörnen at the film festival in Berlin for "Dreams".
