Add some queer content to your watch-list with The Swedish Boys – a collection of short films that explore male sexuality in all of its glorious messiness.
There are seven short films included in this collection.
COMING OUT – directed by Jerry Carlsson
Joel has finally made up his mind, or so he thinks. Tonight he’s going to tell his parents, but is this the right moment? How should he do it, and what should he say?
CAST: Charlie Gustafsson
POLLY – directed by Eric Ernerstedt and Julija Green
When Jacob’s ex-girlfriend Polly comes to visit, the pair can barely contain their excitement. Since their teenage days when they were an item, Jacob has long since been out of the closet and in a happy relationship with boyfriend Nicholas, so both he and Polly have a lot of catching up to do. Sure enough, Polly’s visit extends into a long stay as the trio relish each other’s company. However, all good things must, eventually, come to an end.
CAST: Julija Green, Eric Ernerstedt, Viktor Åkerblom
FILIP – directed by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén
Seven-year old Filip admires his older brother Sebastian. They fool around, watch movies and play football together. One evening Filip happens to see something unexpected between Sebastian and his best friend and Filip and doesn’t know how to handle it.
CAST: Josef Waldfogel, August Segerholm, Simon Reithner
NO BRAKES (När bromsvajern släpper) – directed by Alexandra Litén
Johan sits on a small jetty by the lake, deep in thought – he is struggling to find the words to say, or the actions to take. Joined by friends Anton and Julie, the trio cycle through the Swedish countryside, and as the sun begins to set, more friends enter the fray, bottles of beer are opened and guitars thrum as the group party into the night. But Johan is still deep in thought. When the sun eventually rises, Johan’s fears have long since faded away.
CAST: Pär Kunze, Petter Nyherg, Moa Horgren
THE MEMORY OF YOU (Minnet av dig) – directed by Nils Janlert
Adam is going to dinner with his wife, when he is disrupted by something from his past. ‘The Memory of You’ is a story about a love that never was, and the promise of what could have been, shot in one single take during a quiet night on a Stockholm side street.
CAST: Emil T. Jonsson, Mikael Bergsten, Kerstin Gandler
DISTANCES (BORTOM) – directed by Valentina Chamorro
Eva and David have a complicated mother-son relationship. They try to reach each other but do not quite know how. One problem is the language barrier, as David is deaf and Eva is not very good at sign language. After moving back to her country of birth, Eva comes to Sweden on a short visit, where she discovers what so many parents do throughout the lives of their offspring – your children never cease to surprise you.
CAST: Monica Albornoz, Gabriel Nal, Robert Ingvarsson, Adel Ahmad, Gloria Tapia
STOCKHOLM DAYBREAK (Gryning) – directed by Elin Övergaard
At the break of dawn, teenagers Axel and Love are on the way home after a night out partying. As the sun rises, they start to see each other in a whole new light… Elin Övergaard’s remarkably tender portrait of the struggle to say what you mean to the person you care for the most packs a considerable emotive punch in only just a few minutes.
CAST: Tom Ljungman, David Arnesen
