Sons

Colour, 35 mm
Norway, 2006, 103 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

In this film, made by a group of young Norwegian filmmakers, several of the main characters are played by debuting actors. The story oscillates between various genres – drama, thriller and tragicomedy. Its heroes are caught in a trap between childhood and adulthood, in a period of their lives when they still know nothing of the ruses life has up its sleeve and are unable to deal with harsh realities. 25-year-old Lars works as a lifeguard and attendant at a swimming pool in south Oslo. While his childhood friend Jorgen has a girlfriend with a baby on the way, Lars lives alone. His only form of amusement is watching football on television with a can of beer. But when he discovers Hans hanging around the pool, a guy universally known to have pedophilic tendencies, Lars decides to take matters into his own hands. Armed with a video camera, he keeps a close watch on Hans and, during this private punitive expedition, tries to keep young Tim out of harm’s way.

About the director

Erik Richter Strand (b. 1974, Bergen) studied directing at the Norwegian National Film School in Lillehammer. His commercials (for the Moland Film Company) and short films won awards at a series of international festivals, including San José and Cannes. Strand says of his film: “You find sons, like those in our film, everywhere. In every country, every day. But you very rarely see them. Our film lends a voice to those explosive secrets that are normally kept hidden under a tight lid of aggression and denial. I tried to make a bleakly sincere and uncompromising film. It deals with the grey areas of our morality, which I find are the most interesting to explore.” Sons is the debut film by this Norwegian director who also collaborated on the screenplay.