Interview by
Benjamin Poole
Are We Lost Forever focusses on the emotional break-up of the relationship between two
lovers, Adrian and Hampus. One morning, out of the blue, Hampus declares the end to their engagement
and relationship. For him it's a relief to finally break up from their
destructive relationship but Adrian is shocked and totally devastated.
Will he be able to survive without the love of his life or is there some
way of getting him back. Can this ending lead to new beginnings or are
they lost forever?
We spoke to the film's writer/director, David Färdmar.
Hi David! Congratulations on your new film,
Are We Lost Forever. The film details the protracted and untidy
aftermath of a breakup. The breakup occurs between two young men. Even
though breaking up is unpleasant for anyone who has been in a loving
relationship, I wonder, do you feel that the film is specific to the
homosexual experience? I can imagine anyone watching
Are We Lost Forever and appreciating it, but do you feel that
the film may have an extra layer of relevance for gay men?
Thank you! My intention was to make a very universal film about this
theme of a heartbreaking separation, and when the ”We” becomes a ”You”
and ”I”. And I didn't want to make a film where the characters'
sexuality is an ”issue”, or a ”problem” or part of the main conflict in
the film. When I wrote the script I didn't really think too much about
that most of the characters were homo-gay, since that's the world I'm
living in, and my everyday norm. But of course, the part in the story
that includes the conversations about how to become parents as a gay
couple might add an extra layer of relevance for the gay audience, and
also the scenes including the sexual storyline struggle of the Adrian
character. I do think, and I've noticed that from reactions from the
audience around the world where it so far has been screened, that those
scenes even might add some kind of, maybe not extra relevance, but an
extra understanding and also extra curiosity, to the not so gay
audience.
When I was watching Are We Lost Forever, I couldn't help but
be reminded of ABBA. Not just the shared, overriding themes of
breaking up, but the upfront and unflinching processing of hurt and
upset. The glacially cool video for 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' (which
was, of course, directed by Lasse Hallström), with its use of freeze
frame, is in a sense similar to your use of long takes. Ingmar
Bergman, Ibsen, Abba et al: the fracturing of human relationships
seems to be a Scandinavian constant. Where do you see
Are We Lost Forever fitting in to this tradition?
Oh wow, that's a huge compliment, just to be mentioned in the same
sentences as ABBA, Hallström, Bergman and Ibsen. Lasse Hallström's
movie What's Eating Gilbert Grape is actually one of my
all-time favourite movies, and when I saw it in the cinemas back in the
'90s I realised that this was something I also wanted to work with. The
music of ABBA is of course part of my childhood, their music is like
running in the genes of all Swedish people. My parents had this kind of
tradition, to buy the new ABBA album and give it to me and my older
sister Anna on New Years' Eve to listen to. I don't think I understood
until many years later that Hallström also had directed all their epic
music videos. I have to admit that I never was so much into Bergman's
older black and white movies, I'm a bit too ”young” for that. My first
memory of Bergman must be Fanny & Alexander in the
'80s, and that one I really like, and have seen many times during
Christmas holidays over the years even as an adult. I was also older
when I first watched Bergman's epic TV-series
Scenes From a Marriage. One of my (ex)-boyfriends and I actually watched it together again
during the summer of 2014, and then our relationship ended some months
after that... maybe that was the starting point...
So with all that said, I think I maybe unconsciously might be a product
of all these gents and their previous works and inspired by them. And at
the same time, totally consciously wanted to create my own story and
characters for the new 20s as a reaction to their stories, where of
course the couple always consisted of a man and a woman, and were very
gender-conformative. I hope Are We Lost Forever is going
to take this Scandinavian tradition further, and in to the future.
The sex scenes in Are We Lost Forever are especially intimate
and physical. How did you go about blocking and rehearsing these
carnal sequences?
Thank you, they sure are, I'm glad you appreciated them. I just wanted
to make a portrait of a separation story and its characters with as much
realistic heartfelt breakup-scenes as possible, as well as realistic
scenes including sexual and physical content in terms of what the
character Adrian goes through. To give his character, and his struggle
with the breakup, on his journey to break free more depth. Adrian's
physical struggle is as important as his emotional struggle in the
film I think. Like life itself often is.
We all had a lot of fun shooting them, and shared a lot of laughs. And
my actors always looked forward to doing them the most actually. We
basically worked with them the same way as we worked with all the other
scenes. The actors and I talked about what the purpose and meaning of
the scenes were, rehearsed them, first with, and then without clothes
and so everyone felt comfortable doing everything that the scenes
required. All the actors were of course wearing cocksocks as well. And
the photographers and I planned the scenes way back in our storyboards
so we knew what shots we needed to cover everything in the scenes, and
went over the shots with the actors in rehearsals. Since we always were
a pretty small crew, where everyone knew each other from before it was
always a really good and safe vibe during the shoot. It all comes down
to respect for each other's craft and trust among us all. Also, my
scripts are very detailed written, so it's all in there, even all the
intimacy and physical-action-scenes described full on.
Over to you now David! Why should The Movie Waffler readers get lost
in Are We Lost Forever?
It's a heartfelt, a bit sad, but also beautiful and sometimes even
awkward funny, contemporary breakup-story that everyone who's ever been
in love, broke someone's heart or had their own heart broken, can easily
relate too. And on top of that, a packed soundtrack with great Swedish
pop music.
Are We Lost Forever is on UK
Digital, DVD and blu-ray from January 18th.