Love

Give way, Paris – Oslo is now the city of love. The summer night is full of possibilities, as strangers seek eye contact with each other on a ferry in the Oslo archipelago. In Dag Johan Haugerud’s film Love, Marianne, a doctor specialised in urology, and her nurse co-worker, Tor, are both exploring what it’s like to have your own kind of love life.

Marianne is fully content with her life as a self-reliant woman, when her friend sets her up with a geologist, with whom sparks suddenly start flying. However, at their age everyone has their baggage. The geologist has his children, and as a neighbour his ex-wife, who enjoys wine a little too much. Marianne isn’t sure whether she wants to be a part of any of it. Tor, for one, only likes casual sex, until caring and affection start creeping into one of his encounters.

Love is the second part of Haugerud’s Oslo trilogy, consisting of independent films (or third part, depending on Haugerud’s mood during the interview). Where the first part, Sex (R&A 2024 and 2025), showcases manhood and sexuality, Love fantasises what loving and wanting can look like at an older age, if you don’t let society’s expectations restrain you.

Haugerud’s films (I Belong, R&A 2013; Beware of Children, R&A 2020) examine relationships cleverly and without judgement, and are always an occasion for the fans of mild-mannered dramas. Love is no exception.

Sanni Myllyaho (translated by Vilja Hynynen)