Sirens Call
A Lynchian road movie about merfolk that journeys beyond the boundaries of reality, fantasy and genre as it travels across postmodern America.
Part sci-fi, part documentary, this queer feminist road movie follows Una (Gina Rønning), a hybrid being identifying as a mermaid, on their journey across United States. Una travels through the US in search of community, while inescapable shadows of Trumpian politics loom around every corner. In a world where one’s identity can be questioned or even disqualified as non-valid, particularly in the US with its rampant anti-trans politics, Una struggles but manages to find acceptance in the merfolk subculture of Portland. Despite the rediscovered feeling of belonging, Una is still beset by existential struggles.
Miri Ian Gossing and Lina Sieckmann’s debut feature is anything but ordinary and mundane. The film premiered at the Berlinale in 2025 and was nominated for a Teddy award, given for films with LGBTQIA+ topics. Shot on 16mm, a choice which very well fits the hybrid subject, it feeds into the aesthetics of nostalgia while at the same time keeping us in the harsh reality of here and now. It is a radical commentary on humanity, consumer culture and ecological collapse, taking us on a trip through a variety of American cities, which serve as a perfect backdrop for Una’s feeling of detachment from the modern world.
Ljubomir Delevic
Screenings
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Gilda 1Sun 20.9. at 13.45–15.46121 min, 1/3
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Kino Engel 2Tue 22.9. at 18.00–20.01121 min, 2/3
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WHS Teatteri UnionSat 26.9. at 20.45–22.46121 min, 3/3