Why did I make this movie?

I was impressed by the story of Liv and Malte, who courageously faced the consequences of a sexual assault, although they soon reached their own limits – limits which they as thoughtful and open-minded people could not bring themselves to admit for a long time.

While writing the script, I was always faced with the question: “How would I have behaved in this situation?” That kept me going. And I felt, that I had stumbled onto some important questions, that you often don’t dare to ask yourself: Do I still deserve love, when I failed to protect my partner? Do I long for protection, even though I claim to be an independent person/man/woman? And: Is it always right to tell the truth?

A relationship is like a living organism. It’s not the question how much it can stand, more how we need to behave in order to keep it alive.

I did a lot of research and talked to several institutions working with women who have been sexually harassed and abused. I wanted to portray victims and perpetrators honestly and responsibly.
But above all I wanted the film to be about a relationship that is put to the test. Not about the crime.

I think I know now that after an attack like this most people have little opportunity to deal with their feelings of depression or anger. They are forced to act and continue with life, for fear of losing their life, work and their relationship.

Watching Malte and Liv continuing with their lives touched and worried me at the same time. It touched me because of their will to live and to love. And it worried me, because they couldn’t help but make mistakes… When Malte became a stalker, when Liv wanted to get back her lost innocence by seeing another man, or when they almost became murderers in the end.

During writing I also „had“ to watch a lot of films dealing with sexual harassement. And I noticed that often a sexual assault is followed by the death of the victim. It’s the widower then, who transcends the experience by becoming an avenger or even actually a superhero.

I wanted to show something very different. I wanted to give the survivor of a rape a voice. I wanted to show a woman that is very much alive. Liv wants to live, she wants a relationship and she struggles with her own feelings of shame and guilt. And I wanted her to confront the man. Is becoming a superhero avenger the best thing to re-fuel love? Or: can you really pull this off?

I tried to make a film that encourages, warns, and challenges the viewer with a disarming honesty.

ST