The short films in Through The Cracks are waiting for you somewhere in between. In vibrant, distinct shades of grey these stories exist in liminal space, where queerness feels most ripe and most right. Stories of those people, places, and experiences that are by definition undefinable constitute this program, defying categorization and proving the true value and energy in bursting out of binaries.
A soft and sensual exploration of queer desire and becoming, this film immerses the viewer into the dream-like liminal space of a night train. Oskar (Erik Nilsson) boards the train following an interview and locks eyes with another young man, Ahmad (Khalil Ben Gharbia). The pair of far-away-lovers submerge in this epicurean reality and even the smallest gestures begin to inspire intense attraction and wonder. As the train continues along its course and Oskar and Ahmed find most other passengers asleep, their desires are laid bare.
Tender and wistful, The Night Train is a queer transformation of the meet-cute, in which the velvet night and the movement of the train make a home for two young people to discover each other and themselves. What occurs on the sleepy Swedish train car is beautiful and transformative, and as the powerful imagery and stripped-down narrative cover us in the same longing night as the young men, we are left to reminisce on the power of a single glance.
Inspired by Swedish writer and director Jerry Carlsson's memories of youth and desire, Nattåget (The Night Train), premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, was a selection at the Valladolid International Film Festival, and most recently was a selection of BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival.
– Cameron Asharian, Damn These Heels programming committee member
- Year2020
- Runtime15 minutes
- LanguageSwedish
- CountrySweden
- PremiereUtah Premiere
- RatingNot Rated
- DirectorJerry Carlsson
The short films in Through The Cracks are waiting for you somewhere in between. In vibrant, distinct shades of grey these stories exist in liminal space, where queerness feels most ripe and most right. Stories of those people, places, and experiences that are by definition undefinable constitute this program, defying categorization and proving the true value and energy in bursting out of binaries.
A soft and sensual exploration of queer desire and becoming, this film immerses the viewer into the dream-like liminal space of a night train. Oskar (Erik Nilsson) boards the train following an interview and locks eyes with another young man, Ahmad (Khalil Ben Gharbia). The pair of far-away-lovers submerge in this epicurean reality and even the smallest gestures begin to inspire intense attraction and wonder. As the train continues along its course and Oskar and Ahmed find most other passengers asleep, their desires are laid bare.
Tender and wistful, The Night Train is a queer transformation of the meet-cute, in which the velvet night and the movement of the train make a home for two young people to discover each other and themselves. What occurs on the sleepy Swedish train car is beautiful and transformative, and as the powerful imagery and stripped-down narrative cover us in the same longing night as the young men, we are left to reminisce on the power of a single glance.
Inspired by Swedish writer and director Jerry Carlsson's memories of youth and desire, Nattåget (The Night Train), premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, was a selection at the Valladolid International Film Festival, and most recently was a selection of BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival.
– Cameron Asharian, Damn These Heels programming committee member
- Year2020
- Runtime15 minutes
- LanguageSwedish
- CountrySweden
- PremiereUtah Premiere
- RatingNot Rated
- DirectorJerry Carlsson