One of the more refreshing, funny and dynamic films at this year’s Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival is Patrik, Age 1.5. The film, from award-winning Swedish writer/director Ella Lemhagen, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2008 and signals a shift in queer filmmaking according to TIFF programmer Noah Cowan.
“What makes Patrik so interesting is it’s sort of the obvious touchstone for this move from politics around coming out and sexuality and hate, “ Cowan told Xtra.ca then.
This expertly executed dramedy tells the story of Sven and Goran, a married gay couple who leave city life for a small village in preparation for adopting a child. After navigating the red tape of the adoption process and dealing with the suspicions of their neighbours, the couple finally gets word that they will be the new parents of Patrik, age 1.5.
But because of a clerical error — the decimal point — the two accidentally agree to take in a 15-year-old homophobic street punk who causes a rift in the couple’s relationship.
“I saw this as an opportunity to make a love story that was in a way quite traditional as a rom-com,” said Lemhagen before the film’s TIFF premiere. “Of course it was a story about two men instead of a man and woman and even if you make it very traditional it makes you see things in a different way.”
With colourful cinematography, witty writing and strong performances Patrik, Age 1.5 is about the struggles faced by queer parents.
Watch Xtra.ca’s report on Patrik, Age 1.5 from the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.
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