{"id":4382,"date":"2014-06-04T00:13:32","date_gmt":"2014-06-04T04:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/?p=4382"},"modified":"2016-11-11T14:50:42","modified_gmt":"2016-11-11T19:50:42","slug":"an-interview-with-the-creative-team-behind-the-film-something-must-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/an-interview-with-the-creative-team-behind-the-film-something-must-break\/","title":{"rendered":"An Interview with the Creative Team Behind the Film “Something Must Break”"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Swedish film\u2019s entry into Tribeca proves that it can enjoy art-house success while also appealing to an audience beyond the burgeoning LGBTQ circuit.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not a film about sexuality, but one about love” – Ester Martin Bersgmark<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When Swedish filmmaker Ester Martin Bersgmark\u2019s Something Must Break<\/i> made its US premiere at last month\u2019s Tribeca Film Festival, both critics and audiences acknowledged that while this \u201caccomplished offering\u201d of a film was indeed a breath of fresh air, it perhaps could have benefited from an extra coat of narrative refinement and consistency.\u00a0 A somewhat avant-guarde account of the destructive aspects of falling in love, this art-house film brims with raw electricity as it depicts the story of Sebastian: an androgynous non-gender normative individual who becomes instantly infatuated with \u201cstraight\u201d-identifying Andreas, as the former slowly begins embracing their transformation to \u201cEllie\u201d.\u00a0 Based on Eli Leven\u2019s semi-autobiographical novel You Are the Roots That Sleep Beneath My Feet and Hold the Earth in Place<\/i>, Something Must Break<\/i> marks Bersgmark\u2019s first foray into fiction and second collaboration with co-scriptwriter Leven (a trans artist who was previously the subject of Bersgmark\u2019s poetic documentary She Male Snails<\/i>).\u00a0 When I sat down with Bersgmark, Leven, and star Saga Becker during Tribeca; I was curious to know what inspired their decision to adapt Leven\u2019s novel, and even to hear what the film was about in their words.\u00a0 \u201cRather than focus on plot, I wanted to tell a chemistry-driven story about two people who fall in love; and how such an experience can feel like getting butterflies in your stomach, and at the same time like you are getting punched in the stomach.\u00a0 Leven and I share the same romantic view on the world…I was inspired by the novel\u2019s language and how its author transforms harsh reality into something that is beautiful.\u00a0 Our screenplay reflects that gaze, and [the film] should smell of strong emotions\u201d, notes Bersgmark.<\/p>\n

An outcry against society\u2019s binary gender system, this \u201cblood and wine soaked love story\u201d tracks the progression of a romance between two unlikely individuals in a very honest, naked and raw manner.\u00a0 The film begins with a stylistically impressive yet slightly tropic close-up shot of thorns adorning a rosebush, as Sebastian\u2019s voice-over narration begins\u2014an inner monologue that reflects their unhappy loneliness and struggle with gender identity.\u00a0 Scouting underground clubs and dive bars, Sebastian attempts to satiate this void through random sex; which seems to be a bizarre form of release, gratification and punishment for our protagonist.\u00a0 Then one day during an unsuccessful \u2018cruising\u2019, S. is rescued from a violent, gay-bashing homophobe by the greasy yet dashing, leather jacket-clad Andreas (played by Iggy Malmborg)\u2014and the two slowly drift into a tentative yet intensely passionate affair.\u00a0 Set amidst the backdrop of muted IKEA society within Sweden\u2019s back streets and forgotten parks\u2014away from the cosmopolitan environment of the Stockholm metropolis\u2014there is an underground, \u201cus against the world\u201d tone to their romance, which is further heightened by slightly shaky camerawork and a grainy visual aesthetic.\u00a0 However, as the duo\u2019s intoxicating connection develops, there is also an element of contentious discord brewing beneath the surface as Andreas struggles with his feelings for Sebastian\/what that means in terms of his \u201cheterosexuality,\u201d while the former is increasingly determined to become \u201cEllie\u201d even if that means letting Andreas go.<\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/a>
Andreas and Sebastian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis is not a film about sexuality, but one about love\u2014although I am very interested in the representation of sex\u201d, stated Bergsmark during our interview.\u00a0 Indeed, one cannot overlook the sexual charge of Something Must Break<\/i>, as the film constantly balances and negotiates love and sex in a way that is slightly reminiscent of Abdellatif Kechiche\u2019s organically stark approach in Blue is the Warmest Color <\/i>(or that of Giorgos Lanthimos in Dogtooth<\/i>).\u00a0 <\/i>Take for example the first sex scene between Sebastian and Andreas: at this point the two haven\u2019t even kissed, yet they begin to undress and examine the ticks on each other\u2019s bodies as the camera beautifully observes this innocent sense of exploration.\u00a0 With an objective intensity, Bersgmark captures the raw, naturally grotesque yet sensual mechanics of intercourse between the lovers\u2014making the warm, music-less first orgasm in this scene particularly potent.\u00a0 Even the sex scenes between Sebastian and other partners are captured with a truthfully monotone gaze that reflects our character\u2019s lonely apathy, in a way that is aesthetically thrilling to watch.\u00a0 As I brought up these parallels to Blue<\/i> in an attempt to understand European cinema\u2019s depiction of sex, Bersgmark remarked: \u201cYes, I have heard that comparison before.\u00a0 The truth is, sex is not violent or beautiful; it\u2019s just there as a natural part of human existence, a product of wanting to be seen and touched.\u201d\u00a0 With most of the sex taking place during the day (except for one club scene set to Peggy Lee\u2019s \u201cYou\u2019re My Thrill\u201d), there is a particular triumph of unadorned composition and mood during these sequences\u2014as though the cinematography itself were caressing our characters in a way that truthfully<\/i> harnesses both the pain and the pleasure; the innocence and the impulsivity of sex.<\/p>\n

While Sebastian and Andreas certainly have a sexual chemistry between them, there\u2019s also an emotional anti-chemistry; with the sense that each individual\u2019s struggle for self-identity will always come in the way between them.\u00a0 The miscommunication, shame, and embarrassment following the first love scene serve as signs that our two main characters will never feel the same way about each other at the same time, as though they \u201clove past each other\u201d (Film School Rejects).\u00a0 While many would argue that the film\u2019s \u201cqueer star-crossed lovers\u201d story is a bit clich\u00e9, Bersgmark introduces a refreshing twist to our characters\u2019 dynamic by adding the layer of a dual self-discovery; and while the film certainly focuses on Sebastian, one can argue as to which of the two goes through a greater transformation during the course of the story.\u00a0 It\u2019s also interesting to note that although Sebastian is clearly transgender, the film refuses to assign any gender-identity labels\u2014which not only emphasizes Sebastian\u2019s confusion, but allows the film to avoid any political statement.\u00a0 Rather than enlightening our main character or turning them into a role model, Bersgmark is instead interested in humanizing Sebastian in a way that isn\u2019t condescending or judgmental.\u00a0 Simply put, Something Must Break<\/i> tells a very specific story without tact; even if this confusing tumult means the demise of Sebastian and Andreas\u2019 relationship.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not gay\u201d, notes Andreas.\u00a0 \u201cMe neither!\u201d replies Sebastian.\u00a0 Their situation is a conundrum.<\/p>\n

\"Something<\/a><\/p>\n

A non-professional actor and trans woman in real life, Becker is polished into a fascinating muse as Sebastian\/Ellie, and I love how Bersgmark\u2019s frequent yet well-framed close-ups shots of Becker\u2019s face subliminally emphasizes her septum ring which was in fact a pleasantly unique feature to focus on (imagine my thrill at seeing Saga wear it in person as I realized that this was not a prop at all!).\u00a0 The film also boasts a boldly eclectic and throbbing soundtrack that ranges from glitchy, gloomily distorted techno to ethereal club beats\u2014and it is this vibrational accordion sound design that truly shines as the strongest element within the film.\u00a0 However, Something<\/i> also suffers from a few technical missteps; an example of which is Sebastian\u2019s hit or miss voice-over narration at the beginning, which tends to be prophetically generic.\u00a0 With a \u201cblank stare\u201d expression that seems a bit overdone, Sebastian\u2019s sullenness in the first half of the film wears thin and does little to make them intriguing; although the second half picks up as they take on a more self-aware and confident tone.\u00a0\u00a0 Yet the film does do an effective job at interweaving the ugly and the pretty as it blurs the lines between erotically charged glamour and bleak vulnerability.\u00a0 There are moments where the script and harsh technical style of the film nicely compliments this duality; the most memorable being the moment Andreas utters to Sebastian; \u201cYou\u2019re so beautiful I want to vomit.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, embracing the \u201cdirtiness\u201d can also have its limits, and the film oftentimes borders on unnecessary provocation\u2014an example of which is the aforementioned club scene where Sebastian gets peed on in slo-mo while the soundtrack plays \u201cYou\u2019re My Thrill\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s wonderful to see a director who takes such technically bold risks; but at times it seems like they will find any excuse to employ their arsenal of stylistic bells and whistles, and the film sometimes struggles in finding its niche.\u00a0 Bersgmark is striving for a certain poetic interiority that is undermined by scenes of expressive un-subtlety\u2014and while the film\u2019s art-house experimentation does succeed at times, it lacks a certain stylistic restraint that ultimately hinders the introspection of the film, rather than serving as instrumental pieces of storytelling.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn some ways, I am getting closer to the characters and to real life in fiction,\u201d reflects Bersgmark on the paradox that drama can sometimes have a more truthfully intimate quality than documentary.\u00a0 Overall, despite its occasional technical blunders, \u2018Something Must Break\u2019 succeeds in confronting issues of gender identity in a way that sheds light on both the grace and the pain of such a struggle.\u00a0 Bersgmark presents an authentically complicated tale of love and self-discovery, and their film is both empowering and empathetic.\u00a0 \u2018Something Must Break\u2019 indeed takes on a beautifully defiant tone, but it does so in a way that isn\u2019t transgressive or revolutionary\u2014and the film can only be viewed in such a light if the humanity of Ellie and other trans folk are ever doubted in the first place.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

\"From<\/a>
From left: Becker, Bergsmark, Kantarius (producer), and Leven<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Follow Demi:<\/p>\n

Twitter: @DemionFilm
\nFacebook:\u00a0facebook.com\/demionfilm<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This Swedish film\u2019s entry into Tribeca proves that it can enjoy art-house success while also appealing to an audience beyond the burgeoning LGBTQ circuit. \u201cThis is not a film about sexuality, but one about love” – Ester Martin Bersgmark When Swedish filmmaker Ester Martin Bersgmark\u2019s Something Must Break made its US premiere at last month\u2019s\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4385,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2065],"tags":[335,965,964,1963,503,135,189,134,434,967,963,855,784,966],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-4382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","tag-demitra-demi-kampakis","tag-eli-leven","tag-ester-martin-bersgmark","tag-film","tag-interview","tag-posture","tag-posture-mag","tag-posture-magazine","tag-review","tag-saga-becker","tag-something-must-break","tag-tribeca","tag-tribeca-film-festival","tag-you-are-the-roots-that-sleep-beneath-my-feet-and-hold-the-earth-in-place"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/feature1.jpg?fit=4288%2C2848","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6QBV8-18G","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4382"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8035,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4382\/revisions\/8035"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4382"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=4382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}