Sauna tells the story of a budding romance between a cis man and a transgender man in Copenhagen that forces both of them to consider how they conceive of themselves in relation to how society positions them. The film, the debut feature of writer-director Mathias Broe, is part of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition. It is also the first producer credit for Mads-August Hertz, who offers reflections and insights on his biggest job yet and the difficulties of adapting novels below.
Filmmaker: How did you connect with this filmmaker and wind up producing the film?
Hertz: Mathias Broe and I studied at the alternative film school Super16 in Copenhagen, Denmark, where we first met and got to know each other. We had the pleasure of making a mid-term film together and have now come together again for Sauna, which is both our debut feature film.
Sauna is based on a book by Mads Ananda Lodahl, and after reading it, I asked Mathias if he would be interested in directing it, as his previous films has proven that he is one of the best directors to translate complex and difficult dilemmas in the queer community into the cinematic framework. I really wanted to work with Mathias again, so I am very pleased that he agreed to come on board.
Filmmaker: How long a process was it to produce the film, and if you could break it into stages, periods of time, what were they? Can you also discuss how the financing came together and how long a process that was?
Hertz: Saunawas almost fully financed by New Danish Screen, which is a unique low-budget program at the Danish Film Institute in Copenhagen where debut directors and producers can apply for support. The program aims to secure the ongoing development of Danish cinema, ensuring that it maintains its originality and diversity in storytelling. After we received an LOC for production support from New Danish Screen, we approached our broadcaster DR and our distribution partner to secure the final financing. It took around 3 years from our first application to The Danish Film Institute to the first day of shooting.
Filmmaker: Did you have important or impactful mentors, or support from organizations, that were instrumental in your development as a producer?
Hertz: Yes, I have used a few different experienced producer colleagues with whom I have consulted and used in complex and difficult dilemmas concerning both creative thoughts and our process. The ones I have leaned on the most are my producer colleagues Lina Flint and Thomas Heinesen, who, with their experience and knowledge, have been a great help along the way.
Filmmaker: What was the most difficult aspect of producing this film?
Hertz: One of the difficult aspects of producing the film was reconciling the high ambitions we all had for the film with the financial framework we had available. We had a team consisting of young and engaged film workers for whom this was their first film in a professional context and who have put a lot of energy and time into the project. But at times it has also been overwhelming, which has led to difficult situations that we had to manage. So, it’s been an exciting and challenging exercise to remind people of the frameworks and our tight production concept without squelching their commitment and positive energy towards the project.
Filmmaker: What single element of the film do you take the greatest amount of pride in, or maybe were just most excited by, as a producer?
Hertz: I am very proud that the film is so consistent in its narrative form and that we have succeeded in maintaining the realism and naturalness in our depiction of the environment and our characters that we’ve insisted on since the early development stage of the project. Besides that, I also believe that, despite our tight production concept and limited budget, we have created a film of very high quality in terms of sound and visuals, which transforms it into a unique cinematic experience.
Filmmaker: What surprised you or was unexpected when it comes to the producing of the film?
Hertz: One of the biggest surprises has been the complexity of adopting a story from a literary work to a cinematic narrative form. I had expected that more elements from the books story and dramaturgy could be used in a cinematic framework, but in our process, we had to turn everything upside down and invent many dramatic elements to make the story coherent. It truly is an artform to adapt a book to a film.
Filmmaker: What are the challenges facing new producers entering the business right now at this unique historical moment? And what could or should change about the film business to make producing a more sustainable practice?
Hertz: Since the epidemic, the film industry in Denmark, and many other places, has been in uncertain times, which has caused both distributors and production companies to be concerned about the volume in cinema and therefore not prioritize talent development and more experimental and bold films to avoid losing money. This means they don’t take the same risks on new voices and small budget projects but prioritize what is safe in terms of the market so they can survive in the industry. These times can be difficult to navigate, as a new producer usually comes with an inexperienced director whom you hope to be able to progress with. I believe we are in a transitional period where we have to be brave and dare to challenge the film’s format, narrative and distribution form and think differently so that new opportunities and solutions can emerge for the challenges we face as an industry at the moment.
Filmmaker: Finally, what advice would you pass on to a future new producers preparing to embark on their first production?
Hertz: It can be lonely to be a producer, so my advice would be to find a mentor or a person you trust and use that person for consultation about the challenges that may arise during the making of a film.