Danish queer sex drama SAUNA, directed by Mathias Broe and produced by Nordisk Film, has secured significant international distribution deals. Breaking Glass (North America), Salzgeber & Co Medien GmbH (Germany), and Filmin (Spain) have acquired rights to the film. This steamy cis-trans love story made waves at Sundance and within Danish cinema, bringing fresh and bold perspectives to the screen.
We are excited to share that SAUNA, our queer sex drama from Sundance, has secured distribution deals in key international markets. The film has been acquired by Breaking Glass for North America, Salzgeber & Co Medien GmbH for Germany and Filmin for Spain, making its way to audiences in these regions.
Managing Director of TrustNordisk, Susan Wendt comments:
'We are incredibly proud of the international journey SAUNA is taking. It's truly wonderful to see this bold, honest and deeply human story resonating with audiences beyond Denmark. With key sales to North America, Germany, and Spain, SAUNA proves that powerful and authentic voices from Danish cinema can travel far and touch hearts across borders.”
The film is the debut of Danish director Mathias Broe, who co-wrote the script with William Lippert, based on Mads Ananda Lodahl’s novel of the same name. Broe’s graduation film, AMFI, a short documentary from Denmark's Super16 film school, follows three young men challenging perceptions of male sexuality, earning a nomination for Best Short Documentary at the 2020 Danish Film Awards. SAUNA is produced by Mads-August Hertz for Nordisk Film Production.
Actors Magnus Juhl Andersen and Nina Rask (NIGHTWATCH: DEMONS ARE FOREVER, 2023) reunite in the cast, having previously co-starred together in the Danish series CARMEN CURLERS (2022).
A love story deepened by personal story:
Set in the Copenhagen queer community, the film follows Johan, a young man who believes he can find community working in a gay sauna, and who then falls in love when he meets transgender William.
Broe’s own partner began the gender transition process while SAUNA was in development, which deepened his connection to the love story. “Suddenly I felt so much closer to the love story and my main characters,” says the filmmaker in an interview with Screen Daily. “We pitch the film as a reverse Romeo And Juliet story, because we want to make people see that love exists in community rather than only focusing on romantic love,” said Broe.
Synopsis:
SAUNA follows Johan, a young gay man, through his experiences with love and sex. He has just started working as a receptionist at Adonis, Copenhagen's only gay sauna, where he works and spends much of his time. For Johan, the city is like a boundless paradise of opportunities with bars, parties, and one-night stands, but it is only when he meets transgender William that he experiences love up close. The love between the two is put to a tough test as their relationship develops within a society governed by rigid ideas about gender, love, and identity.
SAUNA is directed by Mathias Broe and written by William Lippert in collaboration with Mathias Broe. The film is based on the book SAUNA written by Mads Ananda Lodahl and is produced by Mads-August Hertz for Nordisk Film Production with support from the New Danish Screen at the Danish Film Institute, DR & Nordisk Film Distribution. International sales are handled by TrustNordisk.
SAUNA will open in local cinemas on 24 april 2025.
