TrustNordisk will handle international sales for Danish writer/director Frelle Petersen’s new drama Home Sweet Home.
The film is now in post and will have a works-in-progress presentation at Haugesund’s New Nordic Films market next week.
The story follows Sofie, a single mother who starts a new job as a home-care worker and needs to balance this demanding role among the local communities’ citizens and her everyday life with daughter Clara.
Jette Søndergaard, who also acted in the director’s previous two features Uncle and Forever, plays the lead role. The other cast members include Ole Sørensen, Lasse Lorenzen, Ole Caspersen, and Karen Tygesen.
As usual, Petersen likes to work with some non-professional actors for authenticity.
Jonas Bagger produces for Zentropa Entertainments3 with support from the Danish Film Institute, Den Vestdanske Filmpulje and Tønder Kommune in cooperation with TV 2 Denmark. Creative Europe MEDIA supported development. Nordisk Film Distribution plans the local release in June 2025.
This deal continues the working relationship between the director and TrustNordisk, which also sold his features Uncle (2019), winner of Tokyo’s Grand Prix, and Forever (2022), which premiered in competition in San Sebastian and won Denmark’s Bodil prize for best film. Like the previous two features, the film is again deeply rooted in the lives of ordinary people living in Southern Jutland, Denmark.
Petersen told Screen: “Making a film set in the healthcare sector allows me to explore how we as human beings react when required to provide care professionally and consistently in our jobs. It seems to me that humans have a limited amount of care to give, and at some point, most people experience that there is nothing left to offer. This is where conflicts and interesting human dilemmas arise."
He continued: “Before writing the script for this film, I worked as a home healthcare worker in a small community in the southern part of Denmark. I was amazed by my colleagues and the significant difference we made for the elderly citizens we helped daily. However, I also witnessed how mentally challenging it could be for healthcare workers to remain compassionate while providing professional care. The people I met there, both citizens and co-workers, inspired me to explore this theme and develop this story.”
Susan Wendt, managing director of TrustNordisk, said: “[Petersen’s] strong ability to capture the essence of human experience through his evocative storytelling is truly inspiring, and we look forward to presenting the film to the global audience.”
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