Dir: Mathias Broe, DP: Nicolai Lok
Category: World Dramatic Competition
Format: 3.8K ProRes 4444
Camera: ALEXA Mini LF
Lenses: Canon K35
The Look: In “Sauna,” we follow Johan’s life as a gay man in Copenhagen, searching for intimacy and a sense of belonging. Mathias and I aimed for a naturalistic look rooted in realism, alternating with a more subjective, emotionally driven perspective. We shot everything on location, working closely with the local queer community and Copenhagen’s club scene. The locations play a major role in the film’s identity, and we wanted to stay true to each place and embrace what was already there. We relied on practicals and available light, adding LED lights when needed. The entire film was shot handheld, and we lit the room as a whole rather than individual shots, which gave us a lot of freedom to explore each scene.
We wanted to create an intimate connection between the audience and Johan and kept the camera physically close to him, allowing viewers to experience the story from his perspective. Most of the film was shot on 45mm and 55mm lenses on the LF sensor, as we found these focal lengths gave the right sense of closeness and a natural perspective. The 1.55:1 aspect ratio helped create an intimate feeling and worked well for framing Johan alone, isolating him from his surroundings, and emphasizing his loneliness.
The ALEXA Mini LF and Canon K35s provided a lightweight setup ideal for shooting in tight spaces with minimal lighting. The LF sensor delivered an appealing, organic image when slightly underexposed, and the K35s had a soft character that brought a bit of poetic quality to the realism.