HOPE
The relationship between artist-partners Tomas and Anja is put to the test after Anja gets a life-threatening diagnosis.
SYNOPSIS
ANJA lives with TOMAS in a large family of biological children and stepchildren. For a number of years the two adults have grown independent of each other, with creative jobs in parallel worlds. When Anja gets a terminal cancer diagnosis, their modern life breaks down and exposes neglected love. Alone with her grief and her fears, Anja realizes that she needs Tomas’ full help and support. It’s their only chance. How else will their children find the strength once she is gone, if their parents are unable to weather the storm together? Anja and Tomas are thrown into a crash course in mutual trust, and eventually a joint struggle, to deal with this unexpected and premature death. By getting to know each other anew, they unconsciously become principal characters in a love story, finally learning to truly love each other after a long life spent together.
Director
Maria Sødahl
WITH
Andrea Bræin Hovig, Stellan Skarsgård, Elli Rhiannon Müller Osbourne, Johannes Joner, Steinar Klouman Hallert, Eirik Hallert
Run Time
2 hours, 6 minutes
Released
April 16, 2021
Distributed by
Kim Stim
Hearing Assistance
Country
Norway, Sweden
SUBTITLES
Norwegian | Swedish with English subtitles
Rating
NOT RATED
Many of the films shown at The Ross are not rated due to the prohibitive cost of acquiring a rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. Consequently, as many of these films contain graphic content, viewer discretion is advised.
SHOWINGS
Jun 18 through Jul 1
Showtimes for the upcoming week are published on Tuesdays. Please check back for additional times as they are added.
Reviews
Raw, melancholy and unquestionably mature, “HOPE” understands that some wounds may never be healed.
The full, flawed humanity of Hovid and Skarsgard’s characters is imbued in nearly every scene, even their smallest interactions bearing the full weight of a long romantic history.
The effect of HOPE is anything but depressing; it’s reassuring proof of art’s ability to comfort as it clarifies.