M-Appeal will handle the world sales for “Sex,” the first part of the “Sex Dreams Love” trilogy by Norway’s Dag Johan Haugerud. The film will have its world premiere in the Panorama strand of Berlinale on Feb. 17.
“Sex” follows two men in heterosexual marriages, who have an unexpected experience that challenges them to reconsider their understanding of sexuality, gender and identity. One has a sexual encounter with another man, without considering it either as an expression of homosexuality or infidelity and discusses it with his wife afterwards. The other finds himself in nocturnal dreams where he is seen as a woman, stirring confusion and leading him to question how much his personality is shaped by the gaze of others.
Jan Gunnar Røise and Thorbjørn Harr star as the protagonists, a chimney sweeper and a CEO, both grappling with the impact that their recent experiences is having on their relationships.
“There are — and might always be — two sides of the same coin when it comes to sex, which also means that the uncomfortable and the funny sit quite tight,” director Dag Johan Haugerud told Variety in a previous interview.
Maren Kroymann, managing director of M-Appeal, added: “In Dag Johan Haugerud’s entertaining film many universal and relatable questions are explored: What is intimacy? What defines our sexual identity? How can we be free to explore who we are, beyond other people’s expectations? At M-Appeal we love quality, thought-provoking cinema and this film will get audiences talking!”
Dag Johan Haugerud’s previous films have received multiple awards and nominations, including a Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film at the Göteborg Film Festival for “Beware of Children” and a New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize nomination for “I Belong” at the Palm Springs Film Festival.
“Sex” is produced by Yngve Sæther and Hege Hauff Hvattum for Motlys. Arthaus will handle the domestic distribution in Norway.
