Mathias Broe’s ‘Sauna’ is a groundbreaking film for Denmark, featuring its first trans lead, Nina Rask, in the role of William. Broe explained, “It’s the first time we have a trans person in a leading role in a feature film in Denmark. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made this movie.”
The film, which features both professional and non-professional queer actors, aims to authentically depict queer stories. Broe emphasized, “We have to create a real story with real human beings,” and the film explores themes of love and conflict within the queer community.
Rask stars alongside Magnus Juhl Andersen, who plays Johan, a receptionist at a gay sauna. Broe noted that creating a story about trans men in such spaces was important: “A sauna is a good place to explore such conflict because for a trans guy, it’s hard to access these spaces.” The movie also tackles the...
The film, which features both professional and non-professional queer actors, aims to authentically depict queer stories. Broe emphasized, “We have to create a real story with real human beings,” and the film explores themes of love and conflict within the queer community.
Rask stars alongside Magnus Juhl Andersen, who plays Johan, a receptionist at a gay sauna. Broe noted that creating a story about trans men in such spaces was important: “A sauna is a good place to explore such conflict because for a trans guy, it’s hard to access these spaces.” The movie also tackles the...
- 1/27/2025
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
Mathias Broe’s “Sauna,” selected for World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance, is making history.
“It’s the first time we have a trans person in a leading role in a feature film in Denmark. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made this movie,” the debuting director tells Variety.
“We don’t have many trans actors in Denmark and in order to carry an entire feature, you need experience. That’s why we chose Nina Rask, who is trans-masc and a big comedian and actor,” Broe tells Variety.
“We ended up using non-professional queer actors in minor roles and did a lot of research within the community to make it as authentic as possible. Creating queer stories can be very tricky, you want to do everything right, but we had to say: ‘We’re not going to make a good film if we do everything ‘right.’ We have to create a...
“It’s the first time we have a trans person in a leading role in a feature film in Denmark. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made this movie,” the debuting director tells Variety.
“We don’t have many trans actors in Denmark and in order to carry an entire feature, you need experience. That’s why we chose Nina Rask, who is trans-masc and a big comedian and actor,” Broe tells Variety.
“We ended up using non-professional queer actors in minor roles and did a lot of research within the community to make it as authentic as possible. Creating queer stories can be very tricky, you want to do everything right, but we had to say: ‘We’re not going to make a good film if we do everything ‘right.’ We have to create a...
- 1/27/2025
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Nordic sales powerhouse TrustNordisk is launching international sales on queer sex drama Sauna, which has begun filming this month in Denmark.
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.
It is the feature debut for Danish director Mathias Broe, who wrote the film with William Lippert based on Mads Ananda Lodahl’s novel of the same name.
Mads-August Hertz is producing for Nordisk Film Production with support from the New Danish Screen at the Danish Film Institute,...
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.
It is the feature debut for Danish director Mathias Broe, who wrote the film with William Lippert based on Mads Ananda Lodahl’s novel of the same name.
Mads-August Hertz is producing for Nordisk Film Production with support from the New Danish Screen at the Danish Film Institute,...
- 5/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.