Between Here and Now

A minimalistic friendship and loneliness story in Oslo. A young Italian. A Norwegian and an evening in bar. Beautiful storytelling, fair mix of salted emotions and hope, fair craft and good acting and the gift of an atmosphere remaining , like a flavour, for time , in memory of viewer. A film looking not to demonstrate something, convince or impress. Maybe, only remind, in gentle way, basic, ordinary facts and people and situations, meetings and intense night.

This was an absolute gem. The writer and director Jannik Splidsboel kept the tension up, both sexual and quotidian, until an equivocal ending.

Tony, played competently by Francesco Martin, did an excellent job as the Italian visitor to Copenhagen on a mission and with something to hide. Peter Hansen had a good role as the unnamed thug. Peder Bille, who looked far more beautiful in the film than his rather frightening IMDB photo, was brilliant as Oskar who clearly wanted things to go further with Tony but held his feelings in check and remained patient.

After the inevitable night of passion, we are left to wonder about the sequels of Tony's visit to Denmark and whom they might affect. In view of what had happened with the thug, no long-term relationship was on the cards and one ached for what had been lost.

I loved this short, whose main language was English. Both main actors were proficient in the language and were convincing in it. A definite recommend.