Patrik, Age 1.5 deftly balances humour and drama in a heartwarming story that shines as brightly as the midnight sun of endless Scandinavian summers.
Göran and Sven are a happily married couple who have traded in their chic lifestyle in the city for a more family-friendly house in the picturesque suburbs of Stockholm. Some of their village neighbours are downright hostile, others just do their best to ignore them. But the happy couple barely notice. They are too focused on the one thing that will make their domestic bliss complete-a baby.
The pair finally manages to traverse the endless bureaucratic roadblocks in their dream of adopting a child but a tiny typo produces tremendous consequences. A decimal point is misplaced in the agency´s records and, instead of one-and-a half-year-old Patrik, Göran and Sven end up with fifteen-year-old Patrik, a homophobe with a criminal past.
Patrik drives a wedge between the happy couple. Sven doesn´t want the little delinquent in their house and grows increasingly distant, fearing that Patrik´s homophobia could turn violent. Gor´n, on other hand, rises to the challenge, agreeing to take Patrik in until the agency finds an acceptable home for the teen. This proves too much for Sven and he leaves Göran.
Over time, Patrik´s demeanour softens as he starts working in Göran´s garden, and he demonstrates a natural talent that attracts the attention of the neighbours on the street. Gor´n revels in the newfound closeness with his teenage ward, but Sven´s absence leaves a hole in his life.
Full of witty perceptions on suburban life, Director Ella Lemhagen handles the material with an immaculate eye for detail and a sly visual humour. The result is a thought-provoking film that wisely toys with audience´s assumptions and revels in finding humour in unexpected situations and humanity everywhere, even in the most unlikely people.
Join us after the screening for the Opening Night Gala Party at the beautiful Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor St. W.
Language: Swedish with Eng Subtitles
