Anja (43) lives with Tomas (59) 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 realises 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 the principal characters in a love story where they finally learn to truly love each other after a long life together.

Direction: Maria Sødahl

Script: Maria Sødahl

Production: Thomas Robsahm

Co-Production: Lizette Jonjic, Peter Possne

Cinematography: Manuel Claro

Editing: Christian Siebenherz

Production Design: Jørgen Stangebye Larsen

Costume Design: Ellen Ystehede

Make-Up: Anja Dahl

Sound: Gisle Tveito

Visual Effects: Kai Kiønig Bortne

Cast: Andrea Bræin Hovig, Stellan Skarsgård

Original Title: HÅP

Original Language: Norwegian Bokmal

Film Production Countries: Norway, Sweden

Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/haapfilmen

Statement of the Director/s
What happens to love when a woman in the middle of her life is given three more months to live?

When I received a terminal cancer diagnosis in 2012, the idea of filmmaking vanished in a second. Years later, when death was “cancelled”, it awakened my urge to tell stories again. Almost against my own will, I ended up writing my most autobiographical project ever. There was no way around it.

By exploring a personal experience, I examine a couple´s long life together through one brief Christmas week. And in my process of writing, very raw and naked scenes inevitably occurred. Situations it´s difficult to stay indifferent towards. Material which fascinated and kept my curiosity going. Balancing between sharing material being so private that I hardly dared to reveal them for myself - and to achieve telling a story becoming personal as opposed to private. I wish to let people into a world where they can identify with actions and emotions not always flattering – without becoming ashamed.

I picture a raw and naturalistic style. Totally unsentimental. Where beauty lies more in the human factor, rather than in the aesthetics. The tone I guess will be determined by a mixture of human inadequacy, existential chaos, absurd humor, as well as grief over a lost future. There are also quiet moments of wonder for life itself. A warmth and intimacy that pays homage to the modern family.

HOPE is a different kind of a love story - about life and how we live our lives. Not so much about death. The title itself has both nothing and everything. Being dangerously close to the banal, most people might suggest the title relates to the medical story – if the protagonist will survive or not. While as after having watched the movie, it obviously relates to whether she is capable to love or not. I like this ambiguity which emphasizes the stories parallel themes.

Within the length of the movie I want to give the audience a physical experience leaving them exhausted by all the uncertainty and emotional turbulence. A film which is primarily experienced with the gut, not only with the head and heart. Where the themes and characters revolve around issues that may challenge the viewers´ perspective on their own lives and choices they make.

Maria Sødahl

Biography of the Director/s
Born in Trondheim in 1965, Maria Sødahl graduated as director from The Danish Film School in 1993. She has made several shorts and documentaries before her first fiction feature, the award-winning LIMBO (2010)

Filmography of the Director/s
2020 HOPE
2010 LIMBO
2003 THE LOTTO MILLIONAIRES
2000 SEVEN DEADLY SINS
1993 BULLDOZER

Production Company:
Motlys
Heidi Gaukås
Sagveien 18
OSLO, 0459, Norway
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: 004795894282
Website: https://www.motlys.com/

World Sales:
TrustNordisk
Filmbyen 22
Hvidovre, 2650 , Denmark
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +45 2974 6206

Press:
Motlys
Heidi Gaukås
Sagveien 18
OSLO, 0459, Norway
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: 004795894282
Website: https://www.motlys.com/