Dreams | Dir: Dag Johan Haugerud | ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Seventeen year-old Johanne (Ella Øverbye) lives in Oslo with her single mum Kristen (Ane Dahl Torp), and she has a close relationship with her grandmother Karin (Anne Marit Jacobsen) who is a published poet.
The new school year begins in winter and Johanne soon develops a crush on the young, vibrant and strikingly beautiful new teacher, Johanna (Selome Emnetu). The cinematography indulges Johanne’s building passion by caressing the teacher’s skin and the textures of her knitted jumpers.
As Johanne’s crush develops into obsession, it becomes obvious that she is sharing her inner-most desires in the form of a highly personal journal that is narrated in the voiceover. One of the brightest students in her class, she is sure that the teacher finds her special and reciprocates her feelings.
The turning point comes when a desperately love-sick Johanne finds out the teacher’s address and decides she has to go to her place. Fearing all sorts of outcomes, she turns up at the teacher’s door, only to be embraced in a hug. The audience has all sorts of questions about whether Johanne has misinterpreted the teacher’s empathy, or whether there is something else going on.
After the passion dies, Johanne shares her intimate journal with her grandmother, who admires her daring writing, and her mother who is initially horrified. The two women debate whether Johanne’s writing is romantic fantasy or ‘dreams’, and whether it could be published.
Then there is the debate about ‘abuse’ and whether the teacher took advantage of Johanne’s vulnerability, or whether the pupil might have been abusing the teacher’s good nature. The film’s multiple perspectives of a first love question how fantasy can colour reality.
Dreams screens as part of the Perth Festival film season at UWA’s Somerville – from Monday 12 January until Sunday 18 January. The film starts at 8pm, but get there early to secure a seat and enjoy a picnic under the pine trees.
Lezly Herbert
