With Every Heartbeat (Alexandra-Therese Keing, 2011) Sweden

Reviewed by Yuichi K. Viewed at Chinese 6 on AFI Fest, Hollywood.

The chance is very small. Why I didn’t notice it before? What I am?

“With Every Heartbeat” is a unique work. The Swedish director, Alexandra-Therese Keing, tries to indicate one very cruel recognition for audiences.

Tim(Joakim Nätterqvist) and Mia(Ruth Vega Fernandez) are engaged. They manage a small company together. At an opportunity, they visit Mia’s father Lasse’s(Krister Henriksson) home to attend the engagement party of Lasse. Mia doesn’t always enjoy the party because Mia’s father’s fiancé, Erisabeth’s(Lena Endre) daughter, Frida(Liv Mjönes), takes care of Tim and Lasse well. Mia becomes nervous for her because of the sensitive relationship between them. One day, Mia and Frida have a chance to spend time together. When they visit a port, Mia, suddenly, kissed to Frida. It, emotionally, leads Mia a forbidden and crazy situation.

“A person loves the same sex partner.” At a glance, it’s a strange thing. However according to researches, one in five people is the potential. Therefore, everyday, this, possibly, happens next to you. When Mia notices her real heart, and Tim realizes Mia’s emotion, the story, dramatically, moves. How do people around Mia accept her? How’s the love with Tim going? You can spend outrageous time with this film.

The scenes in the film are very beautiful in Sweden and Spain. Especially, rural scenes which Mia and Frida in love are refined. However, for love scenes, each cut is longer, and they are, partly, very slow with behaviors. They inspire how the nudity works in films. Therefore, audiences may think whether the nudity is necessity or not because it’s not for the attraction, but for the love expression.

The director is Alexandra-Therese Keing, who is active in TV series and film in Sweden. She is also a writer for this film. Ruth Vega Frenandez, acted for Mia, Joakim Nätterqvist, acted for Tim, and Liv Mjönes, acted for Frida, are also popular as performers on TV field in Sweden, and make figures as next generations.

People think minority things are complicated. On religions and thoughts, a lot of people argue about inversions. Some are agree, and the others really hate. It’s natural that everyone has something a thought for them. However, possibly, the decision is not too late after you watch many love shapes in films.

(For this film, the director referred that the English title may change from “With Every Heartbeat” to “Kiss Me” on the discussion.)