Staff Choose The Premiere Toast to friendship

The bonds of friendship and love are common elements in the human condition. It's not hard to argue that they're two of the most fundamental needs we have as people. These are the bonds that bind. They unite us but also make us fragile. We are afraid of losing them as much as we would like to have them in the first place. The task for filmmakers to convey this duality in all its countless forms is a daunting one, however in rare cases that a film addresses the complexities of human emotions with honesty, it becomes an effective tool for understanding our own experiences. We're now in the Staff Pick premiere, Liv Karin Dahlstrom's "Women&Wine," a comedic examination of pride that is wounded when confronted with the loss of a friendship. The film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival (full information: I served part of the jury), "Women&Wine" is at once a charming, unsettling, yet a an evocative portrait of a woman's desperate attempt to hold on to her friend.

The film begins by introducing Turid (Marit Andreassen) and Signe (Jeanne Bee) Two middle-aged female companions, who have planned an extravagant birthday celebration for their common friends Grete (Turid Gunnes). A prank that was fun turns into a perceived slight which leads to Turid worries that she's no longer considered a close friend, jealousy is a hindrance to confidence and a hilariously cringeworthy act ensues. A sensitive and honest representation of human relationships The film covers across the spectrum from charming and funny to snarky and heartbreaking. According to Dahlstrom, who co-wrote the script along with Thorkild Schroepf the same incident occurred at a party hosted by a close friend, which led them to think about the "humor in the insecurity and vulnerability people try to conceal when protecting themselves from socially difficult situations. Both of us are incredibly inspired by the human mind as well as what happens when our feelings override our rational thinking." For Turid and deluded by the idea that Grete does not value their friendship, the event becomes a last ditch effort to prove their bond and ascend the ladder of friendship, tripping over herself and other people along the way.

While the themes of friendship and jealousy might be familiar to you, or seem like the perfect recipe for a movie about harmful female friendships Dahlstrom has a clear intention to avoid melodrama and adopts a naturalistic approach that prioritizes the dynamic performance of her actors and the range of emotions. Inspired by the everyday moments of little occurrences, Dahlstrom decided that "the camera must follow the actor and the actions and not vice versa around." As a result it is a film that effortlessly flows from scene to scene and reveals the lengths that we'll take to protect our friends, and also our pride.