Swedish writer-director \u2063 Daniel Sawka<\/strong>, \u2062known \u2064for his impactful debut feature “Icebox,” is set to present his \u200bsophomore film, “Two\u200b People Who Fall in \u2062Love,” at the\u2063 Nordic Co-Production showcase in Haugesund, Norway. This upcoming romantic comedy, produced\u200c by the\u200c Newen Group\u2019s Anagram Sweden, promises to be a heartfelt exploration of love\u200c through the lens of individuals on the autism spectrum.<\/p>\n Penned by Sawka himself, “Two People Who Fall in\u2062 Love” is described as a romantic dramedy<\/strong> about a\u200b young couple on the autism \u2064spectrum navigating\u200d the complexities of love. \u200dThe film aims to answer the profound question: “What do you do when you fall in love?” This narrative is deeply \u200bpersonal for Sawka, drawing inspiration from \u200chis \u2063own life experiences,\u200b particularly growing up with a brother on \u200dthe autism \u200bspectrum.<\/p>\n Sawka’s previous work, “Icebox,” was a harrowing drama about a child migrant\u2063 trapped \u200bin the U.S. immigration system, inspired by his Polish father’s forced immigration to Sweden in the\u2064 late 60s. With \u200bhis new film, Sawka shifts focus to a more intimate and joyful subject. “I\u2019ve always\u2064 wanted to make a \u2064film from my brother\u2019s perspective,” Sawka shares. “This \u2063is far from a documentary; it\u2019s a love story.”<\/p>\n The core of “Two People Who Fall\u200c in Love” is about how people who \u2062are different from the norm\u200d experience love. Sawka believes that there is a refreshing directness\u2063 in the way people on the spectrum express themselves. “In our normative society, there \u200dare \u2063so many tiny rules and codes about how you should behave, what you should say or not say,”\u200c Sawka notes. “But \u2064maybe love\u2064 works better with a more direct language, \u200dwithout the \u2064social filters. \u2063This is what this story will explore.”<\/p>\n Sawka emphasizes that the film will be light, playful, and humorous. “My personal experience\u200c with my brother and\u2063 other \u2063people on\u200c the spectrum has been very \u200djoyful and fun,” \u2062he \u2064says. “There\u2063 are a \u200blot of stories\u200c about people on the spectrum that make you feel pity, but that\u2019s \u2063a disservice. I want people \u200bto see\u2064 my film and fall in love with my characters, to the \u2062point of even\u200d feeling slightly \u2062jealous of their love story.”<\/p>\n To ensure \u2062authenticity, Sawka has spent years \u2063researching the autism spectrum, visiting group homes, activity centers, and talking to educators and psychologists.\u2064 He has also conducted workshops with people with different needs to feed\u2064 the\u200b plot and tone of \u200chis script. \u2063The film will feature mostly new actors who \u2064can strongly relate to \u2063their characters, starting with the\u2062 leads,\u200c Robin Wretman Lundgren<\/strong> as Hans and Tuva Beckman<\/strong> as Sophie. “It has\u2063 been crucial to bring\u200d in people across\u2062 this production with perspectives related to the world and characters we are portraying,” Sawka explains.<\/p>\n The film \u200chas already secured financing from \u2064Swedish pubcaster SVT,\u200b regional film fund Film i Sk\u00e5ne, \u2062and the leading Nordic Distribution group Scanbox Entertainment, along with development funds from the Swedish Film Institute. Filming is set to begin in late spring or early summer 2025 in Stockholm.<\/p>\n At the Nordic Co-Production Market in Haugesund, producer\u2063 Emma \u200c\u00c5kesdotter Ronge<\/strong> hopes\u200d to \u200dgain interest from Nordic co-production partners\u200b and funds, and to\u2062 have meetings with broadcasters and \u2063distributors. The 30th New Nordic Films will run from August 20-23, parallel to the 52nd\u200b Norwegian International Film \u200cFestival.<\/p>\n “Two People Who Fall \u2062in Love” \u2062promises to be a\u2063 refreshing and heartfelt exploration \u2062of love, breaking away from societal norms and offering a \u200dunique \u200cperspective on romance. For those \u2063interested \u200din a film that combines humor, authenticity, and a deep understanding of the human experience,\u200b this is one to watch out \u2064for.<\/p>\nThe essence of the film<\/h2>\n
Personal reflections and inspirations<\/h2>\n
Exploring \u200blove beyond norms<\/h2>\n
A light-hearted and authentic portrayal<\/h2>\n
Research\u200d and authenticity<\/h2>\n
Production\u200d and future plans<\/h2>\n
Final thoughts<\/h2>\n