Three moderately bewildered young Århusians trying to make sense of love, life, God and the rest. Malmros’s very short – and rarely screened – first feature, made with almost no money and starring family and friends, owes a lot to the example of François Truffaut while already showing the future master’s unique genius and virtues in the raw.
Malmros has mixed feelings about A Strange Love, probably because it was brutally rejected by the critical establishment back then as a purely imitative exercise. Looking today at it, the pretty obvious Nouvelle Vagueisms have a certain innocent charm – like 1960s hairstyles, skirts, chairs or cars. More important are all the ways in which A Strange Love markedly differs from Truffaut et al., especially in its work with amateur actors, as well as in a sense of directorial determination, clarity of intent that lends some weight and force even to the most light-hearted throwaway moments. Malmros is often a free spirit, but never frivolous.
Malmros’ debut, which he shot as an amateur, has not been booked for public screenings.
Film details
- Country of production
- Denmark
- Year
- 1968
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2014
- Length
- 69'
- Medium/Format
- Betacam Digi
