Without Kelly

Bluesky

“Sometimes I think if my daughter died, how I’d kill myself the quickest way,” Esther (Medea Strid) tells a group of people she’s just met. It's a statement that cuts to the heart of Lovisa Sirén’s intimate Swedish drama. Her daughter is Kelly, just a baby, and recently unwillingly left at the home of her ex (Truls Carlberg) for his access week. Sirén shows Esther trying to negotiate extra time with Kelly, the young woman treating it like a game even though both she and her ex know it isn’t.

The writer/director is careful not to overload her film with backstory. We learn why things are as they are in a gradual way through snippets of natural conversation. More important is how Esther feels in the moment and Sirén stays with her, with Strid’s performance relying as much on physical reaction as on script. The psychological stress caused by the absence of Kelly isn’t just rooted in the idea of her but in the physicality of the child’s touch. This is Strid’s first role and her nuanced understanding of Esther’s emotions, should mean it opens doors to more.

Cinematographer Christine Leuhusen also skillfully employs light, so the action moves from a warm shared bathtime to the much starker vibe of Kelly’s dad’s apartment, which matches the mood. The craft, in general, is impressive, whether its the nice touches of production design, from toys to magnetic letters on a fridge, or the lyrical score from Lisa Rydberg, which has a flowing quality that supports the drama. The film was nominated for a Swedish Academy Award for Best Short and screens at Sundance after its premiere in Venice, where it won the Orizzonti award for Best Short. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see many of those involved making a name for themselves in features in the not too distant future.

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