Sauna, dir. Mathias Broe, 2025, Denmark, 103 min., in Danish, English, and Swedish with subtitles 💖
Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 6:00 pm, New Parkway, Oakland
⚠️ content advisory: transphobia
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| Sauna |
Johan (Magnus Juhl Andersen, pictured left) is a young gay man, recently moved to Copenhagen, working in a popular sauna (bathhouse), and enjoying both the clubs and the hookup apps. Then one of his hookups turns out to be a trans man, William (Nina Rask, pictured right), but, although initially thrown off balance by the surprise (“You should’ve read my profile.”), Johan decides to go with it, entranced by William’s magnetism. They begin an affair, introducing Johan to William’s trans friends and the everyday struggles they go through for gender-affirming care. But before long, Johan’s primary talent, acting impulsively without thinking, starts to throw sand in the gears.
Johan and William are physically attractive and charming, genuinely a pleasure to watch on screen, and the R-rated bits are steamy. The story takes two interesting people through authentically portrayed circumstances, with meaningful connections and conflicts. The only downside is that I found it difficult to watch Johan repeatedly self-sabotage. Still, it’s definitely top-shelf material, a must see.
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