Johan (Magnus Juhl Andersen) spends his time enjoying the nightlife in Copenhagen, moving from one casual hook-up to the next with little thought of the future. His latest hook-up William (Nina Rask), turns his world upside down as he learns during their first encounter that William is a trans-man. Johan continues to pursue the relationship, diving in with both feet, but he isn’t prepared for the rollercoaster that follows. As Johan and William try to find a rhythm with one another, it proves to be much tricker than they initially expect.
‘Sauna’ is a film from writer and director Mathias Broe, adapted from the book by Mads Ananda Lodahl, and it holds a deeply personal meaning for him. Broe has been where Johan is, with a partner that has started transitioning. The film quickly introduces us to Johan, who has left his family behind to start a new life in Copenhagen. Working at a gay sauna as a cleaner, Johan lives with the owner Michael (Klaus Tange) and it seems like his life moves from one party to the next. The one thing Johan is missing though is a genuine connection but meeting Williams changes all of that.
Johan’s first encounter with William is a bit of a difficult one. He is thrown to discover that his would-be lover is transitioning, but he quickly decides he wants to pursue things and see where they go. William is understandably cautious but finds himself falling for Johan as the two grow closer. What at first seems like a good match, soon begins to fracture as Johan simply doesn’t understand what life is like for William. He jumps straight into the relationship and is a little overbearing, lacking the experience to understand the sensitivities and complications of his connection with William.
Magnus Juhl Andersen portrays Johan as a wide-eyed puppy dog whose curiosity seems to be his driving force in life. He doesn’t really think about what he’s doing and several times during the film, he prioritises his own needs over those of William. Johan can’t understand why his enthusiastic, and at times suffocating, approach to the relationship is problematic. Nina Rask as William on the other hand, is far more restrained portraying the character as cautious and considered. William isn’t quite as willing to jump into a relationship as Johan is and as the two explore their connection, the cracks quickly begin to show.
‘Sauna’ is a solid attempt at capturing a modern relationship in the LGBTQ+ world. At times it’s a little dour, and there’s not a whole lot of light in the darkness of the material. That makes for a gruelling watch at times, and a happy ending is obviously not on the cards. Johan is perhaps a little too thinly etched to feel like a truly rounded character and William is so guarded, it’s hard to get to know him. While this is no doubt a bold film, it doesn’t quite have the nuance that would have elevated it to a truly superb watch.
Cast: Magnus Juhl Andersen, Nina Rask, Klaus Tange, Dilan Amin Director: Mathias Broe Writers: William Lippert & Mathias Broe (screenplay), Mads Ananda Lodahl (novel) Certificate: Unrated Duration: 105 mins Released by: Breaking Glass Pictures Release date: 18th November 2025
