Carl & Niels

As children, twin brothers Carl and Niels were inseparable, but now that they have grown up they face losing one another. In a poetic farewell ritual or rite of passage that takes place in intimate, dark spaces, they reflect on their bond with one another and how their characters relate to each other. In a mirror, their two faces seem to melt into one, but also flip out of sync when Niels expresses his great desire to be with Carl, while Carl maintains that he doesn’t miss Niels all that much. Declarations of love and pain follow one another. Audible instructions from the director at the beginning of the film make it clear that what we are watching is staged. The young men horse around half-naked in fake snow on a black stage under a starry sky, muse in one another’s arms, paint one another with fluorescent paint in a cave, submerge each other in water and watch butterflies on an illuminated wall. At times accompanied by bursts of accordion music, we occasionally hear wordless song as well. Gradually, the characters and desires of the young men shine through. A film about competition, sharing life, saying farewell and defining who you are without the other. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)