Sauna

Sept 13, 2025
8:15 PM

Location
International Village

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British Columbia premiere

Director

Mathias Broe

Country

Denmark

Year

2025

Runtime

105 min

Languages

Danish, English, Swedish

Johan, a young gay man in Copenhagen, spends his days working at Adonis, the only gay sauna in the city, and his nights in a blur of parties and fleeting encounters. To him, the city is a playground of desire. Everything shifts when he meets William, a transgender gay man whose quiet confidence and depth open Johan to a newfound desire for intimacy and connection. As their relationship blossoms, Johan and William must balance private desire and public perception. Introducing each other into their respective worlds proves far from simple, as prejudices—both subtle and overt—challenge their bond at every turn.

Through its bold storytelling and emotional honesty, SAUNA challenges rigid ideas about queerness and sexuality, offering a deeply honest and human portrait of vulnerability, desire, and the transformative power of love.

Screening in-person only.

DIRECTOR BIO
Matthias Broe

Mathias Broe (b. 1992) holds a BA in Film Studies from University of Copenhagen and graduated from the Danish film school Super16 in 2018. As just 16 years old he was titled as one of the biggest film talents in Denmark. His graduation film, Amphi, which explores themes of transformation and identity, garnered critical acclaim, winning a Danish Academy Award for Best Short Documentary in 2020 and was featured at Energa Camerimage. Sauna is his feature debut, furthering his commitment to creating space for queer narratives and challenging societal norms through cinema.

CREDITS
Producer
Mads-August Grarup Hertz
Writer
William Lippert
Cast
Magnus Juhl Andersen,
Nina Terese Rask,
Dilan Amin,
Klaus Tange,
Peter Oliver Hansen,
Morten Burian,
Theo Suissa,
Anton Hjejle,
Daniel Muniz