A dysfunctional family of four is going camping, and poor communication skills make it a struggle to cooperate when trying to put up a complicated tent. The kids are reacting badly to the increasingly uncomfortable tension, as an underlying conflict between the two parents is slowly forced to the surface – and a shocking secret is finally revealed.
“With this film, I wanted to take a closer look at how conflict avoidant behaviour can affect the dynamic within a family. I chose to do this by putting a family of four in an isolated and unfamiliar environment, where they were forced to solve a practical problem together – and within this frame explore how the supressed tension can be visible through communication around something practical. Supressing emotions is known as a typical Scandinavian way of relating to uncomfortable situations, and I wanted to look at both the humour and tragedy of this phenomenon, by creating a situation where the good intentions of covering up a conflict to protect the kids has the opposite effect.”
