The Fugue

In a night of memories and revelations a couple wrestles with the loss of their son and relationship.

Team

synopsis

A year after the loss of their 11-year-old son, Johannes, due to a TikTok challenge gone wrong, Elizabeth and Zachariah, grappling with the aftermath of their painful separation, reunite for one poignant night. Their evening unfolds in the house where they once lived as a family, the very place where their son’s life came to a tragic end. What starts as an awkward reunion between past lovers evolves into an exploration of their relationship, diving into the complexities of their parenting and the depths of their shared grief, ultimately unraveling the reasons behind their separation. Guilt-ridden by her maternal choices and haunted by regret, Elizabeth feels the need to make amends for her perceived failures. She pushes Zachariah away, unable to forgive him or herself, while he immerses himself in work and denial. The reappearance of a stray dog, previously dismissed by Elizabeth despite her son’s objection, takes on a new significance as she clings to it as a form of redemption. Throughout the course of their night together, Elizabeth and Zachariah experience a profound reconnection. For the first time, they truly see one another, finding solace and comfort in their shared presence and offering a rare chance for reconciliation.

Director’statement

A few years ago, a white dove stepped onto my balcony and would not leave. It sat there, in the corner, grunting. I had the strongest feeling it was my sister that had passed away 10 years before. It defied logic, yet the tangible presence of loved ones, alive or departed, challenged my convictions. Upon reading Flukt by Carl Frode Tiller, I was captivated by how Elizabeth and Zachariah’s roles resonated with my own personal experience of grief. Elizabeth longs to reunite with her son, consumed by guilt not only over his death, but also over the kind of mother she had been and the mistakes she cannot rectify. Zachariah refrains from delving too deeply into his grief over his son’s death, avoiding feelings of guilt. Johannes’ TikTok video haunts him and Zachariah would rather delete it than acknowledge its implications. The Fugue fluidly goes back and forth through time as grief does. The present mixes seamlessly with the past in a stream of consciousness. The presence of Johannes stands between the couple, until they learn to embrace him and the memories they possess.

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