Swedish-Danish Film Takes on Modern Love at Locarno 2026

Director Maria Bäck is making waves with her latest romantic drama, ‘Brave New Love’, which will compete for the Golden Leopard at the 79th Locarno Film Festival this year.

The film stars Kathrine Thorborg Johansen as Kate, a successful hypnotherapist who leads a secret double life. While maintaining her marriage to Orla, played by Simon Sears, and raising their daughter, she’s also involved in a long-term affair with Andreas, portrayed by acclaimed Norwegian actor Anders Danielsen Lie.

Rather than telling a traditional love triangle story, ‘Brave New Love’ digs deeper into questions about intimacy, guilt and motherhood. The film asks whether people should be bound by society’s expectations of what a relationship should look like, or whether love can be redefined on individual terms.

Bäck drew inspiration from the many pressures people face around romantic relationships. In creating the film, she wanted to explore those tensions through humor, sensuality and emotional honesty—without passing judgment on her characters.

“I wanted to examine how people navigate desire, shame and vulnerability while trying to remain true to themselves,” Bäck explained in an interview about the project.

The Danish-Swedish-Greek co-production brings together a strong ensemble, with additional cast members including Noemi Carbone Mannov and Angeliki Papoulia. The combination of intimate character work and bold storytelling has already made ‘Brave New Love’ one of the most watched entries in Locarno’s 2026 competition lineup.

For a festival known for championing boundary-pushing cinema, the film appears to be a natural fit—and one that’s sure to spark conversation when it premieres.