Shades of Happiness

Running time: 94 mins

North American Premiere

A bittersweet comedy about the ticking away of biological time clocks, Shades of Happiness examines the needs and desires of two thirtysomething women seeking fulfillment. Paula is an arts teacher, whose husband is a family therapist. They have been trying to have a child for years, to no avail. Helena and Mikko are two high tech workers devoted to their careers. When Helena suddenly informs Mikko that her life will not be complete without a child, confusion and turmoil ensue.

Paula and Helena meet at a class reunion and discover that they share a common obsession. As Paula attempts to get pregnant one more time with an embryo transfer, Helena accidentally discovers that Mikko is sterile. Confronting him with his closely held secret, their relationship, which once appeared to be indestructible, starts faltering. Distraught and perplexed, Helena seeks comfort and support from a therapist, who unbeknownst to her, just happens to be her new found friend?s husband. And soon, the obsession to get pregnant is not the only thing that Paula and Helena have in common.

Director Claes Olsson has blended a dramatic topic with a delightful touch of whimsy. Tiina Lymi, as Paula, and Milka Ahlroth, as Helena, sparkle as women under the influence of defining their happiness by the necessity of motherhood. A film about loving, forgiveness and acceptance, Shades of Happiness brings all the complexities of relationships, friendship and self identity into focus, while still keeping the whole picture of life a little fuzzy.

Sandy Wolf

GLOBAL LANDSCAPES