KAGEFABRIKKEN

2022 / 109 min / color

Niels, the aging owner of a local bakery, is in the midst of a serious life crisis. Nothing seems to be going right: his bakery is on the verge of bankruptcy, he finds it hard to keep up with the changing times and trends, and his own family drives him mad at almost every turn. He even fails at a suicide attempt. While his wife, his daughter, and his daughter’s fiancé try to modernize the business by introducing healthier baked goods, Niels starts a relationship with an Iranian cleaning lady, fascinated with her baking skills. He suddenly sees a chance of redemption for the bakery and for himself in her pastries. For his debut feature, Christian Lollike tackles serious subject matter, such as family dysfunction, cultural differences, and the current obsession for healthy eating, with a mocking, comedic tone. And yet this seemingly sharp satire about a privileged family gradually reveals a genuine understanding and empathy for its lost and confused characters.