Why the filmmakers of Norwegian romantic drama ‘My First Love’ believe the set was” the nicest one ever”

Norwegian filmmaker Mari Storstein was first introduced to Thomas Robsahm, one of Europe’s top producers, in 2020 when he was making what would go on to be the Oscar-nominated Cannes hit The Worst Person In The World, directed by Joachim Trier. 

Although Robsahm was frantically busy, his interest was piqued as the introduction came via a trusted colleague, Tommy Gulliksen, director of the award-winning Facing War.  Storstein had already carved out a successful career in Norway, directing documentaries.

For her first fiction feature, she wanted to make the first Norwegian film with a wheelchair-user protagonist. My First Love is a coming -of -age romantic drama about a disabled woman, Ella. who falls in love while at university but is forced to live in an institution where she has no independence.

“The script grew out of many years of documentary work, from stories I could not capture with a documentary camera,” says Storstein.

Robsahm decided to help Storstein work on the script and help raise the funding. My First Love is now making its world premiere in the first feature competition of the Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival and has an international sales agent in TrustNordisk.

No compromise 

As Storstein and Robsahm worked on the script, they also began an exhaustive casting process. The filmmakers were open in terms of both age and gender, and ready to adapt the story based on whoever they found to portray Ella. 

“I was asked what I would do if we didn’t find the right actor. Would I consider casting a non-disabled person? That was never an option for me,” the director states.

Storstein and Robsahm were struck by the audition tape of newcomer Marie Flaatten. Flaatten was a wheelchair user whose personal experiences matched those of the character - but that wasn’t the only reason she was chosen. “She was cast because she’s a phenomenal actor—powerful, present, vulnerable,” Storstein says. “It’s been so inspiring to work with her. I hope she gets to do many more films. And if she doesn’t, it won’t be because she lacks talent. It will be because the industry isn’t ready for her.”

All too often, the director notes, disabled characters on screen are shown as “nice,” and are stereotyped either as heroes or villains. She wanted much more nuance, for Ella to be both “cool” and, at times, irritating. Flaatten, it was obvious, could capture both her strength and her vulnerability.

As a disabled woman herself, Storstein has a long experience of discrimination. “It begins in childhood and follows us throughout our lives,” she reflects. “Disabled children are excluded from children’s theatre and are told that Winnie the Pooh doesn’t sit in a wheelchair. Acting schools at  university level in Norway have never admitted a student in a wheelchair.”

When trying to fund the film, she experienced plenty of knockbacks.

“The film was described as something that would only interest disabled audiences, and my competence was questioned,” Storstein says.

Robsahm, who produced the film alongside Tøri Gjendal for Nordisk Film Production, put the budget together with backing from the Norwegian Film Institute, Nordisk and Trust Nordisk.

Creating a supportive set 

Robsahm has around 50 credits to his name but describes the My First Love shoot as “the nicest one ever, really relaxed and not stressed”.

Storstein agrees. “I care deeply about creating a space where people can try, fail and challenge themselves, both in front of and behind the camera,” she says. “These conditions are essential for making something good. I quickly felt that we became a really strong and warm group. After that, I enjoyed the shoot immensely.

“We worked in a way that allowed the actors as much freedom as possible. We avoided complicated choreography that limited their movement. Instead, we let them move naturally and adapted the camera to them.”

Robsahm now hopes the film will be accepted on its own terms. “Had it been an American film, the main character would probably have been the male one [who is not disabled] and that would have made it easier to sell,” he suggests. “But we really chose the hard way because we feel that’s important.”

In advance of the Tallinn premiere, the film presold to September Films for Benelux and Singapore. Nordisk is releasing the film in Norway on February 27.

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