Shards

Director Sara Broos examines the relationship between herself and her mother, painter Karin Broos.

The main character of Swedish director Sara Broos’s documentary is her godfather and close family friend Lars Lerin, one of Scandinavia’s most highly regarded modern painters. After a complicated period during which the extravagant artist pushed back waves of anxiety by overindulging in alcohol and pills (ultimately entering an abuse program), he focused on finding the love of his life. Via the internet he becomes intrigued by a young Brazilian dancer named Manoel, who flies to Sweden to see him. But due to the language barrier, age difference, and the Swedish artist’s frequent doubts, their relationship doesn’t appear very hopeful. This sensitive record of an untraditional love story takes the viewer through all the ups and downs of a relationship between two people from entirely different backgrounds for whom the tired old cliché of love moving mountains acquires absolute currency.