Experiencing Interruptions?

Atonement

A ferocious study of everyday sadism.
Grief over a lost child has left Mina living a half-life in the shadows.
But one day her world is shaken when a neighbour starts projecting obscene films into her bedroom. Seeking revenge on him, Mina enters into a game where the boundaries of fantasy and reality start to fade. A story unfolds – two people wracked with painful longing for atonement.

  • Kaveh Akaber
    Director
  • Kaveh Akaber
    Writer
  • Kaveh Akaber
    Producer
  • Lisa Konrad Gustafsson
    Producer
  • Sandra Medina
    Key Cast
    "Mina"
  • Peter Viitanen
    Key Cast
    "Erik"
  • Nirvan Parham
    Key Cast
    "Wilmer"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Försoning
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Thriller, Experimental
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Sweden
  • Country of Filming:
    Sweden
  • Language:
    Swedish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
    Bucheon
    Korea, Republic of
    July 7, 2022
    World Premiere
  • INDIE SHORTS AWARDS NEW YORK
    New York
    United States
    September 8, 2022
    North American Premiere
    Winner Best Foreign film
  • Tirana international film festival
    Tirana
    Albania
    August 25, 2022
    European Premiere
    Official Competition
  • Venezia Shorts Italy
    Venezia
    Italy
    Winner Online Event film & best actress
  • Lund fantastic film festival
    Lund
    Sweden
    November 2, 2022
    Scandinavian Premiere
    Official Competition
  • Rome Independent Film Festival
    Rome
    Italy
    November 19, 2022
    Italian Premiere
    Nominated
  • Short Stop International Film Festival
    Iasi
    Romania
    December 13, 2022
    Best Actress
  • Göteborg Film Festival
    Gothenburg
    Sweden
    January 28, 2023
    Swedish Premiere
  • Landshut Short Film Festival
    Landshut
    Germany
    March 24, 2023
    German Premiere
    Official Competition
Distribution Information
  • TriArt Film
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
Director Biography - Kaveh Akaber

Kaveh Akaber is a Swedish/Iranian multi-artist and film director born in 1978. He has a background as a music composer, film editor and visual artist where he has been praised for his wayward “outside the box” works with many of the Swedish based productions for almost 20 years. He began his film career through the legendary Swedish director Roy Anderson's "Studio 24". After his studies at Stockholm University of The Arts, he has focused more on directing films. He’s always aiming for an edgy stories mainly focusing on psychological and social issues woven into an innovative visual form. His latest short film I PLAY DEAD is an autobiography story about the grim games as child during wartime. The film is a hybrid between dance / drama / thriller and has been screened both on international film festivals and international art exhibitions.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I’m proud to present this dark & dreamy femme film with support of The Swedish Arts Grants Committee and distribution through established TriArt film and a fantastic diverse crew behind it.


I wanted to make a film that anyone in a relationship can relate to. Things that have been hidden in a closed chamber of torment without anyone addressing it. So my focus became everyday sadist, a person who wants good but ends up hurting others. 



The film has a self-experienced theme that is inspired or directly taken from my life. The theme Sadism/Grief/isolation is played out between a couple. After the separation they have desperately tried to communicate but the grief sets the distans too far between them. The desire for atonement becomes ruthless and the boundaries between fantasy and reality starts to fades out.

I hope the film will touch you, kind of disturb you and stir in the artform of film. A hope for greater understanding of dark matters and an atonement.

The film crew has a mix national background from Sweden/ Iran / Argentina / Finland / Germany / Turkey.