Nästan Forever / Almost Forever

Stockholm, summer of 2020. Jasmine and Philip are 14. After the enforced isolation of the corona virus pandemic, they’re both enjoying roaming around the city with their peers, or hanging out at the skate park. Philip dreams of sharing a flat with his best friend one day. Jasmine also wants to stay close to her friends in the future. But as this new phase of life begins, friendships and self-perceptions start to waver. Directors Lia Hietala and Hannah Reinikainen followed the two teenagers for five years and observed their everyday lives, with moments that are by turns exuberant and painful. In the process, Jasmine and Philip retain complete control over which experiences, dreams, and fears they choose to share with us. By interweaving interviews, documentary footage, and material filmed by the protagonists themselves, the filmmakers create a deeply personal portrait of the pair. At the same time, they convey just how fragile certainties are on the journey to adulthood.