Leevi left Finland to study in Paris. He is writing his thesis on gender performativity in the works of Kaarlo Sarkia and Arthur Rimbaud. His father, who embodies traditional values, is not the least bit pleased by that. Nonetheless, Leevi goes to spend the summer with him to help renovate their vacation home. To lend a hand with the work, they hire Tareq, a young architect from Syria, who has come to Finland seeking asylum. When Leevi’s father goes back to the city, the two young men draw closer. Finland is not known for producing a lot of “queer cinema”, which makes it all the more astounding how naturally “A Moment in the Reeds” handles this love story. The film is not a difficult drama, but rather a depiction of a fragile summer idyll. “I don’t want to see this country the way you see it”, says Tareq to Leevi at the end, “It’s my home now”.