What do you do when you fall in love with your teacher? It’s not unheard of that a student gets a crush, but given the age gap, the power dynamic, and the obvious ethical ramifications, normally, nothing should come of it. But in Dreams, this crush becomes the muse for Johanne to create an unexpected literary masterpiece. For those squeamish about the possibilities, there’s no need to worry, everything’s all above board. Even so, director Dag Johan Haugerud manages to capture that intensity a crush does spur on, especially in that age. This coming-of-age drama dances around some of the dilemmas, but it does honor Johanne’s interiority in a clear-headed, nuanced way.
"Dreams (Sex Love) is an invitation to spend time with and think alongside Haugerud’s liberated characters, and it’s a welcome one, however artificial and unlikely his framing can sometimes feel."
— David Katz
"Haugerud’s writing is consistently surprising and elastic in its reach, as it picks out common insecurities and gaping ideological differences between three generations of women -- but reserves its most piercing compassion for the youngest of them."
— Guy Lodge
Johanne falls in love with her teacher and records her fantasies and feelings in writing. Together with her mother and grandmother, they debate the literary potential and whether to publish it.
