A timeless journey through a fragmented past;
RECOLLECTION is a film shot on 16mm over two long summer days in the middle of Sweden.
"Inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s dreamlike and poetic storytelling, I decided to explore the concept of recollection and our understanding of time. I wanted to create a film that looks as though it could have been shot in the 50s as well as today, highlighting the timelessness of Deadwood’s clothing and their use of leather as a material.
The story is told through the memories of a group of friends and their reflections on a summer they spent together in the countryside. By working with independent scenes that depict this fragmented summer rather than a linear timeline, we follow their ups and downs without ever really finding out the cause of it. I wanted to create an experience similar to watching a movie trailer, as there's a lot to the story that we can’t see, creating a feeling of mystery and making us want to see more.
By working with the beautiful song “Do You Ever Remember?” recorded in 1961 by Molly Drake, I wanted to enhance our narrative even more through her lyrics. It was important for me to work with something older and lo-fi produced. Partly to add on to the timeless feeling, but also to add a sense of fragility. I wanted to plant the idea that the soundtrack could have been made by one of our characters, singing and playing the piano in their home, looking back on the time they once spent together."
- Simon Gustafsson, director