Passion

Having escaped a destructive relationship, film artist Maja Borg explores two ritual practices: Christianity and BDSM. At first glance, the two could hardly be further apart, but perhaps there is a spiritual kinship between religion and subculture in terms of their healing power. Borg confronts herself and her deeply personal traumas in a dark and theatrical form, while exploring the European queer scene and the Christian heritage of northern Europe to find back to her own core. Passion and suffering are two sides of the same complex case in ‘Passion’, whose transcendental imagers lets literary and cinematic traditions come together in a ceremonial whole. But the abstractions give a sense of human depth to the film’s encounters, where Borg is challenged in both body and soul. And maybe it is precisely this humanity that proves to be the thing that connects theology and BDSM on an emotional and possibly even spiritual level.

Directed by Maja Borg, Passion leans on a strong ensemble — Maja Borg — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2022.