Acts of Love Review (2025 International Film Festival Rotterdam)

Thinking of incest as a non-violent and non-violating act, and contemplating somatic love at large, I am instinctively drawn to mythological references; Zeus and Hera, for instance, the almighty couple of the Greek gods, siblings as the myth has it, whose bond sures any humanlike connection and even permits extramarital affairs, acts that in their case constitute secondary incest.

Nevertheless, incest, whether in mythology or reality, remains a challenging, if not disturbing, subject. Danish director Jeppe Rønde, known for his work in documentary filmmaking and family drama, returns to the International Film Festival Rotterdam a decade after his first fiction feature ‘Bridgend,’ with an unsettling yet undeniably powerful story.

‘Acts of Love’ (‘Kærlighedens Gerninger‘) follows Hanna, who has sought refuge in a New Age Christian community—a rural enclave where fragility is embraced and interconnectivity takes on an avant-garde expression. Here, togetherness manifests as shared fantasies and desires (e.g., an invisible ball thrown by a young member initiates a game on which everyone would jump along), reflecting the group’s playful yet deeply symbolic practices. This collective embrace of desires extends even to unconventional and controversial rituals, such as communal acts of love performed in the pursuit of pregnancy. Beyond the fluid boundaries of materiality and physicality, the heart of this community lies in its approach to resolving trauma through re-enactments, where take on the roles of key figures in harrowing events. These scenes are reminiscent of theatrical rehearsal, but the movements of the camera, spellbinding, next to deft editing, makes us jump in time and in space, and without any exaggeration, we get to experience the original events as if indeed we have been seated opposite to a stage. Hanna’s reasons for ing this sect group slowly come into focus when her brother Jakob arrives, intent on bringing her back.

‘Acts of Love’ makes you slowly fall for it, despite the sneaking impressions of incest, the cult vibes, and the concomitant controversial underlined threads. What makes the trick is its gradual, almost hypnotic unravelling of what is happening. Rønde is not interested in sensationalism. Instead, he gently invites the viewer to engage with the ethical complexities of these themes, presenting an alternative perspective that demands contemplation rather than judgment. Faith (as one might expect in narratives about communal and religious living) plays a central role, while love—holistic and expansive— gets to be romanticized and, truth be told, overstretched. Paradoxically, by the end, I didn’t have to bother myself much further with such flaws, perhaps influenced by the undeniable chemistry between the lead characters and, frankly, their attractive appearances.

Jonas Holst Schmidt, Hanna’s brother in the story, delivers an authentic and ultimately moving performance, building on the memorable impression he left as the lead in Martin Skovbjerg’s ‘Copenhagen Does Not Exist,’ which also premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2023. Next to him, Cecilie Lassen imbues Hanna with a complex blend of avoidance and unwavering faith, embodying a character whose convictions transcend what her lines can convey.

Rønde’s background in documentary filmmaking is evident in the film’s solid articulation of tolerance and emotional gravity. ‘Acts of Love‘ draws the viewer into an unsettling and uncommon exploration of trauma, connection, and the ambiguous boundaries of desire and faith. Any transgressive element of the story falls short next to the achievement of openness the film provides to a very stiff (culturally) subject. Rønde took over a challenge and delivered without offering any easy answer.