Filmmaker Statement

Growing up in Sweden, I never bought into traditional gender roles. I was the wild child who refused to go anywhere near a dress. My mum was an executive at a big company. My dad was the family cook. After moving to the US, I experienced firsthand that not everyone felt so free. And it wasn't just the role of women I found restrictive, but also the idea of what it means to be a man. The term 'The Man Box' was coined in the 80’s to describe the strict expectations, emotions, and behaviors considered "manly" imposed on men by all of us — a narrow set of rules of how "real men" must act. With this film, I hope to playfully point to the rigid structures we all abide by, so we can start to break free. If we stop allowing unhelpful societal norms to dictate how we act, there’s no limit to who we can become.