"Fatherhood", interview with director August B Hanssen at BFI Flare 2025

During the 39th edition of BFI Flare, Fred Film Radio sat down with director August B Hanssen to discuss his documentary feature, "Fatherhood", made alongside Even G Benestad. He shared how gay throuple, Kris, Sindre and David, approached them to share their complex journey to becoming parents, and despite some initial hesitation, an increasingly toxic environment in Norway and beyond for the trans community gave Hanssen and Benestad the impetus to take on the project. Hanssen explained his desire to tell a personal, intimate, human story, to foster empathy and compassion, as well as shed light on the harsh rules whose impacts are still being felt, such as trans people having to face sterilisation as recently as 2016. Although it shares a very specific story about this non-conventional family, it also touches on many universal elements of becoming a parent and navigating relationships, bridging the gap between audience and subject. The filmmaker also reflected on the importance of the BFI Flare as a platform for a diverse range of LGBTQIA+ films, and his excitement for showing his documentary to a London audience.