02x07 - What Is Genuine and Does It Really Matter?

[bunniefuu]

[calming meditation music plays.]

[man.]
Ladies!
Thanks for coming back.

Thanks for your perseverance.

And your courage.

Now, I'd like you all
to entertain the possibility
that you are all
living your lives on autopilot.

That you don't make your own choices.

That you're simply acting out a series
of pre-programmed responses,
constantly recreating
the same behavioral patterns.

Now, in order to become your true selves,
your true self,
you're going to have to break
these patterns,
the most basic of which is your breathing.

And today we're going to go
a bit further than we did before.

- [intense meditation music plays.]

- [man.]
In and out!
And in and out!
In and out!
And in and out!
And fill and release!
And in and out!
And fill and release!
And in and out!
And fill and release!
And in and out!
And in and out! And
What are you thinking?
[breathless.]
No, I I can't.

- [Sofie whimpers.]

- You're having a panic reaction.

You're no longer in control
of your thoughts and your feelings.

But whatever is going on
in your mind right now
is your true self.

[whimpers.]
I was
a tree, but I'm nothing, not even a seed!
And where are these thoughts coming from?
A book.

A book? A book that you read?
[Sofie.]
It's a book I wrote.

- It's called Love & Anarchy.

- [man.]
Okay.

And tell us about this book.

[stifles a cry.]

Just start talking.
Don't overthink it.

- Let the words guide you.

- [Sofie groans.]

[Sofie yelps.]

When you're born, you're a seed.

And when you grow and become
you become
[Sofie whimpers.]

a beautiful flower and then
you become a tree.

And then
And then, if you're lucky, you become
[Sofie groans.]

a whole forest, and you stand firm.

[man.]
Good, Sofie.

You're on the path now.

Amazing.

Okay, ladies, no time to waste!
And in and out!
And in and out!
And in and out!
And in and out! And
[sombre staccato string music plays.]

- [man.]
What the hell was that?
- [woman cackling.]
It's so damn good.

- Hi!
- Hi.

- Hi.

- What a coincidence.
We
We were talking about a collaboration
and we run into you.

- Yeah
- [woman.]
Yeah?
What a small world.

- Yeah.

- [woman.]
That's crazy.

How How are you?
Yeah, I'm good.
I
I was just at this course, and it
We were just supposed to breathe,
and then it just happened.

Or something like that.

[Johan clears his throat.]

What happened?
What?
Well, you were talking about a
a course.

It was nothing.

Okay.

God, I just have to say
That interview with you in Perfect Guide?
It was so good, so inspiring.

- Thanks, you're so sweet.

- Yeah, everyone at the office loved it.

- Thank you.

- [woman.]
So much recognition.

- [Sofie.]
Mm.

- [woman.]
Yeah.

God, we really have to
- Yeah.

- [woman.]
We have to go.

But we should get a drink.

Yes, of course.
Absolutely.

- Okay, shall we?
- Yes, absolutely.

Nice to see you.

- [Johan.]
Erm
- [woman clears throat.]
So where were we?
- [Johan.]
The 29th.

- [woman.]
Yes, the 29th.

[cell phone rings.]

[metal thud.]

[dial tone rings.]

[cell phone rings.]

[melancholic music plays.]

[elevator dings.]

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

- [Sofie.]
Hi.

- Hi, good morning.

What's up with Caroline?
It's over between her and Max.

He's in love with someone else.

- Who?
- He didn't want to say.

Some old ex who wanted him back.

Hmm.

- Max!
- [Max.]
What?
Remember we're sh**ting
the press photos today.

[Max.]
Yeah, sure.

Who are you?
Göran Åkerman.
I'm a translator.

- With us?
- [Göran.]
Yes.

I want to discuss my fee.

I didn't think we still did
physical translations.

[Göran scoffs.]

What you've offered me is a pittance.

It's barely enough for half the book.

So translate half the book.

We'll run the other half
through Google Translate
and get someone to proofread.

As long as the reader
understands what's happening.

Then it's superficial.

Is that what you want?
A nice-looking facade with nothing inside?
- For nothing to be genuine?
- [elevator dings.]

- [Nille.]
Hello there.

- Sorry, I really don't have time for this.

[Nille.]
Have you seen her?
[Sofie.]
Nille! Hi!
- Hello.

- What are you doing here?
- I have an idea I want to run by you.

- You can never have too many good ideas.

That's what they say.

It's not about the publishing house,
or in a way it is.

It's a book idea.

How exciting.

- Do you have a second?
- Yes, absolutely.

I
Coffee?
- I'd love one.

- [Sofie.]
Yeah?
Come, let's
- [Nille.]
Nice.

- [Sofie.]
Yes, really nice.

Let's go this way, actually.

[Sofie.]
It's exciting with with
- Yeah.

- new ideas.

- We're going in here.

- [Nille.]
Here? Okay.

Okay.
Erm
- The main character is a female cop.

- Yeah.

Once upon a time,
she was a real rising star.

But then she experienced
a personal tragedy, a trauma.

I haven't figured out exactly what yet.

The most important thing
is that she's really broken.

Abrasive.

Hard as hell to work with.

Maybe she has an illness.

When a naked woman is found in the woods
outside the village where she grew up,
she has to go home and face her demons.

Yeah
And what happens next?
I don't know.

Someone else could write the rest,
but I would be fronting the project.

I'm sorry, fronting?
Yes, my name on the cover.

- Yeah, right.

- I came up with the whole thing.

Wow.

Wow!
Incredibly exciting
project.

I was nervous so that's good to hear.

That's really good to hear.

Great.

[Nille laughs.]

- Incredibly.

- Yeah.

I must say,
you've got an awesome poker face.

Yeah
[Caroline whimpers.]

Are you seriously
going to publish this book?
Have you forgotten that Nille's company
have invested 30 million?
So we'll have to publish a book.

But there was nothing genuine
about that pitch.

If we start publishing anything,
we won't have a publishing house.

Everyone keeps saying that,
but I don't know what it means.

- What?
- Genuine!
What the hell is that?
There has to be substance
behind the words,
an intention or
- Well, a deeper meaning.

- Okay.
Sure, absolutely.
Let's
Let's see here,
a poem by Tomas Tranströmer.

Yeah
"I'm lying on my bed
with my arms stretched out.
"
"I'm an anchor who's buried itself deep
and holds onto the huge
shadow floating above.
"
"The unknown that I'm a part"
But seriously, is this genuine?
Yes.

[Sofie.]
Well, I felt nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

So this genuineness
nonsense is just a scam
from start to finish.

Or is it just me?
What do you think?
[Ronny.]
Whoa
That's not how you read Tranströmer.

[heavy breathing.]

Hi.

- How are you?
- Hi.

Erm, I'm good.
I
I have a meeting, so I have to go now.

[Max.]
Okay
- Hi.

- Hi.

Vivianne
sent me the last short story for Hunger,
the one about Stockholm.

- Oh
- [Friedrich.]
Yeah, it's
I don't know what to say.

It's the best thing
I've ever read.

Oh, that's great.

I I'd love to look at it.

Do that.

[Denise.]
Erm
Come and see me later
and we'll talk.

Yeah.

[mischievous music plays.]

[mischievous music continues.]

[loud and quick knocking on door.]

Denise.
Come in.

I thought you'd be at work all day.

Have you had lunch?
Friedrich gave me your new short story.

And?
I think the main character
is pretty pathetic.

She's insecure.
She has low self-esteem.

She uses political opinions
as some sort of identity construction.

Everything is superficial,
and she doesn't have a personal opinion!
- So you don't like her?
- But this is me! You've written about me!
- And the language?
- Do you think I care about the words?
How could you do this?
Why are you so angry?
It's a literary text.

- Everyone will know it's about me!
- [Vivianne.]
So what?
Literature has to be free,
anything else would be censorship.

[cell phone rings.]

[Vivianne.]
Hi, Friedrich.

[laughing.]
No!
You think so?
Yeah, well, I'm pretty happy with it.

Now you're exaggerating.

[door slams.]

I've worked in literature
for more than 40 years,
and I've never seen a book like this.

Such sharpness.

Such piercing perspective.

And that last short story
My God, it was good!
[Friedrich.]
A unique portrait.

And this "D"
So pathetic, and yet
sensual.

Wonderfully depicted.

Such a strange woman.

- Do women like that really exist?
- She bases characters on people she's met.

Right.
So who's this, then?
- It has to be Daniella, at Bonniers.

- I think so, too.

I don't agree.

I don't agree at all.

This manuscript is terrible.

I don't think we should publish it.

What do you mean?
It doesn't hold up.

There's no substance, no
Well, no truth.
It's all just superficial.

- No, this is genuine.

- No, it's not.

Yes.
Take this character "D", for example.

She's shallow, but
It's just a display of abuse of power,
sex addiction and
It doesn't f*cking matter if it's genuine.

- It's sh*t! sh*t is what it is!
- You said genuineness is all that matters.

Really? Maybe I've changed my mind.

[Friedrich.]
Denise, please.

Can't you see the deeper truths?
- The ones buried in this text?
- [shouts.]
No!
If we publish this then I'll quit.

What's up with you?
[scoffs.]

[metal clangs.]

What's going on?
It's me.

In the book.

I'm "D".

You are?
But
You and Vivianne?
Yes.

What about it?
No, nothing.

You can't publish this book.

I can't stay here if you do.

I'm sorry, Denise.

But if you make me choose
between you and the book,
I have to choose the book.

Do you understand?
[metal clanging.]

The photographer's here
for Max's press photos.

- Talk to Ronny.
I no longer work here.

- What?
So
- Something like this?
- [photographer.]
Yeah, nice.

I love the pants and shoes.

- I'm not so sure about the shirt.

- I can change it.

Or we can try without.

Okay, yeah.

Good.

Stand over here
and we'll take some test sh*ts.

Perfect.
A bit closer.
Good.

Deep breath.

Chin down a bit.

Lean toward the camera.

Look at me.

I need to change the lens,
can you give me a minute?
- Yeah.

- [photographer.]
Thanks.

That's good, Max.

Good.
Great.

[cell phone rings.]

MAX
[ringing continues.]

[cell phone dings.]

SEE YOU TONIGHT?
MISSED CALL
[cell phone dings.]

OR DON'T YOU WANT TO BE WITH ME?
[slow sombre piano music plays.]

[typing on keypad.]

[sent message beep.]

[cell phone dings.]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAN
Max, are you coming?
Er, I'm coming.

[music continues.]

[sent message beep.]

I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE
[shutter clicks.]

Great.
Look at the camera.

And try to be a bit more seductive.

And a bit more.

[clears throat.]
One second.

- Can you talk to him?
- And say what?
[photographer.]
I don't know,
but these photos won't sell sh*t.

Can't you use that Photoshop thing?
I can edit them, but I can't work magic.

Okay.

Er, Max, this is
really great.

Wow.
But we're
I'm thinking you should be a bit more
you know, relaxed.

Cool, you know.

- Wasn't Denise supposed to run this?
- Denise has gone home.

Why?
Because she
quit.

Oh, well.

Think [imitates cat growling.]

[imitates cat growling.]

You You can do it.

Think like this: you're young,
you're sexy, you love flowers
and want to draw people to your garden.

[Ronny.]
Yes.

That's your brand,
that's what we're selling.

- Ronny.

- [shutter clicks.]

Yes?
I quit as well.

- What?
- I quit.

The book or the job?
Both.

Sorry.

What?
Is everyone just leaving?
Caroline
I'm sorry I hurt you.

You deserve better.

[elevator dings.]

[son.]
Way to go!
Yay! One sh*t, one k*ll!
Seventy eight meters.

[shouts.]
What the hell?
What is it?
- What's happened?
- The ad
What about it?
[emotional piano music plays through iPad.]

[female advert narrator.]

You're a tiny seed
that grows into a flower
that becomes a tree
that becomes an entire forest.

And when you've become a forest,
then you're standing firm.

Siempre,
from seed to tree.

I thought this was our story,
but you stole it from a diaper advert.

They're the ones who've stolen it from me.

What the hell?
It's that f*cking Malin.

- Who?
- [Isabell.]
Who?
The copywriter from the breathing course.

And sold it to the capital!
What the hell? Enough is f*cking enough!
Mom, who are you talking to?
Where are you going?
[mischievous music plays.]

Mom?
This Malin
is going to hear a thing or two.

You just don't do this.

You don't steal
another person's story like this!
She's in there, I can hear her.

If she thinks
Oh, hi! What are you doing here?
No, what are you doing?
- What do you mean?
- I told you that story in confidence!
- What story?
- Yeah, like she doesn't know.

You know what story I'm talking about.

The seed that becomes a tree.

That was my story!
And you turned it into a diaper ad!
She sold your soul to the capital!
- I didn't mean to step on anyone's toes.

- No
It was so beautiful.

- Now more people get to hear it.

- Tell her.

My daughter is crying
because you ruined a story
that was hers and mine!
But it was just an idea, wasn't it?
And I've processed it.

- What is she on about?
- What are you on about?
I've been feeling so bad.

It's the first time in two years that I've
been able to pitch something genuine.

Genuine?
[door slams shut.]

- [knocking on door.]

- [Sofie.]
Open the door!
Open the door and come out, you f*cking
Capitalist pig.

You f*cking capitalist pig!
- [door handle rattles.]

- [knocking on door.]

[Sofie.]
Open the door!
Do you think this was expensive?
Oh, oops.

["Alright Alright, Here's My Fist Where's
the Fight? by Sahara Hotnights plays.]

Oh!
[Dad.]
No, what a shame.

[Dad.]
Oh.

I want to make some noise
Alright, alright ♪
I want to drop some bombs
Alright, alright ♪
I want to make some noise
Alright, alright ♪
You tell me what can go wrong ♪
Alright, alright, alright
alright, alright now ♪
You know I'm on the other side
So tell me now am I right on time ♪
I can't get enough ♪
[music stops abruptly.]

What are you doing up there?
I want to make some noise
Alright, alright ♪
[music fades out.]

Are you on your own?
Hmm.

[man sighs.]

[Dad.]
Perhaps that went a bit too far.

You don't say?
sh*t.

sh*t.

Am I under arrest now?
Am I going to spend the night in jail?
I don't think so.

No?
So, what then?
This happened to me a few times.

But we won't be driving to jail.

- But?
- But
the psych ward.

["Last Days Of Dancing"
by Maja Francis playing.]