Inga Lindström: Wilde Zeiten (2021)

When Clara returns home from Boston, she happens to meet Erik on the ferry. They raise a glass together to celebrate Clara having completed her master’s degree. Since they are both going to Nyköping, she spontaneously invites him to her father Gunnar’s music school autumn concert. As Erik doesn’t have time, Lasse, a childhood friend, picks her up at the ferry. Bibi, a close friend of Clara’s late mother, offers Erik a room at her guesthouse. At the concert, Clara learns that the school will not reopen after the autumn break because her father has been given notice. At home, Gunnar explains why he was given notice: he could no longer afford the rent. That evening, Clara runs into Erik again, and they promise to stay in touch. The next morning, Clara goes to Lasse to ask his advice. There she also meets his girlfriend, Rieke. They go together to the music school to get an overview of the situation. The debts to the bank are higher than they expected. They also find the lease and learn that the landlord is Ruben Ladores, a well-known musician. There is also an old newspaper clipping about him and Clara’s mother, Kirsten. Clara tries to contact Ruben Ladores’s management, but they brush her off. Wanting to find out more about him, she looks for one of his records and listens to it. Two photographs fall out of the record sleeve, showing Ruben and her mother in a very intimate pose. She goes to Bibi to find out more. At first, Bibi doesn’t want to say anything, but then she admits that Kirsten and Ruben were a couple for one summer. Clara decides to go to Stockholm to speak with Ruben, or at least his manager. Lasse drives her there. Clara is quite surprised to find Erik there. He is an assistant to Frieder, Ruben’s manager. Frieder turns her away rather brusquely, but Erik tells her where she might find Ruben. Frieder wants to know from Erik why the sale of the house fell through. Erik had shown the buyer the wrong pictures, depicting a house that needed renovating. Frieder believes him because he doesn’t know the building at all. Erik’s tip is right: Ruben is at the restaurant in the old waterworks. Clara approaches him and explains what it’s about. When he says that his manager handles the contracts, she shows him the photo of him and Kirsten and mentions that she is Kirsten’s daughter. She asks him to come to Nyköping, but he refuses. When he learns that Kirsten died three years ago, he is stunned. He asks Clara if he can keep the picture. Just as Clara and Lasse are about to drive back, Ruben comes running over and says he wants to go after all. Clara wants to put Ruben up at Bibi’s guesthouse, but Bibi reacts very strangely and initially claims she has no room available. Lasse gets into an argument with Rieke because he has had no time for her since Clara came back, even though Rieke needs all the help she can get because her new restaurant opens the next day. Clara’s father also reacts strangely when he learns that Ruben is in town. Clara manages to get a short-notice appointment at the bank to apply for a new loan. Despite her innovative ideas, Frau Skarsgård turns her down; she only wants Clara to come up with a repayment plan for the debts. Back home, Clara argues with her father, who does not want to support her plans. She grabs her mother’s violin and plays it. Gunnar then realizes how important her plans are to her. He apologizes and promises to help her. Bibi reveals herself to Ruben and reproaches him for abandoning Kirsten. From his point of view, however, it was the other way around. Erik also turns up in town again and looks for Clara. Bibi and Gunnar tell him that she is at the school with Ruben. Erik is surprised that Ruben is there, but sees a chance to make amends to Clara for his mistake. Clara goes with Ruben to see her father; there is also an argument about Ruben having abandoned Kirsten. Erik goes to Lasse and asks him to talk to Clara, since she won’t listen to him. He only wanted to tell her that he has a plan to save the house for her. Gunnar shows Clara letters from her mother, and she learns that Ruben, not Gunnar, is her father. Erik finally meets up with Clara, but she still doesn’t want to hear his ideas. Gunnar goes to Bibi and tells her that he has told Clara the truth. Ruben happens to arrive and is astonished to learn that Clara is his daughter. He claims he never wrote any letters to Kirsten. Gunnar shows Ruben the letters; Ruben is very surprised and is certain that Frieder wrote them. He calls Frieder and orders him to come to Nyköping immediately. Gunnar tells Clara the truth about the letters. Erik has arranged for Ruben to perform with Clara at the opening of Rieke’s restaurant, which the bank’s board will attend, so the bankers can understand what Clara is trying to do. When Frieder shows up, Ruben confronts him with the accusations, which Frieder readily admits. Ruben then makes it clear that he is changing management. Gunnar confesses to Bibi that he has been in love with her for a long time and now wants to be with her. Clara and Ruben’s performance at the opening is a great success. Frau Skarsgård is a big Ruben fan. When she learns that he is Clara’s father, she assures Clara that she will get a new loan. Clara apologizes to Erik and says she thinks fate has been kind to them. Then they kiss.