Sweden on the Roof Film Series: Live a Little & Ultimatum

We will present a special screening pairing Fanny Ovesen’s award-winning feature debut, Live a Little (2025), with the critically acclaimed short film, Ultimatum (2026), followed by an exclusive Q&A with Ultimatum co-director and star Désirée Mwepu (currently an intern at the Embassy).

This double feature explores the resilience of female friendship when tested by boundaries and trauma. In the coming-of-age road drama Live a Little, best friends Laura and Alex set off on a summer couch surfing adventure across Europe. When Laura wakes up after a night out with no memory of what happened, their journey takes an unexpected turn, prompting a deeply personal exploration of friendship, consent, identity, and self-discovery.

Meanwhile, the short drama Ultimatum pulls us into the high-stakes world of the Royal Swedish Ballet School. As two Black girls, Saran and Soleil, compete for a singular spot in an exclusionary environment that normally accepts only girls who fit a certain mold, they must navigate a system designed to divide them, ultimately finding support in each other.

Together, both films offer a compelling, urgent portrait of modern youth, autonomy, and what it means to be a young woman finding your place in the world.

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Please note that the film "Live a Little" deals with themes of non-consensual sexual encounters, memory loss, and the psychological trauma of suspected sexual assault.

Program

• 6:15 PM – Doors open
• 6:45 PM – Introduction & Welcome
• 6:55 PM – Screening: Ultimatum (approx. 14 mins)
• 7:10 PM – Screening: Live a Little (approx. 90 mins)
• 8:40 PM – Q&A with Désirée Mwepu
• 9:00 PM – Event Ends

Practical Information:

• The screening will take place outdoors on the Embassy rooftop. In the event of inclement weather, the program may be moved indoors.
• Government issued photo ID is required.
• Light refreshments will be served.
• Subtitles will be provided for the non-English portions of the films. Any dialogue spoken in English will not be subtitled.