Transference: A Love Story

Transference is a twisted psychological drama about obsessive love. Set in London, the film follows Katarina, a Norwegian nurse, and Nik, a fellow immigrant, 1st generation nurse from Italy, as they embark on a passionate affair that threatens to implode from the pressure of unresolved mental health issues concealed in the lovers' secret pasts. The film shows the delicate corrosion of inner past issues that are not dealt with and how patterns can repeat themselves without our awareness in relationships today – Transference resists falling into the trap of a predictable story arc and one-dimensional characters based on universally accepted mental illness stereotypes. The film draws influence from director Raffaello Degruttola’s loving, but difficult, relationship with his father, who struggled with a severe version of bipolar disorder throughout his life.