The Owl
2020 · 8m · Sweden
Directed by Simon Pontén, Joakim Behrman
Genres: dark comedy, drama, surrealism
Tones: absurdist, dark, darkly comic
A film about nicknames, differences and animosity: teachers relaxing in their staff room goad the titular “Owl” into demonstrating the unsettling “party trick” from which his nickname derives, then turn on him with collective fury.
Picked by Felix
The scouts
A Swedish dark comedy about an owl that operates on pure surrealist logic—it's the kind of premise that makes you immediately defensive, then somehow won't let you look away. Pontén and Behrman have built something genuinely weird that doesn't apologize or explain itself, which is exactly when absurdism actually works.
The film demonstrates formal restraint and a deliberate tonal control that recalls the Northern European tradition of grotesque comedy; the restraint in the frame and editing choices shows filmmakers aware of exactly what lineage they're working within.
The single decision to treat the owl's behavior with complete naturalism—no winking at the camera—transforms what could be a gimmick into something genuinely unsettling; that commitment to tone is what elevates an 8-minute premise into a fully realized vision.
Reviews
A film about nicknames, differences and animosity, Simon Pontén and Joakim Behrman's surreal dark-comedy *The Owl* uses a bizarre and twisted incident to tackle how quickly individuals can bond together over a shared hatred or disgust of something. It makes for a powerful watch.