Love lessons = Lust och Fagring Stor

Set in 1943 in Malmo (Sweden) ‘Love Lessons’ follows the sexual awakening of Stig (Johan Widerberg, the director’s son), a 15 year old student, with his teacher Viola (Marika Lagercrantz), 22 year his senior. At the beginning of the school year Stig is just one more adolescent, as ignorant as he is curious about women and sex. He develops an immediate crush on his new teacher, Viola, who is unhappily married to an alcoholic travelling salesman. Breaking every ethical code, Viola spends every afternoon giving Stig love lessons, until the day the young man meets Viola’s husband and becomes sympathetic to his plight. Sharing his time between a demanding lover and an unexpected friend, Stig’s life becomes even more complex when the young girl living next door directs her affection towards him. Feeling Stig’s love waning, Viola extracts a petty revenge on him, perhaps teaching the young man the ultimate love lesson: “hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn”. Winner of the Silver Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival 1995. In Swedish with English subtitles.