Slottet i Italien

Danish painter Per Kirkeby: a man in mid-life, an artist at the peak of his career, but also a person suddenly struck by depression. The painter seeks relief in the company of his friend, the writer Ib Michael whom he calls "Sunny boy", a friend who is at a loss as to how to deal with the depressed painter and his inner struggle. Should one offer comfort? Can one? The audience witnesses the rare moments of a life in crisis. The rare thing about the material is not that someone is suffering from a crisis, but rather the extremely competent way in which the afflicted person unfolds the many components of this crisis before our eyes. The spectre encompasses both the innermost intimate love life and the outermost artistic dilemmas. In other words, a rich material extended between laughter and spleen.