‘Tits’ Review – A Universal Story Tailor-Made For The Diffidence In Us All [Cannes 2023]

Logline: Following an unpleasant run in at the beach, teenagers Oscar and Iben are left behind by their friends.

The world seems so simple until you become aware of society’s unbelievable and mostly unattainable standards, especially the physical and fashion ones. It starts small with you not having cool enough clothes or shoes. However, it then attacks your entire being. You’re too big, too small, too short, too tall, trying too hard, not trying hard enough, a player, a slut, or the weird virgin. Unfortunately, the onslaught of pressures never stops, the list of standards simply changes. If you’re strong enough to not care what anyone thinks of you, more power to you. The rest of us will take it in stride the best that we can.

“Why the hell are you wearing a t-shirt?”

When it’s all said and done, confidence is a state of mind that comes with practice, time, and experience. And sadly for some, it may only come in waves or never at all. Written and directed by Eivind Landsvik, Tits is a universal story tailor-made for the diffidence in us all. Taking place on what seems to be your average day at the beach with friends, slowly becomes a day of unlikely connection. As gossip and the sounds of kissing and splashing water fill the air, this Norwegian short film embodies, in many ways, the teenage experience as a whole. The energy is rambunctious, flirty, and self-conscious as teen boys attempt to establish dominance, at least one girl wants to make a lasting impression, and one young man joins his friends in the ocean despite feeling a tad uncomfortable in his skin. Everyone just wants to fit in on some level.

“You are actually kinda cool.”

Shot on 16mm film, this story of seemingly simple yet complex adolescence looks as if it could be set in almost any period after the 70s. Not to mention, the subject matter is timeless. We’ve all struggled with our appearance at some point or done things against our better judgment to fit in. We’ve also unjustly judged others because, in some weird way, it made us feel better about ourselves. Where this film shines is by showcasing that oftentimes we miss out on love interests, friendships, or good people because we get in our own way. In reality, we’re just as insecure, if not more than the person we tease. Where Oscar wishes his “tits” were smaller, Iben wouldn’t mind hers being bigger. It’s the little things that bond us as we realize that we all go through the same things just from different perspectives. Even with a short runtime, there is an abundance of small details that make this a full and diverse story. The writing and direction are great, as are the cinematography, editing, and costume design. I enjoyed this a great deal and related to the character Oscar as soon as he began looking in the mirror. This short film is great. Landsvik seems to have a bright future ahead of him as a storyteller. Its rewatchability is high.

Pacing & Pop

The pacing of this short film is incredibly smooth. While it is short, the thoughtful story is over before you know it. What popped for me was the immensely relatable subject matter.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Marie Bya, Snorre Kind Monsson, Tharshana Manoharan, Leo Moreno Christiansen

The cast delivers performances that will transport you back to the days of curiosity, raging hormones, and no responsibilities, but all the stress. These are characters that an abundance of us can see ourselves in. The acting is in their faces and in the still moments as you can see a myriad of thoughts run through their minds. And the awkwardness is perfect.

Tits premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Remain safe and love yourself.

Runtime: 11m 49s

Director: Eivind Landsvik

Writer: Eivind Landsvik

Producer: Ulrik Wold

Executive Producers: Kristin Emblem, Guri Neby

Editor: Erik Treimann

Cinematography: Andreas Bjørseth