Sci‑fi love story "Eternal" explores passions vs. emotions

Danish creator Ulaa Salim ventures into the sci-fi genre this time, combining it with a love story and a visually stunning, mysterious plot. He addresses the theme of choosing between emotion and a life passion that overshadows everything else. "Eternal" will hit theaters on August 30.

Elias, a young environmental scientist, falls in love with aspiring singer Anita. However, when an opportunity arises to join an expedition investigating a mysterious rift on the ocean floor, he dedicates himself to his work at the expense of love. Several years later, during the mission, he experiences visions of what his life could have been like if he had made a different choice. His new obsession becomes reclaiming his beloved.

Starring Simon Sears ("Kingdom: Exodus") and music star Nanna Øland Fabricius, aka Oh Land. The script and direction are by Ulaa Salim, creator of "Sons of Denmark," a film awarded the Krakow Film Award in the Main Competition at the OFF Camera festival.

In his new film, Salim examines the evolving relationship between Elias and Anita. It offers a chance to reflect on what might have happened if we had made completely different key decisions in life. The world premiere of "Eternal" took place at the International Film Festival in Rotterdam.

Director Ulaa Salim says "Eternal" is about our choices. Her ambition was for this story to take viewers on a journey to places they haven’t seen before—through a mysterious rift into the deepest darkness of the ocean. She wanted it to resemble true love with its complexity and unpredictability. She aimed for the film to visually convey emotions through imagery and those elements we can't describe with words. She also wanted to depict our sacrifices to achieve something exceptional through self-realization, hoping this film would allow viewers to discover something they wouldn't normally notice in their lives but also help them recognize many conflicting feelings.