Mecenaten (The Patron)

Identity theft can be highly addictive. A cleaner dreams of a more exciting life. One evening, she claims to be an art patron and lures two art students to her employer’s empty house. Intoxicated by her position of power, she allows herself to be drawn further into the fraud. But the seemingly innocent game soon risks having serious consequences.

Julia Thelin is a writer and director from Stockholm. In 2017, her short film Push It was selected for the official competition in Cannes and Toronto before its subsequent festival tour. Short film Tweener premiered at Berlinale Generation in 2018. Sorry Not Sorry won the audience award at Startsladden in Gothenburg and met its international audience in competition at Clermont-Ferrand. Her experimental short Little Olle opened the Stockholm international Film Festival in 2019. Julia is a two-time Bergman estate resident and took part in the International Filmmaking Academy masterclass in 2023. 

With the collaboration of the Embassy of Sweden and the Swedish Film Institute. Subtitles thanks to the Valencia International Film Festival - Cinema Jove.

Presentation and Q&A with the director.

Year of Production: 2026

Time: 100’

Country: Sweden

Language: Swedish, Danish. Original version with Spanish subtitles

Director: Julia Thelin

Cast: Carla Sehn, Maxwell Cunningham, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen

Production: Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå

Script: Julia Thelin

Director of Photography: Johan Hannu

Production Companies: Grand Slam Film

Selected at Göteborg Festival

Premiere in Madrid