My First Love
A tender coming-of-age story about desire, resilience, and self-determination.
At 19, Ella is ready to begin her adult life on her own terms. Born with a disability and having always used a wheelchair, she dreams of moving into her first apartment when she leaves home to study. Instead, a denied application for assistance forces her into an institution – a crushing blow to her long-awaited independence. Just as the walls of bureaucracy close in, Ella experiences something entirely new: her first love.
Drawing on her own experience, filmmaker Mari Storstein offers rare authenticity – a love story told not “about” but by someone who has always been on the inside of such a journey.
“My First Love” is a tender and disarmingly honest coming-of-age story about growing up, breaking free, and daring to open your heart. With humour, warmth, and emotional clarity, it captures the universal longing to be seen, loved, and accepted for exactly who we are.
Triin Tramberg
Mari Storstein (1986) a Norwegian film director and producer. She directed documentary “Brevet til Jens” (“Letter to Jens”, 2011) in which she looks at the struggle of disabled people for freedom and how in which municipality you live in can determine the kind of life you get to live. It won the best documentary award at the Norwegian Documentary film festival and created a lot of public debate.
Filmography:
Brevet til Jens (Letter to Jens, 2011, doc, short) , My First Love (2025)
Award for the best film, grant of 5000€ by
