Picture Perfect

In 1962, a picture-perfect suburban housewife's idyllic life begins to spiral into comedic chaos when she stumbles upon secrets that upend everything she thought she knew about her family, her neighborhood, and even herself.

Awards: Anchorage International Film Festival (Finalist), Stockholm City Film Festival (Winner)

The Story

People often focus on outward appearances, but beneath the surface, we all navigate internal struggles and external challenges. I wanted to capture the juxtaposition of these lives—the tension between a polished exterior and the reality of striving to make everything seem "perfect." Many of us have smiled for the cameras...when in reality, not everything was perfect.

In today's world, lives may appear "picture-perfect" from the outside, yet most of us deal with the same complexities and difficulties, even those we may idolize online. The disconnect between appearance and reality is something we can all relate to, even when we don't always talk about it. I wanted to capture that in this film - with a bit of humor, a bit of heart, and a dose of realism...all with a retro feel.

Director's Statement

One of the hardest parts of bringing Picture Perfect to life was staying true to the time period.

There’s a storyline that involves pregnancy, and during research (with a lot of help from our incredible set designer), we discovered that at-home pregnancy tests didn’t exist in the early 1960s.

It was a small but important detail… one that changed how the story unfolded.

Sometimes authenticity means rewriting, reimagining, and letting the truth of the era guide the art.

Writer/Director: B. Svensson

*Press kit available upon request.