Kristoffer Borgli’s Resurfaced Essay Sparks Discussion
Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, director of the upcoming A24 film The Drama starring Zendaya, reflected on a past age-gap relationship with a teenage girl in a 2012 essay that has recently resurfaced online.
At 27 years old when he wrote the piece, Borgli described a romance with a girl ten years his junior, who was still in high school and not yet old enough to vote. Although the legal age of consent in Norway is 16, he noted that close friends viewed the relationship as outside acceptable bounds, confirming it as a classic May-December pairing.
Personal Reflections on the Relationship
Borgli recounted waking up next to the blonde high school student during her sporadic May holidays. “Beside me lay a blonde girl, a high school student enjoying the sporadic holidays in May,” he wrote. He admitted grappling with his moral compass, choosing at one point to define her by her age and end the relationship. “I chose to see her that way, to define her by her age, and I chose never to see her again. But you can’t choose what the heart wants.”
Despite his decision, the pair maintained contact through Facebook messages and texts. Borgli described the summer as “the best and most exotic I’ve ever had.” He also revealed a prior age-gap relationship where he had been the younger partner, sharing interests in piano, writing, and films with that teenager.
Influence of Woody Allen’s Manhattan
Borgli referenced Woody Allen’s 1979 film Manhattan, where a 42-year-old character dates a 17-year-old, portrayed positively and romantically. This shifted his perspective. “Then why shouldn’t my relationship – with a considerably smaller age difference – in 2012 be ‘within bounds’?” he questioned. “I chose to listen to Woody over my friends.”
Allen’s own 35-year age-gap marriage to Soon-Yi Previn, adopted daughter of his former partner Mia Farrow, has long been controversial.
The Drama: Upcoming Release and Plot Twist
Borgli’s latest project, The Drama, arrives in theaters on April 3. The romantic dark comedy features Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as an engaged couple whose wedding week derails with an unexpected twist. Early screenings have prompted descriptions of the plot as “disturbing,” catching some off guard after marketing positioned it as a wedding film. The movie lacks a trigger warning.
The cast includes Mamoudou Athie, Alana Haim, Hailey Gates, and Zoe Winters. Zendaya and Pattinson also reunite in upcoming films like Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey. Borgli previously directed Dream Scenario (2023) with Nicolas Cage.
Online Reactions to the Essay
The essay gained renewed attention on Reddit this week, drawing mixed responses. One user commented, “Ooooof that’s disappointing. Had no idea about this. I liked Dream Scenario and bought it physical not that long ago. Yuck.” Another simply stated, “Yikes, I was not aware of this.”
