In Signe and Thomas’ case, the diagnosis is simple: if one of them is hurting, the other will have to hurt more. She will lie about having a severe nut allergy, while he steals designer chairs. Both are privileged twentysomethings, unable to pay for their dinners at restaurants, who keep dreaming up new career twists. And then, Thomas’ whim to become a contemporary artist becomes more serious. The rivalry in their toxic relationship leads Signe to deliberate self-poisoning performances: the one-woman show can begin.

Freed from any moral inhibitions, the sickest part of Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli’s satire is that there is nothing personal here – everything in this world exists to garner sympathy and attention. The funniest tragedy, or maybe the most tragic comedy, in this year’s Un Certain Regard section at Cannes is about the most visible, cruel symptoms of narcissism today. They say that if a romantic has a toothache, then the whole world has a toothache – Signe, played by Norwegian actress Kristine Thorp, is unconditionally ready to pull them all out just so the viewer will stroke her with their eyes for a brief moment.