A bittersweet meditation on travel, secrets, and romance, Dual tells the story of a chance meeting between two young women and the profound effect it has on both. Quirky Iben is a Danish traveler stranded in Slovenia by a cancelled flight; repressed tomboy Tina is the van driver who takes her to a hotel. But Iben has no desire to sleep, and the two embark on an exploration of the capital, Ljubljana, at night. It’s a first date that never ends, as night turns into day and then another night. How long can the two prolong this unexpected interlude?

Tina, who feels trapped by the narrow confines of work and family, quickly falls under prankish Iben’s spell, but Iben’s zany behavior hides a secret sorrow. The influence of the Czech classic Daisies (Sedmikrásky) hovers over the film as the two women make the city their playground. However, this film is more interested in the personal than the political, carefully observing Tina and Iben as they circle each other cautiously in a delicate dance towards deeper intimacy.

The camera follows its personable leads as they grapple with their futures, gliding through the limbo-like spaces of airports, train yards, and empty city squares while a melancholy love song plays on the soundtrack. The film vividly captures our universal longing for escape and movement, reminding us that we often discover much more than the destination for which we set out.