Gunnar, the father of Jonathan, reflects on his desperate attempts to connect with his beloved son. Their journey – of connection, disconnection, and reconnection – leaves Gunnar confused, especially as Jonathan drifts further into a world influenced by social media influencers and questionable role models. This leads to a devastating descent that shakes the entire family.

As a documentary filmmaker, Gunnar has filmed his family and loved ones for over 20 years, in a heartfelt attempt to understand himself and his connection to others. Having grown up without a father present, Gunnar was left to navigate fatherhood on his own, relying on outdated ideals of masculinity. Despite his clumsy and old-school ways, he develops a deep bond with his son Jonathan.

However, Jonathan is a free-spirited and determined young man, and grows increasingly distant. On his 18th birthday, everything unravels. Jonathan disappears for weeks, and shockingly reappears in Brazil, infatuated with a male social media influencer with over 10 million followers. Just as Gunnar believes he understands his son, the confusion deepens. Jonathan becomes drawn to the promises of social media influencers and materialistic ideologies, chasing a fast path to wealth. Caught in the zeitgeist, like so many young men, Jonathan’s quest spirals dangerously out of control. This deeply profound personal story about a father and son struggling to connect transcends their microcosm, addressing universal themes of parenting, identity, and the pressures and perils of a digital world. It examines the growing subversive undercurrents of our time, exposing the disorientation many parents face in understanding the worlds their children inhabit.

Through Portrait of a Confused Father, Gunnar tells a poignant story of attachment and detachment, masculinity, and unconditional love. Narrated in his honest and intimate voice, the film blends humor, playfulness, despair, and heartbreak to reveal the raw truth of fatherhood in the modern age.