Dani Ardor

Living… alone without her family. Dani’s sister suffered from severe manic-depressive disorder. During a sudden breakdown, Dani’s sister ended up murdering their parents via carbon monoxide poisoning and committing suicide after that. When the news was broken to Dani, she began a six-month spiral of depression and had almost no one to turn to.

Visiting… Sweden. Dani is accompanying her boyfriend Christian and his friends to the commune of the Hårga in rural Sweden. Her boyfriend and his friends are anthropology grad students working toward completing their theses, one of which will be written about the traditions of the midsummer festival held by the Hårga. Dani was invited to the trip hesitantly by the friend group, but she feels that she needs a break from the struggles she has been facing at home.

Relationship Status… in a deteriorating relationship. Dani’s relationship with Christian is noticeably unhealthy from the perspective of everyone around them. Christian’s unwillingness to put in effort makes it evident that he wants a breakup to come quickly. Because of Dani’s struggles with grief and depression, Christian feels a responsibility to stay with her, so she does not lose another close relationship, but his lack of care for her makes him a terrible partner for Dani’s circumstances. His continued presence in her life may be worsening her mental health even further because she is constantly being met with Christian’s indifference whenever she needs comfort.

Challenge… dealing with her intense feelings of sadness and loss as she faces new horrors. What started off as a fun festival in a sun-filled Swedish village has turned into a nightmare for Dani and the rest of the group.

Personality… caring and sensitive. Dani needs people around her that push her to be her best. Dani’s instinct is to follow the lead of the other person in her relationships and lets those relationships define her. Dani needs to find a way to cope with what has happened and the feelings associated with it. For her, coping may look like turning her life in a brand-new direction and embracing the independence that comes with being left alone.