Sweet Story: From San Francisco to a Swedish Island Escape
A San Francisco pastry chef’s journey to revive a seasonal bakery on a remote Swedish island is chronicled in the documentary “Sweet Störy,” which screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival this month. The film follows Meg Ray, owner of the popular Miette bakery in the San Francisco Bay Area, as she takes on the challenge of operating Café Truten on Rödlöga, a small island in the Baltic Sea.
Ray discovered Café Truten while researching potential sources of inspiration to reinvigorate her own business. Rödlöga, accessible by a four-hour ferry ride from Stockholm, presents a stark contrast to the bustling urban environment of San Francisco. The island, with a summer population of around 150 residents, relies heavily on the café as an economic driver, particularly for local youth who work there during the summer months.
The documentary, directed by Sarah Justine Kerruish and Matt Maude, captures Ray’s experience as she navigates the unique challenges of island life and attempts to blend American business practices with the traditional methods of the Swedish bakery. These challenges include a lack of electricity in many homes, reliance on candlelight, and even specific rules regarding the employ of the island’s outhouses, as Ray herself noted in interviews.
“It’s a story about finding joy and rediscovering passion, and what a small group of people can achieve when they approach together,” said Kerruish, according to MSP Film. The film highlights the importance of community and the preservation of generational knowledge, as veteran bakers pass down recipes, and techniques.
Café Truten operates for a brief eight-week window each summer, making Ray’s undertaking particularly demanding. The documentary showcases her efforts to prepare the café for the 2021 season, learning the art of sourdough breadmaking and adapting to the rustic conditions of Rödlöga. According to Yahoo Entertainment, Ray was seeking a change after more than a decade running Miette.
“Sweet Störy” premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on March 25, 2026, with Kerruish, Maude, and Ray in attendance for post-screening Q&A sessions. The film is a production of Spellbound Productions, with cinematography by Cameron Jaimes, V K Jarrett, and Kerruish herself. Benji Merrison composed the film’s score.
The film features appearances from Maria Aulén Thommson, Malin Elfström, Lovisa Brick, Kerstin Björndahl, and Donella Torcassi, all residents of Rödlöga and integral to the story of Café Truten. The documentary explores themes of creative life, community, and the power of sourdough, offering a glimpse into a unique cultural exchange between San Francisco and a remote Swedish island.