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Dreaming of Denmark

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Dreaming of Denmark
Directed byMichael Graversen
Produced byLise Saxtrup
Distributed byAutlook Filmsales
Release date
5th November 2015 (DK) - 16th March (Int.)
Running time
62 mins.
CountryDK

Dreaming of Denmark is a documentary film by director Michael Graversen that investigates what happens to one of the many unaccompanied minor refugees who disappear in Europe. The film was released at the peak of the refugee crisis in Europe in 2015/16.

Synopsis

Director Michael Graversen’s film investigates what happens to one of the many unaccompanied minor refugees who disappear in Europe after their asylum claim is rejected. Over the course of 4 years the director follows the faith of the young afghan Wasiullah from the careless days at the children's asylum centre in Denmark to the illegal life through Europe where Wasi ends up in a homeless existence in Italy. The dream of one day returning to Denmark is what keeps Wasi going until one day when he brakes down and loses his memory.[1]

Reception and impact

Dreaming of Denmark premiered at CPH:DOX[2] and was nominated for a F:ACT Award. It was broadcast on Danish national TV DR1 and had a primetime slot on Sunday evening.

After the release in Denmark the film hit the headlines in danish media and sparked debate about the conditions of the unaccompanied minor refugees in Denmark. [3][4][5] The director Michael Graversen has since regularly appeared in the public debate in Denmark advocating of the rights of young and child refugees [6]as well as traveling internationally with the film speaking about its subject to the press and participating in debate panels.[7]

In 2016 the director was awarded the Salaam Film Prize 2016[8] for his pioneering work filming the unaccompanied minors in Denmark not only in "Dreaming of Denmark" but also in the predecessor "No Man's Land" (2013) set before the refugee crisis. When the film was screened on the main Austrian tv channel ORF it was followed by an hour long debate about human rights[9] and ABC News in Australia interviewed the director ahead of the Australian release focusing on the plight of children seeking asylum.[10]

The film won the Amnesty Award at Giffoni International Film Festival.[11] Huffington Post wrote after the Greek premiere at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival where the film was a part of a highlighted segment focusing of films about the refugees crisis: "My favorite was Michael Graversen’s Dreaming of Denmark, which directly puts you in the shoes of an Afghan teenager who, unable to get residency in Denmark and afraid to be deported, leaves Denmark with nothing on his back to find a new life in Italy".[12] Danish film magazine EKKO wrote: "What is at stake in the portrait, is the human consequences of a youth growing up as a shadow existence with nothing to cling on to than the hope to be let. Wasis Sisyphean existence is a profound input in the refugee debate and Dreaming of Denmark is something as rare as an important film.".[13]

Festivals and awards

  • Amnesty Award, Giffoni International Film Festival[14]
  • 2. prize Best Documentary, Giffoni International Film Festival
  • Lübeck, Nordische Filmtage [15]
  • Japan Prize, International Educational Program Contest[16]
  • Helsinki International Film Festival [17]
  • Thessaloniki Documentary Festival [18]
  • Bucharest One World, Romania [19]
  • Document Human Rights Film Festival, Glasgow [20]
  • Human Rights & Arts Film Festival, Melbourne [21]
  • BUFF International Children's Film festival, Malmø [22]
  • Human Rights Watch Film Festival, Amsterdam [23]
  • Salaam Film Prize 2016
  • CPH:DOX, F:ACT Award nominee

References

  1. ^ Dreaming of Denmark info at The Danish Film Institute
  2. ^ Dreaming of Denmark at CPH:DOX
  3. ^ "Unaccompanied minor refugees are left to live on the streets", Ekstra Bladet, 5th november 2015
  4. ^ "Are refugee children to be sent home when they turn 18?", P1 Debat, 5th november 2015
  5. ^ "We have a responsibility towards unaccompanied minor refugees", 5th november 2015, dr.dk"
  6. ^ "Nedlæg børne-asylcentrene", Berlingske, 4th August 2016
  7. ^ "18th TDF: Press conference", tdf.filmfestival.gr, 16th March 2016.
  8. ^ Salaam Film Prize 2016
  9. ^ "Kreuz und quer", ORF, 15th December 2015
  10. ^ "Documentary highlights plight of children seeking asylums", 6th May 2016, ABC News
  11. ^ "Double success of Dreaming of Denmark: Amnesty International Award and the second prize at Giffoni International Film Festival", 2nd August 2016, Doc Incubator
  12. ^ "The Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival: From Janis Joplin and Bjork to Refugees from Syria", 6st July 2016, Huffington Post
  13. ^ "Review: Dreaming of Denmark", 5th November 2016, Ekko
  14. ^ "Dreaming of Denmark wins Amnesty Award", dr.dk, 28th july 2016
  15. ^ "Nordic Film Days Lübeck", leubeck.de, 4th november 2016
  16. ^ "Japan Prize", NHK, 26th october 2016
  17. ^ "Helsinki International Film Festival", hiff.fi, 23rd september 2016
  18. ^ "Thessaloniki doc fest tunes into refugee crisis", Ekathimerini, 11th February 2016
  19. ^ "One World", oneworld.ro, 23rd March 2016
  20. ^ "Document Film Festival, Glasgow", documentfestival.org, 23 October 2016
  21. ^ "Human Rights and Arts Film Festival, Melbourne", hraff.au, 7th May 2016
  22. ^ "BUFF, Malmø", buff.se, 22nd march 2017
  23. ^ "Human Rights Watch Film Festival", ff.hrw.org, 29th January 2017
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