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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]

When the film was screened on the national Austrian broadcasting channel ORF it was followed by an hour long debate about human rights[8] and ABC News in Australia interviewed the director ahead of the Australian release focusing on the plight of children seeking asylum.[9]

The film has been selected to several international film festivals and won the Amnesty Award at Giffoni International Film Festival.[10] 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".[11].

At the UK premiere in Glasgow film journalist Patrick Healy wrote: "With Wasi finding himself reliant upon the kindness of strangers, the film showcases the power and importance of human connections: ones that transcend borders and, at times, laws (indeed, Graversen admitted during a post-screening Q&A that his time spent travelling with Wasi often placed him in those grey areas of legality where being humane becomes a crime). Moments where Wasi and his Ethiopian-born friend Mussa simply act like teenagers on camera are beautiful to watch, yet with the latter having been granted right to stay in Denmark, there is always a sense of sadness in the air. As his stresses grow, the effects of Wasi’s PTSD worsen. Suddenly he forgets Denmark and even forgets Mussa. To see that bond severed is tragic: how can a young man feel accepted by society when he has not only no home, but also no memory of ever having had one?".[12]

Danish film magazine EKKO wrote in a review of the film: "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]

In 2016 the director was awarded the Salaam Film Prize 2016[14] for his 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.

Festivals and awards

  • Amnesty Award, Giffoni International Film Festival[15]
  • 2. prize Best Documentary, Giffoni International Film Festival
  • Lübeck, Nordische Filmtage [16]
  • Japan Prize, International Educational Program Contest[17]
  • Helsinki International Film Festival [18]
  • Thessaloniki Documentary Festival [19]
  • Bucharest One World, Romania [20]
  • Document Human Rights Film Festival, Glasgow [21]
  • Human Rights & Arts Film Festival, Melbourne [22]
  • BUFF International Children's Film festival, Malmø [23]
  • Human Rights Watch Film Festival, Amsterdam [24]
  • 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. ^ "Kreuz und quer", ORF, 15th December 2015
  9. ^ "Documentary highlights plight of children seeking asylums", 6th May 2016, ABC News
  10. ^ "Double success of Dreaming of Denmark: Amnesty International Award and the second prize at Giffoni International Film Festival", 2nd August 2016, Doc Incubator
  11. ^ "The Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival: From Janis Joplin and Bjork to Refugees from Syria", 6st July 2016, Huffington Post
  12. ^ "Document 2016", documentfestival.org, 31st october 2016
  13. ^ "Review: Dreaming of Denmark", 5th November 2016, Ekko
  14. ^ Salaam Film Prize 2016
  15. ^ "Dreaming of Denmark wins Amnesty Award", dr.dk, 28th july 2016
  16. ^ "Nordic Film Days Lübeck", leubeck.de, 4th november 2016
  17. ^ "Japan Prize", NHK, 26th october 2016
  18. ^ "Helsinki International Film Festival", hiff.fi, 23rd september 2016
  19. ^ "Thessaloniki doc fest tunes into refugee crisis", Ekathimerini, 11th February 2016
  20. ^ "One World", oneworld.ro, 23rd March 2016
  21. ^ "Document Film Festival, Glasgow", documentfestival.org, 23 October 2016
  22. ^ "Human Rights and Arts Film Festival, Melbourne", hraff.au, 7th May 2016
  23. ^ "BUFF, Malmø", buff.se, 22nd march 2017
  24. ^ "Human Rights Watch Film Festival", ff.hrw.org, 29th January 2017
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