The film Thrust (Juck) by Olivia Olivia Kastebring, Julia Gumpert, and Ulrika Bandeira raises the issue of femininity. Juck is a dance crew who rose to popularity by a video of theirs going viral in 2013. With the video, the women change the vision of the female body and the possible ways to display it, making a strong statement about themselves. The film is a combination of the documentary, artistic, and dance components.
The Collective, an attempt to view patriarchy from a different angle, is another film that carries the idea of defying stereotypes. A group of actors rehearse an “alternative” version of Medea, a drama by Euripides. When a group of teenage girls interrupts them, they see that they are not as progressive-thinking as they want to be.
The issues of sexual violence and toxic relationship are explored in the films Sorry Not Sorry and Dani.
Sorry Not Sorry is a story of violence and compulsion, one about making a girl do something she does not consent to. On a summer night, as Feride returns home from a party, she spots a group of boys singing in a wooden boat. After Feride helps the boys repair the engine, she is forced to go on a swim with them.
Dani raises a topical issue of quitting a toxic relationship, especially with a mutual child holding a couple together. Having given birth to a child, Dani, a young woman, feels the need to end the destructive relationship with Robert, the other young parent. Things get even worse when Robert quits his job in London and comes to pay a visit to Dani and her hysteric mother in the suburbs of Stockholm.
The film Jamila is about making the right choice even at a very young age, managing the social pressure and avoiding mistakes. Jamila, along with a group of friends, rehearses for a talent showcase. There is nothing that can distract the girl, not even her younger sister Leila's concern if their family is going to be granted political asylum. However, Jamila’s panic arises when the police suddenly visit her school. What if Jamila’s performance is a threat to her family's safety? Should the girl quit the showcase and stay safe yet risk her friendships?
In support of the Swedish short film program, an online discussion with the Sweden-based program curator Ashley Smith will be held. The dialogue entitled How to fit a long story into a short film will be held on October 28th. Viewers are welcome to join and ask questions on the festival’s social media.
The schedule of Northern Lights-2020, as well as the Swedish short film program, can be found on the festival’s official website. For all the short film enthusiasts, the films of the program are compiled in a separate film pack that can be purchased here.
Translated from Belarusian by Marharyta Trubnikava
Main supporters: Nordisk KulturFond (Denmark), Nordic Council of Ministers Office (Denmark).
Co-organizers: Norwegian Embassy in Kiev, Danish Cultural Institute in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, Current Time TV, Volia Films production company.
General partners: Finnish Liaison Office in Belarus, Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Belarus, Embassy of Estonia in Belarus, Embassy of Lithuania in Belarus, Embassy of Latvia in Belarus, Icelandic Film Centre, Finnish Film Foundation, Estonian Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, Danish Film Institute, Lithuanian Film Centre, National Film Centre of Latvia, B2B DOC - Baltic to Black Sea Documentary Network.
Partners: DoubleTree by Hilton Minsk Hotel, official distributor of Mazda in Belarus, Taxi 5, art-group «Sinie Gory», FirstRental rental house, “Svobody 4” bar, “Zerno” coffee shop, Moonlightroom.by, DataHata.by, Blockbuster.by, Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival.
Media partners: BYCARD, CityDog, mvradio.by, 34mag.net, AfishaTUT.by, TheVillage, Kyky.org