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Amateurs
Australian Premiere
Special Event
15+ (exemption)
2018 | 110 min | Drama, Comedy | Sweden
Director: Gabriela Pichler
Cast: Zahraa Aldoujaili, Yara Aliadotter, Fredrik Dahl
Language:
Swedish, English, Arabic, Tamil, Kurdish, Bosnian, Romanian and German with English subtitles

When the German supermarket chain Superbilly reveals plans to open a new location in Sweden, the community board of the small town of Lafors devises a scheme to convince the business to set up shop in their quaint hamlet and, hopefully, revitalize the local economy. Their idea: to make a promotional video showcasing the best their town has to offer. 

Hoping for a fresh - and, more importantly, cost-effective - solution, the board puts video production duties in the hands of a few local high school students; when they receive hilariously amateurish results, they bring in a professional to finish the job. But teenage friends Aida and Dana have taken the challenge of broadcasting their town's image to heart. Equipped with cell phone cameras and selfie sticks, they set out to capture their community as they see it and to give a voice to the town's underrepresented members. 

With wryly observed wit and abundant compassion for her characters, director Gabriela Pichler channels the infectious energy of her cast - a mix of professional and non-professional actors - into a multi-layered portrait of a modernising Sweden.

Amateurs is an excellent take on a unique subject, and Pichler’s strength as a director shines through the film; she is indeed one of the most exciting directors currently in Sweden.
Cinema Scandinavia
WINNER
Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film, Angelo Award, Göteborg Film Festival 2018
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Tribeca Film Festival 2018
OFFICIAL SELECTION
International Film Festival Rotterdam 2018