We Shall Overcome (Drømmen)
Dir: Niels Arden Oplev | Denmark | 2006 | 109 mins | 35mm / BetaSP / DVD
It’s 1969 in provincial Denmark and 13 year old Frits is being bullied by his brutal headmaster as well as trying to cope with his father’s breakdown and keep his family together. Listening to records of Martin Luther King’s speeches gives Frits the inspiration to fight back at the old world repressive regimes at work in his community and spread the winds of change. This award-winning family film is beautifully acted and sensitively directed, full of exquisite moments both painful and pleasurable and with a central character that we are rooting for all the way.
Reviews
- "Leaps and bounds with the energy of Billy Elliot and has a face with a thousand thoughts. Unmissable"
The GuardianRead the Guardian review
- "A brilliant snapshot of childhood, We Shall Overcome benefits from strong performances and its lovingly rendered, sun-kissed Danish countryside. It may share themes with countless movies (If…, Evil, Dead Poets Society et al) but it imbues them with a freshness that’s both compelling and moving." ****
Ian Winterton, Hot Dog
Mwaka is 11 years old and is one of the First Light Young Consultants for the London Children's Film Festival.
"The film is about a boy called Frits and his family fighting for justice in school. They struggle to fight against his headmaster who twists words to protect himself.
The scene which I liked the most was when the class worked together to destroy the headmaster's power!
I like this film as I found it very moving and brought me to a tear. It made you empathise with Frits. In all, I would rate We Shall Overcome 10 out of 10 as it is fantastic."
