Civil war drama ‘Safe House’ is set to world premiere as the opening feature of the 48th Goteborg Film Festival (January 24-February 2).
Directed by Norway’s Eirik Svensson, the film is set in the Central African Republic during the civil war in 2013. It begins when a Muslim man seeks refuge at a field hospital as a threatening Christian militia gathers outside, demanding his life. At the centre of the events is a Norwegian aid worker played by Kristine Kujath Thorp.
The screenplay is written by Harald Rosenløw Eeg and Lars Gudmestad, and is based on real events from the autobiography Det Finnes Ingen De Andre – Det Er Bare Oss by Lindis Hurum, secretary general of Doctors Without Borders in Norway.
The feature is produced by Fantefilm, led by Catrin Gundersen and Hugo Hagemann Føsker, in co-production with Film i Väst, Cinenic Film, Nordisk Film, and ReelMedia.
It marks the fifth feature of Svensson, whose credits include Betrayed and Harajuku, of which the latter played in Goteborg’s Nordic Competition in 2019. Safe House will also play in Nordic Competition and be available online through the festival’s digital platform.
The themes of the film are in line with the focus of this year’s festival – disobedience. Films previously announced as part of its Focus: Disobedience screenings include Lawrence Valin’s Little Jaffna, Virpi Suutari’s Once Upon A Time In A Forest, Dea Kulumbegashvili’s April and Palestinian-Israeli documentary No Other Land, which has made the shortlist for the upcoming Oscars.
The full line-up is set to be revealed on January 7 and the opening ceremony will take place in Goteborg on January 24 as well as in cinemas across Sweden.
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