Kidz in da Hood

FÖRORTSUNGAR

Ylva Gustavsson & Catti Edfeldt,

Sweden, 2007, 96 min

In Swedish with English subtitles

Canadian premiere

Script: Ylva Gustavsson and Hans Renhäll

Cast: Gustaf Skarsgård, Beylula Kidane Adgoy,

Jennifer Brown & Sanna Ekman

Winner, 5 Swedish Oscars for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Music

Sunday, 9 November 2008, at 3:00 p.m

Innis Town Hall

Kidz In Da Hood tells the engaging story of 9 year-old Amina, an African refugee and her ailing grandfather, who have been denied a residency permit and have spent the past three years in the gritty streets of Stockholm. Forced to leave under violent circumstances following the death of her parents, Amina is a bright but sullen child, hoping for the best but resigned to the worst. Amina and her grandfather land in the lap of Johan, a punk rocker with a big heart who lets them crash at his filthy place for a few days. But things take a turn for the worse when the granfather dies and social services start calling.

Once the bleak setup is established, Kidz In Da Hood reveals its true colours. Behind the social realism and grim melodrama there's an uplifting action-adventure-musical waiting to break through.

The film's success lies in its clever blend of serious drama and playful hijinks. Kidz In Da Hood is a fun film that's unafraid of big ideas. Set in an authentic multicultural council estate, it explores serious issues such as personal responsibility, grief, unemployment and the plight of refugees without resorting to easy sentimentality or a heavy-handed touch.

Watch Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y1i9rCLNLo (trailer in Swedish)

Ylva Gustavsson and Catti Edfeldt

Ylva Gustavsson graduated from Stockholm’s Film School and then attended the director’s program at the Drama Institute. Before that, she played in a punk rock band. She has written and produced a number of films including “Nightwalk” (1998).

Catti Edfeldt has been working in movies since she was a child actress. She has worked as a casting director for film and TV for many years. Her filmography includes “Dancing Feet” (1994), Eve & Adam (2001) and a few TV productions.