01-03-2006

Black at Heart

Denmark 2006
Manuscript, Animation & Direction / Maria Mac Dalland
Director of Photography / Jane Vorre DFF
Editor / Mette Esmark
Sound Engineer & Composer / Manuel Espasandín
Executive Producer / Dino Raymond Hansen
Produced by Wake Film with support from Danish Film Institute / TalentDok-Redaktionen
Distribution in Denmark / Danish Film Institute
Digital Betacam / DVD / 28 min.

Copyright © Wake Film ApS 2006

Synopsis

Deep in the woodland of Central Zealand lies the Avnstrup Centre, a deportation centre for rejected asylum seekers. This is the place where those persons who cannot be sent back to where they came from and who cannot obtain permission to stay in Denmark are kept.

In the centre they live a life in obscurity, bereft of ordinary human dignity. And, first of all, the children are the ones who suffer. Most rejected asylum seekers are put on "motivating measures" which means that they are deprived of all allowances in cash, of a chance to get a job and of the possibility of attending courses.

Furthermore, it means that once a week they must appear before the police and, ultimately, it may mean deprivation of liberty. The shooting of the film took place in the rooms of three Iraqi families. They have been in Denmark between four and seven years.