Norwegian-Kurdish director Brwa Vahabpour’s debut feature, a dramedy titled Europe, is now in the works. The filmmaker previously worked on two episodes of the series Countrymen (see the news) and received a Special Mention at the 2018 edition of Nordic Talents for his 2020 short Silence. The announcement was first reported by nordiskfilmogtvfond.com.

Penned by the director himself together with Danish script consultant Molly Steensgard and Romania’s Răzvan Radulescu, the picture zooms in on young Akam, who lives a carefree life in Norway, but then his uncle from Kurdistan comes for a surprise visit. When it becomes apparent that his uncle is planning to stay, Akam needs to make an ethical decision, weighing up the Norwegian authorities’ influence versus his uncle’s needs.

The director stated that Europe will include “hints at a larger political context, but will focus on the relationship between the characters and how Akam is affected – for better or worse – by his uncle’s visit”.

The main cast is made up of actors Peiman Azizpour (playing Adam), Hamza Agoshi (starring as Adam’s uncle) and Sarah Francesca Brænne. The technical crew includes DoP Jørgen Klüver (Nudes [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda series]), production designer Kristian Lahn Vestby (Nach) and Romanian editor Cătălin Cristuțiu (Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Radu Jude
scheda film]), who will work in tandem with his Norwegian colleague Brynjar Lien Aune. The project is currently in post-production.

Europe is being produced by Renée Hansen Mlodyszewski (associate producer on Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Joachim Trier
scheda film]) for True Content Production Norway. Co-producing is Anda Ionescu for Romania’s Tangaj Production, with co-financing coming from NRK, the Norwegian Film Institute, Oslo Filmfond, Filmreaktor, Talent Norge’s Filmskapere scheme, Fond for lyd og bilde, Fritt Ord and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, among other backers.

Norsk Filmdistribusjon is in charge of the feature’s domestic release, slated for autumn 2024.