Vänd oss inte ryggen (Don’t turn your back on us)

An animated short documentary based on interviews with parents of young people active in right-wing extremist groups. About guilt, sorrow and the hope of a way back. The interviewees are portrayed by actors and then animated, both for the purpose of anonymizing and as an artistic expression.

The film is a collaboration with Fryshuset Foundation, which is a global non-profit organization that works to achieve societal change and positive development with and for young people around the world. We have worked with the branch Exit who’s work is based on more than 30 years of experience and research on polarization and radicalization processes.

The purpose of the film is to show the causes of radicalization and that it often has other grounds than the purely ideological ones. Through Exit, we got in touch with the parents whose stories form the basis of the film. They told us about the guilt, the grief and the hope of getting their children back.

Writer / Director - Maria Bolme
DoP - Susanne Walström
Animator - Helene Berg, Create Motion
Sound Design - Patrik Strömdahl, Ton & Vision
Grading - Nils Fridén, Velourfilm
Producer - Maria Bolme, Fryshuset

Festival screenings

Göteborg Film Festival, Gothenburg Sweden
Official Selection

Vera Film Festival, Mariehamn Åland
Official Selection