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The New Country

Name: The New Country
Director: Geir Hansteen Jörgensen
Released: 2000
Duration: 128 min

Representation Score

6.2/10

Good

2000

Director

Geir Hansteen Jörgensen

Runtime

128 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film 'New Country' stands out for its focus on the experiences of migrants, placing non-white, non-Anglo-Saxon individuals at the center of a Swedish setting. This approach challenges the homogeneity of Western cinema by giving displaced individuals a prominent role. While the film excels in racial and cultural representation, it falls short in other areas. The narrative is heavily centered around male characters and lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or characters with disabilities. Overall, the film offers a meaningful exploration of identity and displacement. It succeeds by critiquing traditional institutional authority and highlighting the intersection of individual spirituality and systemic issues.

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Category Breakdown

Does The New Country have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not include explicit representations of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities. The relationship between the Somali youth and the Iranian man highlights a close bond but does not confirm any queer orientations.

How does The New Country portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses primarily on male characters, which may reinforce patriarchal structures. However, it challenges traditional masculine stereotypes by highlighting vulnerability and shared struggles rather than dominance.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The New Country?

Excellent

The film showcases high diversity by featuring Somali and Iranian characters in a European context. This shifts the focus away from Eurocentric narratives, making displaced individuals the core of the story.

How does The New Country represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story critiques Western institutions through the personal faith of the protagonists. It emphasizes subjective morality over the strictures of institutional religion or bureaucratic systems.

Does The New Country include disability representation?

Minimal

The narrative does not include characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Features Somali and Iranian protagonists to highlight diverse backgrounds
Critiques Western institutional power and bureaucracy
Highlights vulnerability and shared struggles among male characters

Limited or Absent

No explicit LGBTQ+ or non-cisgender character representation
No characters with visible or invisible disabilities
Overemphasis on male characters, reinforcing patriarchal structures

Official Synopsis

A 15-year-old Somalian boy meets a 40-year-old Iranian man in a refugee camp in Skåne, in the south of Sweden. With the threat of deportation hanging over them, they decide to take their faiths in their own hands and together they go on a journey in the Swedish summer.

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