Interview with Ahmed Abdullahi, director of “Francis” #FutureFrames

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Ahmed Abdullahi, director of “Francis” from Future Frames at the 51st KVIFF

Does cinema have the power to make an impact and talk about delicate and strong messages? Our conversation with AhmedAbdullahi, director and Swedish participant of the European Film Promotion’s Future Frames platform, a platform highlighting up and coming talent in the European filmmaking landscape, involves this question due to the provocative nature of the film which was screened in Karlovy Vary and directed by him; Francis.

In the film, Abdullahi tells the story of a group of West Africans working in Sweden planting trees, and their poor working conditions gradually beginning to resemble something close to slavery. On top of discussing his short film, we also talk about his experience at Future Frames and ask him to reveal some future projects and ambitions of his.

FRANCIS: Francis and nine other west Africans travel to Sweden to work planting trees. They hope to be able to earn money for their families. But once they have arrived they end up working in conditions that resemble slavery. The work is hard and the days are long – and their wages are much lower than had been promised. They work on commission and don’t earn enough to even afford a ticket home. They are stuck. Francis refuses to accept this situation. But when he protests his boss dismisses his complaints as laziness. He is told that he has to work harder. One evening Francis returns from the plantation area after what appears to have been a day of hard work. He seems to have planted every sapling. His foreman is very pleased. But his childhood friend Eric suspects that something else is going on. When Francis is then given the job of being his friends’ foreman, things come to a point. Can he be loyal to his friends and at the same time satisfy his boss? Francis is a film about friendship, loyalty and human values, about racism, greed and betrayal.

For more information on Future Frames, go to http://www.efp-online.com/en/project_talent_promotion/future_frames.php