MGP Missionen (The Contest)

Regie: Martin Miehe-Renard

Denmark 2013, 100 min, Danish, Turkish, age recommendation: 8 years and up

Karl has no desire to move to Copenhagen. He adores the dunes, the beach and the sea in the remote region where he lives with his mother and prays to God he can stay there. But he has no choice; his mother’s job means she needs to move to the big city and so Karl goes with her. Copenhagen is completely unknown to him, loud, noisy and full of traffic. The streets and shops are busy with people from all corners of the world. Karl’s marked country dialect makes him an outsider at school and the other boys start bullying him. Thankfully, a Turkish girl decides to take him under her wing. Sawsan teaches Karl how to speak Danish properly and coaches him in all the cool expressions, which helps. But Sawsan has problems of her own. It’s her dearest wish to perform a song she has composed in a TV talent contest but her father is dead against it, insisting the stage is no place for his daughter. Then Karl has an idea, and before long Denmark isn’t just looking for its next big star but for two children who have disappeared without a trace. A heart-warming story in keeping with Denmark’s strong tradition of engaging films for children.