German PremiereNorway, Netherlands, United States 2025Language:EnglishSubtitles:EnglishDirector:Monica StrømdahlWriter:Monica StrømdahlCinematographer:Monica StrømdahlSound:Mark Glynne, Olmo van StraalenProducer:Beathe Hofseth, Siri Natvik78 min, Colour

34 million people in the USA live in poverty, many of them in run-down motels, so-called flophouses. Among them are around 7.5 million children, with at least one parent with an alcohol problem. The film provides one of these children with a voice. The story is told from the perspective of 12-year-old Mikal, who lives in two rooms with his father, his mother and a cat. Over the course of three years, the director closely follows the development of the boy and his parents, witnessing the parents’ alcohol abuse and their inability to care for their son, despite their love for him. Strømdahl succeeds in establishing a respectful closeness to the characters, which results in intimate, authentic images.

Director's Biography:Director's Biography:Monica Strømdahl, born 1983 in Oslo, is a Norwegian director and photographer. She studied photojournalism and fine art photography in England. Her stay in a run-down motel in Brooklyn inspired her to create the long-term project concerning flophouses.

Director's Filmography:

2022 THE WAITING ROOM (SHORT)
2020 SILENT SEASON (DOC)
2018 ECHOES OF HOME (SHORT)
2016 STILL LIFE (SHORT)