Prisoner (Huset)

Origin and Year: Denmark, 2023	Director: Frederik Louis, Hviid Michael Noer
Section: International Panorama	Runnning time: 2 x 60 min
27.09.2024 at 20.30	Screening place: Theatre on Orlí Street Orlí 19

An uncompromising Danish prison drama starring Sofie Gråbøl, known from the legendary series Forbrydelsen (The Killing). From the start, the series hints with sharp action that a lot is at stake in this understaffed, underfunded Danish prison. One of Denmark’s most popular actresses finds herself at a critical stage in her life as a prison guard who wants to do her job well. The prison has long been under media scrutiny and suddenly even under threat of closure, and after years she finds herself reunited with her son, who has a history of drug addiction. A soundtrack composed of the sounds of warning drones and the coexistence of prison guards and prisoners, as one of the prison guards describes it, are clear signals that an implosion is imminent. Prisoner is a Danish drama, and so our Hollywood-influenced expectations may be very different. This series is a mix of a smart critique of bureaucracy and the weakness of the welfare state, an insight into the multicultural Danish society, but above all an empathetic story told by three main characters who are easy to understand and condemn. Prisoner takes you on a very realistic visit to a contemporary European prison, comparable to, for example, the recent British hit series Time.