EFF: Quiet Life

Quiet Life

Australian Premiere

“Avranas takes a restrained, clinical approach to material steeped in outrage, making Quiet Life a coolly intriguing film.” -– Screen International

Inspired by real events and tempered by two heartrending performances from Chulpan Khamatova and Grigoriy Dobrygin as parents who must fight to protect their family amidst growing fear, frustration and anger, Alexandros Avranas’ Quiet Life is a chilling, razor-sharp portrait of a bureaucracy that dehumanises the very people it is tasked with helping.

Sweden, 2018. A mysterious syndrome affecting refugee children is sparking concerns among doctors and politicians. Russian teachers Sergei and Natalia have been forced to flee from their native country after an attack that almost took Sergei’s life. They have settled with their two young daughters in Sweden, waiting for the Migration Board to decide on their asylum application. They work hard, send their kids to Swedish school, learn the language, submit themselves to regular inspections from the authorities and hope that one day they will be Swedish citizens. But when their asylum application is rejected, Katja, their youngest daughter falls into a mysterious coma. Faced with a moral dilemma, Sergei and Natalia’s resilience will be tested. Can they summon hope to save their daughters?

Festivals & Awards

Official Selection of the Venice Film Festival 2024
Official Selection of the Filmfest Hamburg 2024

Rating

Unclassified 18+

Duration

99 min

Country

France, Germany, Sweden, Greece, Estonia, Finland

Language

Russian, Swedish, English (English Subtitles)

Cast

Chulpan Khamatova, Grigory Dobrygin, Naomi Lamp, Miroslava Pashutina, Eleni Roussinou

Director

Alexandros Avranas