Zozo lives in Beirut with his family. He's a dreamer, living a normal life despite the civil war raging around him. However, when tragedy eventually strikes, Zozo is forced to go it alone, his only hope being to find his grandparents who have recently emigrated to the 'distant paradise' of Sweden. Of course, Zozo soon discovers that Sweden isn't really the welcoming arcadia his grandfather has led him to believe. This highly personal (although not strictly autobiographical) film from Josef Fares (himself a first generation Lebanese immigrant to Sweden) paints an honest portrait of youthful hopes and fears, and imaginatively engages with broader themes of racism and alienation. Fares displays extraordinary visual intuition, carefully juxtaposing highly realist scenes with moments of magical realism, as, understandably traumatised by his experiences, Zozo's anxieties find their expression in a parallel reality. Fares also has a great talent for depicting characters and inter-generational relationships, and evokes in Zozo's grandfather, a wonderfully warm portrait of a loving, irascible fantasist.

Sweden, 2005 / Josef Fares
With Imad Creidi, Elias Gergi, Viktor Axelsson
103 mins