Beyond Dreams

Beyond Dreams
Promotional poster
SwedishDröm vidare
Directed byRojda Sekersöz
Written byJohanna Emanuelsson
Produced by
  • Agneta Fagerström
  • Annika Hellström
Starring
CinematographyGabriel Mkrttchian
Release date
  • 2017 (2017)
Running time
90 minutes
CountrySweden
LanguageSwedish

Beyond Dreams (Swedish: Dröm vidare) is a 2017 Swedish drama film directed by Rojda Sekersöz, in her feature film debut. The script was written by Johanna Emanuelsson. The film received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the direction, writing, and Evin Ahmad's performance. It also won several awards, including the Audience Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Norwegian International Film Festival. Sekersöz earned a Guldbagge Newcomer Award for the film, which was her directorial debut.

Plot

After being released from prison, Mirja (Evin Ahmad) is greeted by younger half-sister Isa (Ella Åhman) and her close-knit group of friends — Sarah (Gizem Erdogan), Emmy (Malin Persson), and Nina (Segen Tesfai). Mirja was jailed after being caught in a failed robbery, a plan hatched with her friends so they can move to Montevideo, and the group begins plotting another heist, this time targeting a jewelry store. Emmy receives an eviction notice, increasing their urgency. Meanwhile, Mirja moves back home and clashes with her mother, Sirkka (Outi Mäenpää), who gives her an ultimatum to sort out her life. Despite the planned robbery, Mirja secretly begins to look for legitimate work. Frustrated by red tape at the job assistance center, she approaches a hotel owner directly after seeing an advertisement. The owner, Paul Lilja (Michael Lindgren), is impressed with her confidence and offers her a trial job washing dishes. She hides this from her friends, but they grow suspicious of her distance from them. Mirja discovers a letter revealing Sirkka has advanced COPD. When Mirja tells her she got a new job, Sirkka initially doesn't believe her, but is elated to learn that it is true.

Mirja works hard at the hotel and Paul offers her a permanent position in room service (which offers higher pay than in the kitchen). However, when she asks about a contract he says he wants to pay her under the table. She begins working under the mentorship of Edit (Anna Bjelkerud) and takes pride in her work. Sarah, Emmy, and Nina show up to the hotel to confront Mirja. Sarah is particularly angry and mocks her for cleaning up after “rich pigs.” The girls make a mess and take snacks from the fridge which cost money. Sarah and Mirja almost get into a physical altercation, which Nina breaks up.

Sirkka is admitted to the hospital, and Mirja has no choice but to secretly bring Isa to work with her. On impulse, she applies a guest's false eyelashes. Unbeknownst to her, Isa also steals an expensive watch. The guest arrives to the room unexpectedly and Paul fires Mirja for theft. He also refuses to pay her for the last several days of work. After Sirkka returns home, she finds the expensive watch and assumes Mirja must have stolen it, culminating in a violent argument where Sirkka kicks Mirja out of the house.

Desperate and now homeless, Mirja confronts Paul, returning the watch and once again pleading for her job back. He refuses. She attacks him in frustration and leaves. She also sees Edit, who is dismayed and feels betrayed by Mirja as the two had developed a close working relationship. Now sleeping on buses and rooftops, Mirja sees her old friends partying and crashes their night, getting belligerently drunk. Sarah intervenes, and the group lets her stay with them to sleep off her hangover. They pressure her to make a decision about whether or not she will participate in the jewelry store heist. Mirja agrees to help, but backs at out the last minute as she sees Isa walking alone at night from the getaway car. Isa reveals Sirkka has been re-admitted to the hospital. They go to find her, but Sirkka dies. Setting aside their recent conflicts, the friends show up to support Mirja at the funeral. At home afterward, Mirja breaks down in tears, finally allowing herself to grieve, as Isa and her friends comfort her.

Despite Mirja not following through with the heist, Sarah surprises her with tickets to Montevideo, for both her and Isa. Mirja declines, choosing to stay and care for her sister and stating she does not want to run from her past. The two are both emotional but end on good terms. In the final scene, Mirja and Isa enjoy each other's company on a rooftop.

Cast

Production

The project was announced in 2016 as a "coming-of-age film about adult women", with support from Filmpool Nord and STHLM Debut.[1] The producers were Agneta Fagerström and Annika Hellström.[2] It was primarily filmed in Alby, Botkryka.[3] The director of photography was Gabriel Mkrttchian.[4]

The film's soundtrack featured Seinabo Sey's song "Easy."[5] It also included two songs by Melina Florides, "This Time" and "If It Takes Two."[6]

Release

The film premiered at the Gothenburg Film Festival, and had its Swedish premiere on 17 March 2017.[7][8]

Reception

The film earned an average rating of 4.0/5 on the Swedish review aggregator site Kritiker.[9]

For Sveriges Radio, Mia Gerdin gave the film 4/5 stars. She praised the performances, direction, and writing.[10] Writing for Dagens Nyheter, Helena Lindblad also praised the film.[11] Evin Ahmad's performance as Mirja was widely lauded and brought her increased public recognition.[12][13]

Awards and nominations

The film won the Church of Sweden's Film Prize, the Audience Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film, and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Norwegian International Film Festival.[14][15] It was screened at Berlin Feminist Film Week and the Gothenburg Film Festival.[16][17] At Duhok International Film Festival, the most significant Kurdish film festival, it won the Golden Leaf for Best Film, while Ahmad won the Silver Leaf for Best Actress.[18][19] Sekersöz won the Guldbagge Newcomer Award for directing Beyond Dreams.[15]

References

  1. ^ Lundström, Jacob (8 July 2016). "Drömtydning i samhällets utkant". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Film: Debutant som vill beröra". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). 3 February 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  3. ^ Kronbrink, Hans (30 August 2017). "Regissören drömmer vidare". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  4. ^ "DIT services for "Dröm Vidare" – Shoot&Post". www.shootpost.se. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  5. ^ Lejon, Johanna (16 February 2017). "Seinabo Sey aktuell på nytt filmsoundtrack – hör låten här". Elle (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Melina Florides från Gävle gör musik till bioaktuella kritikersuccén "Dröm vidare"". Gefle Dagbladet (in Swedish). 17 March 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Succé för Rojdas debutfilm: Känns overkligt - P4 Dalarna" [Success for Rojda's debut film: Feels unreal - P4 Dalarna]. Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). 20 March 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  8. ^ Grönberg, Anna (16 January 2017). ""Dröm vidare" – ny svensk film om kvinnlig vänskap". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  9. ^ Dröm Vidare (2017) (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 August 2025 – via kritiker.se.
  10. ^ Gerdin, Mia (17 March 2017). "Säker debutfilm om klass och längtan efter ett annat liv". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  11. ^ Lindblad, Helena (16 March 2017). "Dröm vidare av Rojda Sekersöz". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). ISSN 1101-2447. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  12. ^ Ahlström, Kristofer (19 March 2017). "Stjärnskottet Evin Ahmad: Var 2017 mitt år? Jag kom, jag gick, jag dog". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). ISSN 1101-2447. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  13. ^ Voss Gustavsson, Matilda (23 September 2017). "Evin Ahmad: "Jag hittade den där platsen som alla letar efter"". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). ISSN 1101-2447. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Rojda Sekersöz". Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). 2 February 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2025 – via PressReader.
  15. ^ a b Ravindran, Manori (22 November 2022). "'Young Royals' Director Rojda Sekersöz Signs With CAA (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Kino" [Cinema]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German). 11 March 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2025 – via PressReader.
  17. ^ Cederskog, Georg (10 January 2017). "Välfyllt filmfestivalprogram i Göteborg". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). ISSN 1101-2447. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Double win for Beyond Dreams". Swedish Film Institute. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  19. ^ ""Dröm vidare" fick pris i Kurdistan". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 19 September 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
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