Anita Rehoff Larsen, a producer from the Norwegian documentary company “Sant&Usant”, has sent the “Waynakh Online” editorial board a copy of their latest movie which is called “Ahmed – Almost 13”. It is a 38 minute long documentary that tells the story of 13-year old Chechen teenager Ahmed through his own eyes.

In fact, the movie is the story of a Chechen family in exile, which was forced to leave their homeland, the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, due to the ongoing brutal Russian occupation. In the movie, you can clearly see the happiness of an ordinary civilian family while they were still in their homeland. It also shows their difficulties in exile with their new life in a new culture and lifestyle as well as their hopes, from the viewpoint of a Chechen teenager. On the other hand, the movie may help us understand the psychology of a refugee family. It is a movie definitely to be seen.

Here is the trailer and some more info:

Synopsis: Ahmed lives with his Chechen parents and younger brothers on the outskirts of Oslo, Norway. The story is a unique glimpse inside the four walls of a Chechen family living in Norway, seen through the eyes of Ahmed who is 13 year old. The family fled to Norway because of the bloody Russian occupation in the territory of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, but his parents want to return to their homeland as soon as possible. In Ahmed’s home, his dad is the boss, the one you respect without questioning. As the oldest son, Ahmed is responsible for his brothers, the shopping, and all kinds of odd jobs. Ahmed explains that he’s being told he’ll be an adult soon, and that he needs to act like one. Now that he’s almost 13, he’s starting to think about his future and his role in the family.

The film captures Ahmed during these formative months. The family often watches old home movies from Russia, while Ahmed’s father talks proudly about his plans for the family. In the home movies, the boys see a seemingly happy, hardworking man who looks very different from their now unemployed, depressed dad. Ahmed asks him directly why he’s not the man he used to be. The youngster starts to rebel against his dad more and more, while his doubts grow about a future in the Russian occupied Chechen territory.

Production and distribution
Production Year: 2011
Country of origin: Norway
Producer: Sant&Usant Dokumentarfilm

Crew
Director: Ritchie Cavander-Cole
Screenplay: Ritchie Cavander-Cole
Original Music: Joachim Schager and Erik Nilsson
D.O.P.: Nils Petter Lotherington and Linn Amundsen

Festivals
2011: IDFA – International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
2012: Reykjavik Shorts&Docs Festival

*Text was written by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco