The new country

'The New Country' is a four-part road movie about two refugees threatened with deportation and their wild journey through a summery Sweden. 'We want this story to be gut-wrenching,' says the authors Peter Birro and Lukas Moodysson. In 'The New Country' 15-year old Somalian Ali and 40-year old Iranian Massoud meet at a refugee camp in the south-Swedish province of Skåne. Witnessing a brutal deportation one day, they decide to take their fate into their own hands. With an imminent deportation hanging over them, they head off on a fantastic journey through the Swedish summer landscape. On the way, they meet Louise, a former Miss Sweden, who shares their rootlessness and longing for a better life. Mike Almayehu, who plays Ali, came to Sweden from Ethiopia in 1994. A first-year gymnasium studet, Mike is making his debut on the acting scene. Michalis Koutsogiannakis, who plays Massoud, is an established actor, originally from Greece. Lia Boysen, who plays Louise, is also an established actress, but this is her first leading role. 'My aim is not to put two cents into the immigration debate, but to protray loneliness and alienation in a humouristic light from these people's perspective,' says director Geir Hansteen Jörgensen. 'The New Country' got an overwhelming response from the TV-audience and the press.