69 Minutes of 86 Days

What a three-year-old refugee named Lean experienced in the weeks or even months that preceded her journey, she only shares towards the end of 69 Minutes of 86 Days. But now, she and her parents are on their way to Sweden—that's where she will see her grandfather again. The film not only follows her perspective, highlighting the laughter and wonder on her face, but it also observes the faces of the adults. They are tired and unsure of what’s ahead, yet they persevere with the hope of offering their children a better life. Lean may not end up remembering the events of this film: the months of being part of a large group heading towards the promised land; the trips by boat, car and bus; the time spent waiting for food, a place to sleep, transport or clarity. In his first feature-length film, Egil Håskjold Larsen observes without comment or questioning the 86-day voyage that Lean mostly experiences as an adventure. She seems oblivious to the sadness and pain of the adults around her. But is she really?