Synopsis

Kidz in Da Hood is the longtime passion project of Ylva Gustavsson, who felt that music was underappreciated in Swedish cinema and was inspired by the musical antics of her own children and their friends. As a former musician, her love for music is evident in every frame of the film. The story is also driven by her deep compassion for refugee children, a sentiment that took root after she met a young girl from Somalia. This dream project was brought to life through a powerful collaboration with Catti Edfeldt, who began acting at the age of 10. Amina, a young girl from Somalia, moved to Sweden with her grandfather three years ago. Still waiting on her residency permit, Amina finds herself in crisis when her grandfather dies before the permit is issued. She hides out temporarily with Johan, a pierced and tattooed rocker. On the same floor lives Mirre, a free-spirited neighbor who joins Amina in the fight for her right to stay in Sweden. Everyone in the film is connected by a love of music: Johan is a rock musician, Pecka enjoys tango, and both Mirre and Amina are into hip hop. Swedish heartthrob Gustaf Skarsgård plays Johan and learned to play the guitar for the role. Making her film debut is Jennifer Brown, who plays Janet and falls in love with Johan—Brown is a nationally recognized pop star in Sweden with four hit albums since her 1993 debut. The film was screened in the Generation section of the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival and won five awards, including Best Picture at the Swedish Film Awards.

Directors

Ylva Gustavsson, Catti Edfeldt

Ylva Gustavsson was born in Sweden in 1963. While performing as a member of a rock band, she was inspired to become a filmmaker after watching Patricia Rozema’s film I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing at a film festival. She went on to study at the Stockholm Film School. Believing that Swedish films lacked musicality, she fulfilled her longtime dream of creating a music-filled film with her first feature, Kidz in Da Hood. Catti Edfeldt, born in 1950 in Sweden, began her career in the film industry at an early age, working as a child actress, assistant director, and casting director. Her directorial works include The Guardian Angel (1994), which was nominated for Best Director at the Swedish Film Awards, and Eva & Adam.