Beyond Dreams

Beyond Dreams (Swedish: Dröm vidare) is a 2017 drama film directed by Rojda Sekersöz and written by Johanna Emanuelsson. The film stars Evin Ahmad as Mirja, a young woman recently released from prison, who is torn between her lifelong friends and her struggling family. Gizem Erdogan, Malin Persson, Segen Tesfai, Outi Mäenpää, and Ella Åhman appear in supporting roles. Agneta Fagerström and Annika Hellström produced Beyond Dreams through their company, 2afilm, with financial support from Filmpool Nord, STHLM Debut, and the Swedish Film Institute. Emanuelsson and Sekersöz, both graduates of the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts, developed the film together after being approached by the producers. It served as Emanuelsson's debut as a screenwriter and Sekersöz's debut as a feature film director. Filming took place during the summer of 2016 in Alby, Botkyrka (the film's setting) and in Luleå. It was described by the creators as a political work that explored themes of friendship, loyalty, and identity. The film has also been analysed as a commentary on caregiving and motherhood within the Swedish welfare state. It premiered on 28 January 2017 at the Gothenburg Film Festival, before a theatrical release in Sweden on 17 March. In addition to opening the Lübeck Nordic Film Days festival on 1 November, it was also screened at Berlin Feminist Film Week and at TIFF Next Wave in Toronto the following year. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the direction, writing, and the cast's performances, especially Ahmad's. Beyond Dreams was listed as one of the ten best Swedish films of 2017 by film editors at Dagens Nyheter. It won several awards, including 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. Sekersöz earned a...