Emelie Wallgren & Ina Holmqvist
Sweden | 2011 | 29 min
Language : Swedish
Subtitle : English

In a specialized school in Stockholm, a chirpy Iranian girl tries to grasp the mysteries of her new language. This is her first experience of another country. But her attempts to make friends with the other pupils are frustrated by the language barrier and she soon finds herself on the fringes. Gradually, she comes to learn the necessary words and her confidence grows.

The secret of successful emigration/integration is to learn the language and culture of the host country as quickly as possible. This process is difficult but necessary, because it is through communication that relations with others are established. This is what we observe in this film of rare emotional concision. If making a documentary means filming people and things from the right distance, The Quiet One hits the nail on the head. The action takes place in a specialized school in Stockholm, where immigrant children learn Swedish before integrating into mainstream schooling. This is the situation in which we find Maryam, a six-year-old girl who is trying to grasp the mysteries of her new language. For the first time, she experiences snow, fish fingers and gingerbread biscuits.  But her attempts to make friends with the other pupils are frustrated by the language barrier and she soon finds herself on the fringes. Gradually, Maryam comes to learn the necessary words, and we see her grow in confidence.

Luciano Barisone

Translation BMP Translations