MY FAITH

Released: 2018
Duration: app. 15 min.

Documentary film series. MY FAITH is a series of short films for children, told by children from the age of 10 years old. Each film portrays a child, who practices a religion or a belief in Denmark. The films represent a varied outtake of our differences as humans by showing our differing worldviews, and in doing so confront us with all our similarities as well. The films are loyal in their portrayal of the protagonists and do not attempt to argue right or wrong practice or worldview. Rather they aim to take a curious look at our human need to create existential meaning.

”It’s just like having a teddy bear that you really love and that have been with you since you were born. My faith is somehow my teddy bear” – Natalie, 11 years old.

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Price: 7 Euro (for all episodes / with UK subtitles)

DK Natalie er 12 år og et af Jehovas vidner. Hun drømmer om Paradisets komme – en ny verden, hvor man ikke kan dø, men lever evigt. Alle der tror på Jehova kommer med i den nye verden, og derfor går Natalie fra dør til dør for at få så mange som muligt med. Natalie glæder sig. I den nye verden vil hendes elskede onkel stå op af graven. Det er en trøst at vide, at hun skal se ham igen.

UK Natalie is 12 years old and a Jehovah’s Witness. She dreams of the coming of Paradise – a new world where you cannot die but will live forever. Everyone who believes in Jehovah will join the new world, so Natalie goes from door to door to get as many followers as possible. Natalie rejoices. In the new world, her beloved uncle will rise from his grave. It gives her comfort to know that she will see him again.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Lukas er 12 år og kristen. Han vil gerne kunne løbe frit som alle andre børn, men hans hjerte forhindrer ham i det. Han er født med en hjertefejl, som betyder, at han ikke har så meget energi som sine jævnaldrende. Skolernes motionsdag nærmer sig, og Lukas håber, at han med hjælp fra Gud kan løbe lige så godt som sine klassekammerater. Han beder for det, og han løbetræner med sine brødre hver dag. Forældrene beder for det, og præsten i kirken beder for det. Og Lukas oplever, at han bliver mindre og mindre forpustet.

UK Lukas is 12 years old and a Christian. He wants to be able to run freely like other children, but his heart prevents him from doing that. He was born with a heart defect, which means that he does not have as much energy as his peers. The school sports day is coming up, and Lukas hopes that, with the aid of God, he can run just as well as his classmates. He prays for that, and he jogs with his brothers every day. His parents pray for it, and the vicar in the church prays for it. And Lukas experiences that he loses his breath less and less.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Mira er 14 år og heks. Hun tror på kræfterne i naturen og lægger tarotkort for at få vejledning. Mira er forbundet med månen, der er repræsenterer Gudinden og de kvindelige kræfter. Hun både frygter og ser frem til menstruationens komme. Blodet, der giver kraft, at blive frugtbar og at kunne give nyt liv. Det er stort, da den kommer, og hun fejrer det ved at gå ud i skoven sammen med sin mor og søster for at sige farvel og begrave barndommen.

UK Mira is 14 years old and a witch. She believes in the powers of nature and uses tarot cards for guidance. Mira is in connection with the moon that represents the Goddess and the female powers. She both dreads and looks forward to the coming of menses. The blood that gives power, to become fertile and be able to create new life. It is a big thing when it comes, and she celebrates by going into the forest with her mother and sister to say goodbye to, and bury, her childhood.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Asmir er 10 år og muslim. Han bruger sin tro til at lære sig selv at kende, for hvem er han egentlig? Det gælder om at gøre gode ting, så meget ved han, men det er også ret fristende at være en lille bandit. Det får Asmir chancen for, da klassen skal spille Gummitarzan, og Asmir får rollen som Orla, der driller Gummitarzan. Det er svært at huske alle replikkerne, og alle de ting han skal gøre i rollen, men det er endnu sværere at lære sig selv at kende. Det tager måske 100 år.

UK Asmir is 10 years old and a Muslim. He uses his faith to get to know himself, because who is he really? Good deeds need to be done. This much he knows, but it is also quite tempting to be a little rascal. Asmir is given his chance when his class is going to perform a play, and Asmir gets the part of Orla, who bullies the protagonist. It is hard to remember all his lines, and all the things the part requires him to do, but it is even harder to get to know himself. It might take 100 years.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Deenpals hår er aldrig blevet klippet og går helt ned til knæene. Det, man får af Gud, skal man beholde. Han mediterer hver dag og går i templet mindst én gang om ugen. Han er fodboldmålmand og vil gerne være verdens bedste eller i hvert fald på førsteholdet. Men der er lang vej, for han er bange for at slå sig, når han skal kaste sig efter bolden og går tit i panik, når han skal skyde målspark. Det skal han træne, og på den måde bliver han også en bedre sikh. For en sikh skal være modig og stærk som en løve - og den, der vil opnå dét, må træne og meditere dagligt - og derigennem få spirituel kraft.

UK Deenpal's hair has never been cut and has grown all the way down to his knees. What you get from God, you must keep. He meditates every day and goes to the temple at least once a week. He is a football goalkeeper and he dreams about being the best in the world. But he still has a long way to go - he is afraid of throwing himself after the ball and often panics when he has to do a goal kick. He has to practice and practicing will make him a better Sikh. A Sikh has to be brave and strong like a lion - and whoever wants to achieve this must practice hard and meditate daily - and thereby gain spiritual power.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Leah har ikke nogen bedsteforældre, men kommer stadig på det jødiske plejehjem, hvor hendes bedsteforældre engang boede, og spiller violin for de gamle. Hun ved, at hun selv bliver glad, når hun gør andre glade. Da Lea på 94 fortæller om sin sorg over at have mistet sit barn, bliver Leahs tab over sine egne bedsteforældre sat i perspektiv. Det er endnu sværere at forstå Guds mening med det. Leah har besluttet sig for at leve et jødisk liv og skal snart stå Bat Mitzvah og synge fra Torahen. Hun ville ønske, at hendes bedsteforældre kunne opleve det med hende.

UK Leah has lost her grandparents, but still visits their old home at the Jewish nursing home to play the violin for the elders. Leah knows it makes her happy when she can give other people happiness. When 94-year-old Lea talks about her grief over losing a child, Leah's own loss of her grandparents is put into perspective. The loss of a child makes it even harder to comprehend God’s plan. Leah has decided to live a Jewish life and will soon be standing Bat Mitzvah and singing from the Torah. She wishes her grandparents could experience it with her.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Anvita vil gerne være statsminister, når hun bliver stor. Munken i hendes tempel siger, at det kræver træning at blive en god leder. Og at man som statsminister har et ansvar for alt, der lever, både mennesker, dyr og planter. Anvita beslutter sig for at vise, at hun kan tage det ansvar.

UK Anvita wants to be prime minister when she grows up. The monk in her temple says it takes training to become a good leader. And as Prime Minister you have a responsibility for everything that lives, both humans, animals and plants. Anvita decides to show that she can take that responsibility.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Elliot og hans bedste ven Liam tror ikke på Gud. De tror på videnskaben og på at livet på jorden opstod ved Big Bang og ikke pga. en gud. De har hørt, at videnskabsmænd arbejder med at skabe liv ud fra DNA. Nu vil de gerne undersøge muligheden for at genoplive forhistoriske dyr.

UK Elliot and his best friend Liam do not believe in God. They believe in science and that life on earth originated in the Big Bang and not because of a god. They have heard that scientists are working to create life from DNA. Now they want to explore the possibility of reviving prehistoric animals.

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Htet Linns (10) største ønske er at få en hund. Så det beder han tit Buddha om. Han ved imidlertid godt, at det i sidste ende er hans mor, der bestemmer, om han får en hund eller ej. Som hundeejer skal være en god buddhist. Dvs. være sød og kærlig. Overfor sin mor, alle andre mennesker og Buddha. Htet Linn øver sig i at have hund - men er han parat til at tage hele ansvaret for det lille væsen?

UK Htet Linn (10) loves dogs and his biggest wish is to get one. So he asks Buddha for it, even if he knows eventually it’s his mother, who decides if he gets it. To be a good dog owner, you must be a good Buddhist – loving and caring to everyone. Htet Linn practices – is he ready to take responsibility for a dog?

Price: Free (in Danish only)

DK Signes far er sømand. En måned på havet og en måned hjemme. Hun savner ham og bekymrer sig om ham, når han er væk. Tænk hvis han falder over bord og aldrig kommer hjem. Det er en stor lettelse, når han står i døren igen. Signe (12) er kristen. Hun beder til Gud – men kun når hun er i nød. Og kun, når hun er alene. Hvad hun siger til Gud er mellem hende og Gud, selv ikke hendes mor ved det. Signe nyder, når far er hjemme, så han kan opleve hendes verden med hende, som når hun f.eks. synger i kirkekoret eller de danser sammen til TikTok videoer. Men nu skal far på arbejde igen, og det er svært at sige farvel. Denne gang er han ikke hjemme til jul. Eller er han?

UK Signe’s father is a sailor. One month at sea, one month at home on a rotating basis. She worries and misses him when he’s away. Signe (12) is Christian and sings in the local church choir. She also prays to God – but rarely, and only when she’s alone. What she prays for is between her and God. Not even her mother knows. She loves to make her father proud, so it’s extra special when he’s home for important occasions. Like when she’s singing with the choir at church. Christmas is approaching - but will her father be home this year for Christmas Eve?

Price: Free (in Danish only)

Original titel (Danish): Min Tro

Director: Cathrine Marchen Asmussen
Producer: Lise Saxtrup
Producer assistants: Sofie Rørdam (2018) and Julia Mejnertsen (2020 & 2024)
Cinematographers: Cathrine Marchen Asmussen, Sanne This, Henrik Kloch
Editor: Yrsa Wedel
Composer: Rasmus Møldrup
Sound Design and mix: Anne Gry Friis Kristensen
Graphics and animation: Gina Thorstensen, Nacho Rodríguez
Colorist: Tobias Grundahl
Post Coordinator: Jakob Schaumburg
Postfacility: EditHouse
PR: Line Bilenberg, Mira Bach Hansen

Supported by The Danish Film Institute and DR

BIOGRAPHY
Director Cathrine Marchen Asmussen is self-taught. She often photographs her films herself. Her first independent documentary “Ghetto Princess” won the Grand Prix at the Odense Film Festival in 2000, as well as the award for best film for children and young people at the TV festival the same year. She was nominated for a Robert for her short “Boys camp”. Cathrine tells her stories in a tight and poetic way. She is always loyal to her characters and stay true to their POV. The main characters are often people slightly stigmatized – whether they are children or adults. The My Faith-series is Cathrine’s seventh documentary production.

FILMOGRAPHY
2018-2024 ”My Faith”
2014 “Global fighters”
2013 “Boys camp”
2009 “Hunting the only one”
2007 “Me and Naser”
2005 “ZeZil’s World”
2002 “A mother’s story”
1999 “Ghetto Princess”
1996 “Take Off”
1994 “Stay together”
1994 “But, you don’t get it”

 

  • 2018 IDFA Competition for Kids & Docs

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