Enforcement

“I can’t breathe.” 19-year-old Talib suffers fatal injuries while in police custody. When news of the death of the black youth gets out, the two dissimilar policemen Jens and Maik are just on patrol in Svalegården, a ghetto on the outskirts of Copenhagen. Here, they suddenly find themselves at the centre of a violent uprising as the residents let their pent-up anger be known. When their patrol car is put out of action, Jens and Maik must make their way out of the neighbourhood on foot. With their contrasting temperaments, it is not only the vengeful gang of youths that turns out to be a dangerous obstacle. The action thriller Shorta offers much more than high tension and fast-paced chases. The directors Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid take a differentiated look at global police violence and uncover institutional xenophobia. A mix of stylised genre cinema and socially critical commentary that could not be more urgent. (Zurich Film Festival)