Love and murder - Swedish Film Institute

8
Julia sTanislawska
neW
taLents
Young directors anna persson and
ahang bashi worked together on
The Case Officer, a documentary
about immigration and bureaucracy.
TexT henrik emilsson
cold case officer
anna persson’s documentary The
Case Officer starts where most films
about the swedish asylum system
never venture – inside the doors of the
migration board.
in The Case Officer (Handläggaren, 2011), anna
persson’s graduation film from the stockholm
academy of dramatic arts, the director looks at the
work of an officer at the swedish migration board,
a subject never tackled before in a swedish
documentary.
“in most cases, accounts of our asylum system
stop at the doors of the migration board because
of secrecy laws and the unwillingness of the staff
to appear in the media. i wanted to get behind the
anonymity and bureaucracy and see what goes on
in the minds of the people who manage our asylum
policy.”
How have those who took part reacted to The
Case Officer?
“What’s interesting is that everyone likes it,
regardless of what side of the decision-making
they’re on. the asylum-seeking family said it was
fantastic, the case managers thought it painted a
fair picture of their situation, and so did the heads
of the migration board. the activists in the
pro-asylum movement i’ve spoken to also think it’s
an important film. it’s certainly open for everyone.”
you graduated earlier this year. What are you
doing right now?
“i’m mostly involved in the research phase of
what will be the second part of a trilogy, with The
Case Officer as the first part. all three films will be
looking at various conflicting roles in the swedish
asylum system.” n