Downsizing
15 min | Norway | 2013
A united world has decided to reduce the human population, and the couple Olav and Maria must apply for permission in order to become biological parents. They are both stunned when the response is negative. However; None of them are willing to give up their dream of having a child.
Director and screenplay: Kristian Landmark
DOP: Vegard Landsverk
Producer: Stine Blichfeldt and Marte Blyseth Pedersen / Them Girls
Editor: Gary Cranner
Actors: Kjærsti Odden Skjeldal, Morten Svartveit
Production company: Them Girls Film
Watch it here
Awards
2013 Films in the South
Nominations and screenings
2013 Kort på Kinokino, Sandnes
2014 Palm Beach International Film Festival, Florida
2016 Filmrommet.no (recommended educational programme for high school)
How many are there on earth? Downsizing questions our right to have children, and whether we in Norway also have to take responsibility for overpopulation and sustainable development?
The young couple Olav and Maria lives in a reality where the international community has agreed that the number of people must be reduced. Like anybody else who wants to become biological parents, the couple must seek the public discourse to have children. To their great surprise, the answer is negative and the decision is final - but Olav and Maria are not yet ready to give up their big dream.
The film may be nice as an approach to discuss topics such as sustainability and sustainable development, globalization, human rights, family policy, population statistics, and not least philosophy and ethics.