SHEEP

A young, queer soldier strives for acceptance within a hyper-masculine military unit, facing a growing tension between loyalty, desire, and identity as they navigate shifting power dynamics and the cost of belonging.

  • Amalie Maria Nielsen
    Director
    Sværddrage / The Shift
  • Barbro Skolmen
    Writer
  • Valdemar Guldbrandsen
    Producer
    En anden uden mig
  • Carlos Claro Schelin
    Key Cast
    "Nivå"
  • Ulrik Windfeldt-Schmidt
    Key Cast
    "Høng"
  • Vilmer Trier Brøgger
    Key Cast
    "Otterup"
  • Jack Depaiva Pedersen
    Key Cast
    "Vamdrup"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    FÅR
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 1, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    Denmark
  • Country of Filming:
    Denmark
  • Language:
    Danish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Super16
Director Biography - Amalie Maria Nielsen

Amalie Maria (they/she) is a Copenhagen based director. Their latest film was nominated for the Crystal Bear and Teddy Award at the prestigious Berlinale – Berlin international film festival 2023 and their films are currently traveling around the world screening at other renowned festivals such as Nordic Panorama, Kristiansand international children film festival and Vienna shorts.

Amalie Maria grew up on the island Fyn alone with their single mother. In their work they is drawn to the relational drama and all things unsaid that flutter somewhere in-between our attempts to connect with each other. They are driven by their curiosity and need of questioning human behavior in a modern setting and are particularly interested in our ever-changing understanding of sexuality, boundaries and intimacy. Characters struggling with their own and society’s gender expectations is a common theme for Amalie Maria and are appearing in all of their films.

Their second short ‘SVÆRDDRAGE (THE SHIFT)’ was also nominated for the Danish Robert Award in 2024. ‘FÅR (SHEEP)’ is their third short film.

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Director Statement

Throughout my youth, I was a tomboy and spent a lot of my time with boys. Most of the time I was able to fit in, but there was always a physical difference that revealed: I would never truly be one of them. The longing to fit in made me compromise my morals. There was a violent tone in the group and some nights I still lie awake thinking about the incidents that took place in these masculine environments. Incidents that always targeted those at the bottom of the hierarchy: the feminine ones, and those who simply dared to be themselves. I can’t shake the thought of whether my silence made me complicit. These are the feelings that I wanted to explore in FÅR (english: SHEEP).

In Denmark, it’s mandatory for all young men to draw a number which determines whether they will be required to undergo compulsory education at military camps. These camps are known for their masculine values and dehumanizing language. These days a lot of young men voluntarily apply for the education, which results in a very unbalanced hierarchy made up of people who want to be there and others who are forced into this systematic education in warfare.

In an environment where humans mostly describe themselves as "Us" and "Them", violent tones seep through the ranks and creates a culture where bullies thrive. Using my own experiences of bending morals, I want to shed light on this culture in a coming of age story centered around people who lose themselves in order to fit in. Not through their actions or words, but their lack thereof – by being bystanders in situations where others need them the most.