Sámi Drama Sameblod To Premiere At Venice Days

Amanda Kernell’s feature debut Sameblod (Sami Blood) has been selected to compete in Venice Days at the Venice Film Festival. The Venice Days sidebar, which runs from August 31st to September 10th, will showcase 11 innovative independent films from around the world and award €20,000 to its winner.

Sameblod tells the story of 14-year-old Elle Marja, a reindeer-breeding Sámi girl. Exposed to the racism of the 1930’s and eugenics experiments at her boarding school she starts dreaming of another life. To achieve this other life she has to become someone else and break all ties with her family and culture.

Kernell said: “I have grown up with these stories, the film is a declaration of love to the older generations of Sami, including my own family, to those who left the Sámi community and to those who stayed.”

Amanda Kernell was nominated for a Guldbagge in 2015 for her short film Stoerre Vaerie (Northern Great Mountain), which went on to win Best Swedish Short Audience Award at the Göteborg International Film Festival.