Bullets

What should have been a documentary ended up being a compelling drama. This new film by Swedish director Peter Pontikis, although fictional, is therefore closely intertwined with a harrowing reality. Pontikis interviewed police officers, teachers, social workers and residents of Järvafältet, a socially vulnerable suburb of Stockholm. The result is Bullets, which takes you into Abdel's world. Abdel is 12, loves animals and dreams of becoming a vet. The film shows how an environment can shape a child or young person, as is the case with Abdel. Slowly but surely, despite his ambitions, he is drawn into a world of gangs and criminality. The role of Abdel is brilliantly portrayed by Tomas Samir, who ran into the director during the film preparations. Despite (or thanks to) his lack of acting experience, Samir manages to beautifully convey the fragility of Abdel's situation.