Maria Stevnbak Westergren

The Tamarind Singer

Kam is 11 years old. She lives along the river in the slums of Klong Toey with her father, mother, and big brother. Her mother is a local hairdresser and her father works for the local municipality when he can. Kam’s house has always been filled with music. Her father often plays the guitar, and Kam loves to sing along. Her dream is to become a famous pop singer and perform in front of a big audience. Kam’s talent and love of singing is noticed by the local music school. Kam is a bit shy and she is nervous about singing at a local concert. To give Kam courage, her schoolteacher gives her tickets to a concert with her favorite pop star. And she even gets to meet her backstage. With advice from the famous pop singer and with support from her best friend next door, she finds the courage to sing at the local concert.

Paradise Is Burning

In a working-class area of Sweden, sisters Laura (16), Mira (12) and Steffi (7), get by on their own, left to their own devices by an absent mother. With summer on the way and no parents around, life is wild and carefree, vivacious and anarchic. But when social services call a meeting, Laura has to find someone to impersonate their mom, or the girls will be taken into foster care and separated. Laura keeps the threat a secret, so as not to worry her younger sisters. But as the moment of truth draws closer, new tensions arise, forcing the three sisters to negotiate the fine line between the euphoria of total freedom and the harsh realities of growing up.

Bird Boy

When 12-year-old Reshat looks around him, he sees the oil fields of Azerbaijan. When he looks up dreamily, he sees pigeons flying to heaven. He misses his father, who died a year ago, and who also loved these birds. Reshat cautiously approaches the best pigeon keeper in the village. Will he teach him to train pigeons? His father taught him that he should be kind to birds, because souls fly to heaven on their wings. While Reshat is learning all about pigeons, he discovers what he really wants. Part of the "Kids on the Silk Road" documentary project.

The Arctic Camels

When the two children Torarin and Svalin wants to ride horses, their parents buy two camels instead, but realise it's more difficult than they thought and travel to Mongolia to meet the experts.

Girl Against Gravity

Erdenchimeg (11) has her mind set on becoming a famous contortionist – a speciality of Mongolian acrobats. Her team at the circus school is invited to become part of a prestigious show on the parliament square. But suddenly Erdenchimeg seems incapable of managing her exercise. The prospect of becoming the ‘odd one out’ on her team is all the more frightening because her dad is imprisoned, her mother is a former drunk, and Erdenchimeg was only admitted to the circus school as an act of good will. Not just her own dreams, but also the dignity of her family is at stake. But in the end she finds her inner strength and pulls through! Part of the "Kids on the Silk Road" documentary project.