Schpaaa (1998)

Jonas and Emir are members of a criminal gang of 14-15 year-olds in Oslo. Emir has slight brain-damage after being beaten by his father as a 5-year-old, and Jonas' biggest problem is ... See full summary »

Director:

Erik Poppe

Writers:

Hans Petter Blad, Erik Poppe

Stars:

Maikel Andressen Abou-Zelof, Jalal Zahedjekta, Sharjil Arshed

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maikel Andressen Abou-Zelof	...	Jonas
Jalal Zahedjekta	...	Emir
Sharjil Arshed	...	Jack
Mickael Marman	...	Ali
Seth Raknes	...	Lille Jan
Kiyana Faravardeh	...	Mira-Fe
Irina Eidsvold Tøien	...	Jonas' Mother
Damir Dado Pudar	...	Emir's Uncle
Rolf Petter Næss	...	Big-Shot
Stian Bonnevie Arntzen	...	Boy From Westside
Kjersti Borgen	...	Eva
Tormod Gjersvold	...	Substitute Teacher
Roger Mogstad	...	Police officer
Turid Gunnes	...	Politikvinne
Jag Safri	...	Shop Owner

Storyline

Jonas and Emir are members of a criminal gang of 14-15 year-olds in Oslo. Emir has slight brain-damage after being beaten by his father as a 5-year-old, and Jonas' biggest problem is stopping Emir from hitting people on the head. One day, they are offered a job by a gang of drug-dealers: Deliver a packet of heroin to one guy and beat up another. This is the start of a chain of events that sends their lives spiraling out of control.

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Plot Keywords:

gang | teen rebel | city | teenager | police | 

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Taglines:

Cruelty. Friendship. A deadly serious game.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

Norway

Language:

Norwegian Mandarin

Release Date:

16 October 1998 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Bunch of Five

Filming Locations:

Oslo, Norway

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bulbul Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Mir is about to get hit by a train, Jonas appears to be walking behind his friend and close to the rails, warning him about the train coming. Later on, when Mir disappears from view giving the impression that he was hit, Jonas and his friends can be seen from a higher spot, far from the rails.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jonas: Emir was my best friend. He has always been my friend. He is 15 years old and comes from Yugoslavia. I have always known that he would make my life a living hell. It scared me out of my wits. My name is Jonas and I'm 14 years old. I have always lived here in town, and I have always lived with my mum. I have never met my father. When Mir was little, his dad clubbed him on the head. Now he has a right proper dent. He had lain down on his bed without taking his shoes off. His dad was ...

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Connections

References Dead Man Walking (1995)

User Reviews

A gang of teenage boys bungle a drug deal

Erik Poppe's Oslo is a multi-racial, graffiti-covered anywhere-city like Manchester or Berlin or Paris. As a portrait of wasted youth, Schpaaa is a better film than its Anglo-French equivalents, La Haine and Human Traffic. It's an angry film full of love for a group of people without love. A lean film telling a human tale with a perfectly apt cinematic style: snapshots of scenes in the last weeks of two young teenagers before their aimless anti-social behaviour catches up on them. It's a film of wonderfully human moments, such as the grins on the boys' faces when Jonas returns from an unexpected ride in a car from which he was stealing; the resignation on a young boy's face when he approaches the door of his dysfunctional home. The highlight is a beautifully acted scene when Jonas, having been kept behind by the supply teacher for falling asleep in class, pretends to be his own best friend, and naughtily tries to get the 'too careful' teacher to touch a hollow on his head.