Sales agency Lightdox has boarded Monica Strømdahl’s “Flophouse America,” which has its world premiere on Wednesday in the main competition section of Copenhagen’s documentary festival CPH:DOX.
The film follows 12-year-old Mikal, who shares a small room in a cheap hotel, commonly known as a flophouse, with his parents and their cat, Smokey. Their home is marked by chaos and alcohol abuse, but also by love and the hope for a better future.
Strømdahl spent years traveling across the U.S., documenting life in these hotels. Eight years ago, she met Mikal, one of many children growing up in this environment. This coming-of-age documentary follows him over three years, capturing the pain of a fractured childhood alongside the warmth and complexity of his family.
Lightdox’s Anna Berthollet said: “This extraordinary film unveils the raw and heartbreaking reality of a young boy’s fight for hope amidst the chaos of poverty and addiction. Through Monica Strømdahl’s compassionate yet unflinching lens, we witness the fragility of life on the margins and gain a powerful perspective on struggles too often overlooked.
“We are committed to defending this film and sharing Mikal’s story with the world, as it has the potential to spark much-needed conversations about inequality and the vulnerable children facing these challenges every day.”
Siv Lamark is the co-writer and editor. The film is produced by Fri Film’s Beathe Hofseth and Siri Natvik. Basalt Film’s Eline van Wees is a co-producer. Exec producers are David Sutherland, and Joshua Seftel and Eric Nicols at Smartypants.
Norsk Filmdistribusjon is handling distribution in Norway; and Cinema Delicatessen is handling distribution in the Netherlands. Broadcasters on board include RBB/Arte.
