Skynd dig hjem (2010) Reviews

• A touching film at the CPH:DOX Film Festival

  cecilier992010-01-14

  I saw this film at the documentary festival CPH:DOX that had so many good films programmed this year. This film was in the category of New Danish Dox along with films like "Alberts Vinter" and "Into Eternity", some of the best new Danish documentaries this year. "Skynd dig hjem" is a parallel story cutting between two different women who both disagree with their husbands (soldiers that are about to go to war in Afghanistan). Both families have small children saying goodbye to their fathers as they leave in the airport at the same time. Afterwards we follow these two women closely in each of their isolated periods of constant fear of the door bell ringing with bad news. It's a surprisingly honest portrait and it seems like there is some strange emotional connection between these two women, even though you never really find out directly. Then suddenly their ways separate completely as one of them receives the feared news of their husband's death. It's almost unbearable to follow each little detail of this woman's nightmare compared to the other woman's joy of relief as her husband returns safely. When I looked around after the film had ended, almost everybody in the cinema were crying. It's a really tough film. I just hope it will make future soldiers think twice before they sacrifice their families!