Schpaaa! (Bunch of Five)

Schpaaa (Norwegian for ‘cool’) tells the story of loyalty and friendship among young street kids caught in a spiral of petty crime. The picture focuses on a gang of five young boys living in contemporary Oslo. It is an account of one crucial week in the lives of Jonas (13) and his Yugoslavian friend Emir (15). Emir has been suffering from brain damage ever since his father hit him on the head with a wooden club. This affliction makes it hard for Emir to control his aggression and he suffers from sudden, uncontrollable outbursts. Time and again during days spent hanging out with their gang (including a bit of drug dealing) on the wintry streets of Oslo, the relationship between the two friends is stretched to the limit by Emir’s behaviour…