Vi var barn då

Ideally, groups of people emerge around the concept of being beneficial to the individuals within. What happens when a subculture promotes individual failure - when the concept of individual success becomes ground for rejection? What becomes of a group when one of the main requirements is to "accept your fate" - when any attempt to shine is seen, not merely as egotistic, but as a betrayal?

When fusing denial with the truth you end up with a "high energy concoction" - one at great risk of becoming toxic. By means of realigning one of the core values, Abdallah attempts to rid the toxicity while harnessing the energy.

Arguably the end result would benefit from a more subtle subtle approach - with more trust in the audience ability to "connect the dots". Nevertheless, Vi Var Barn Da rests solidly within the short film format with a strong underlying concept.

The much overused statement "less is more" arguably has validity here. When Abdallah dares to go more subtle and "kill some darlings"... there may be greatness lurking.