Summaries

When a champion dancer begins to falter, her family questions her faith and prompts her to search for more radical solutions.

Mirjam is a member of a radical Christian cult who defends the honor of her tribe in dance competitions put on by various rivals. But when she starts to lose, her family blames it on a lack of faith, causing her to seek more and more extreme ways to cope.

Disco looks at contemporary Christian cults through the eyes of teen-aged Mirjam (Josefine Frida Pettersen). The film opens during a dance competition, where Mirjam is favored to win. But the atmosphere isn't about the pleasure of dance or movement or the music. It's about frenzied sexuality and the various competitors' desperate need for approval. (The effect of the scene is a lot like sticking your head in a pinball machine.) Mirjam's need is stoked by her mother - whose brother is a very prominent pastor - and by her stepfather, who runs the church she essentially competes for. When the stress finally gets to Mirjam and she begins to lose competitions, her elders don't seek to reassure her. They blame it on her lack of faith, a devastating accusation considering virtually every second of her day is dominated by religion, from the television shows she watches to the podcasts and music she listens to. (When she dares to look up bloggers who talk about other issues, she's told they're just a worldly barrier between her and her God.) As Mirjam's control and confidence slip away, she searches for more radical solutions.—Toronto International Film Festival

Details

Keywords
  • family relationships
  • dancer
  • in medias res
Genres
  • Drama
Release date Oct 3, 2019
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) Not Rated
Countries of origin Norway
Language English Norwegian
Production companies Mer Film

Box office

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 34m
Color Color
Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Synopsis

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