SMILING IN A WARZONE
(2005)
Dir: Simone Aaberg Kærn, Magnus Bejmar

‘Smiling in a War Zone’ nominated for an Emmy!




9 October 2007
The internationally acclaimed and price winning Danish feature Doc ”Smiling in a War Zone” was yesterday announced as one of the nominees for the international Emmy Award taking place in NYC in November.

Last year ‘Smiling in a War Zone’ won the national Grand Prix for best Danish Documentary and has also been internationally rewarded e.g. with the prestigious ’Women in Leadership award’, sponsored by The White House Project at Full frame Film festival in the US. The film has toured and been in competition at the worlds leading A-festivals and has been sold worldwide to major Broadcasters and Networks.

The Emmy
The Emmy awards, known as the Oscar for the TV bizz, Smiling in a War Zone is in competition with four other high profiled international Documentaries, among them is Stephen Fry’s ’The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive’.

Danish Films is a new label
The producer Helle Ulsteen is truly excited about the Emmy nomination: - This is absolutely awesome. Being EMMY nominated feels so exciting. To get this far to a nomination means our film has already won up against many of the world’s best docs. ’Smiling in a War Zone’ is a film from the heart, and it literally changes people’s life! At some point we felt we should have a warning coming up in the beginning of the film, since we have met so many around the world who felt they needed to make their dream come true after watching it. Especially women quit their jobs, or leave the husband and many women even get a flying license.
This film is wild, highly entertaining and filled with the adventurous Indiana Jones spirit – Starring Danish artist and pilot Simone flying her own tiny airplane (the only one she can afford – a 40 year old piper colt made out of canvas) – thousands of miles from Denmark over Europe into the Arabic world ‘crashing’ through war zones, climbing the Hindukush mountains, defying the American military crossing the Afghan border to give a young girl in Kabul a joyful ride in the sky and make her dream come true. And best of all this is a real fairytale from the real world not staged action or stunts or Hollywood studio. Of course I hope that we will win the Emmy and have even more people to see ‘Smiling in a War Zone’!

“A sensational film was Smiling in a War Zone, a rapturously moving Danish effort … everyone was blown away (take it from someone who doesn't cry at movies: it was a tearjerker), and made sure their friends knew it.                          
     - INDIEWEEK  / apr.2006
 
“A gorgeous film with infectious enthusiasm that nonetheless utters a poignant reminder about the hazards of gift giving!”      
      - Full Frame Film Festival / apr. 2006
 
“Absolutely geniuos! This fairy tale-like suttle film is a genuine experience. You get lifted up - off the ground. It moves you deeply, both in spirit as in aesthetics and meaningfulness. “
      - WEEKENDAVISEN, Nikolaj M. Madsen
 
“Smiling is part suspense thriller and part sui generis political theater … and the result is peculiarly buoyant!”
-  Mark Holcomb, TIME OUT, june 8-14, 2006 - New York

“It can’t be done, other pilots said. Even with a more modern plane and more money, they wouldn’t make it halfway. The two of them nevertheless managed to make the remarkable journey, which they have now turned into an hilarious documentary Smiling in a War Zone – and the Art of Flying to Kabul.”                      
      - FILMS NYT DFI, Anne-Marie Hørsmann
 
”The rousing "Smiling In A War Zone" traces the absurdities of the war on terror in the skies as Danish filmmaker Simone Aaberg Kærn pilots her two-passenger plane over 6,000 miles and through various no-fly zones in order to give a flying lesson
to a 16-year-old Afghan girl in Kabul.”
     - TimesSquare.com Inc.
 
“Kaern, who draws inspiration from female pilots of the past, butts up against an Afghani patriarchal society that still invokes conservative Islamic and Taliban-esque rules for women. You can make the journey, but you can’t always win the fight.
        - DDA Beliefnet.com
 
“She challenges every military authority she comes across and even defies the American military’s in truly remarkable scenes …
         - MEDIARIGHTS
 
“Smiling in a War Zone - A unique film that encourages you to live your dream - shouldn't we all?”
        - Michael Ruppelt, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen