Nice People

Nice people live in the Swedish town of Borlänge, if you believe the town’s motto. But not all the locals appreciate the presence of a large group of Somali immigrants. This prompts idealist Patrik Andersson to recruit a group of young Somalis for his bandy team (bandy is a kind of ice hockey).

Eight months ahead of the 2014 world championship, the Somali national bandy team is formed. This is a new development, as no African country has ever taken part before. The hope is that the initiative will contribute to greater integration of the players. A good performance in Siberia, where the tournament is to be held, may bring about better understanding within the community. The results include cartoon-like scenes with Somalis, far from home, trying to skate for the first time, and drily comic discussions with locals who express their doubts: aren’t Somalis traditionally rather lazy?

In the meantime, the camera follows the goofy Andersson’s search for sponsors. Making phone calls from a swimming pool, at times it seems like he’s more interested in generating media attention than helping his players. When the young men don’t turn up for training one day, however, he decides to take action: the team must perform. This is characteristic of the film’s slightly flippant undertone. Will the young men be received as heroes?