EIFF 2009: Little Soldier

Traumatised by her experiences as a soldier in Iraq, Lotte (Trine Dyrholm) returns to Denmark, where she drifts and drinks until she gets a job as a driver and minder with her father’s escort agency. Lotte’s charge, Lily (Lorna Brown), a sex worker from Nigeria, is initially hostile towards her, but gradually barriers break down and, over the course of some moving scenes, the two women grow to care about one another. Underlying issues of trafficking and debt bondage are authentically handled; Lotte learns the hard way that nothing is quite as it seems, and, in keeping with her previous experience, her well-intentioned actions are somewhat reminiscent of Western interventions in Iraq, both being carried out without due consultation of their supposed beneficiaries. In addition to these themes, the film also examines Lotte’s fractured relationship with her father, as well as the prospect of romance with her neighbour. The combination of these multiple strands makes for a well-rounded and unforgettable film, leaving the viewer with a lot to reflect on.