FLOPHOUSE AMERICA
Documentary Film Selection 2026
•
1h 18m
Norway, Netherlands, United States
Documentary
Due to the ongoing housing crisis in the U.S., many people are forced to live in run-down hotels, known as flophouses. Twelve-year-old Mikal shares a small, inexpensive room in one of these hotels with his parents and their cat, Smokey. Their home is marked by chaos and alcohol abuse, but also by love and the hope for a better future.
Director Monica Strømdahl has spent years traveling across the U.S., documenting life in these hotels. Eight years ago, she met Mikal, one of many children growing up in this environment. This coming-of-age documentary follows him over three years, capturing the pain of a fractured childhood alongside the warmth and complexity of family.
Written & directed by: Monica Strømdahl
Produced by: Beathe Hofseth, Siri Natvik, Eline van Wees
Cinematography: Monica Strømdahl
Editing: Siv Lamark
Original Score: Andreas Ihlebæk, Marius Troy
Sound: Mark Glynne, Olmo van Straalen
Production:
Fri Film
http://www.frifilm.no/
World Sales:
Lightdox
https://lightdox.com/
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