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New Film: What Happens When Society Doesn't Need You?
28 Aug
Summary
- Film explores jobless future with automation taking over.
- Protagonist seeks purpose after his assignment vanishes.
- Movie is a warm, humorous look at human connection.
Norwegian filmmaker Jens Lien is set to release "Joe's Assignment," a near-future comedy exploring the implications of widespread automation. The film, a Norway-Greece co-production, stars Trond Fausa Aurvåg as Joe, an ambulance driver displaced by self-driving technology.
Joe is absorbed into a government system requiring assigned tasks for the unemployed. However, his own assignment mysteriously disappears, propelling him on a quest for purpose. This journey becomes entangled with his search for love, friendship, and a place in the world.
Producer Kristin Emblem describes the film as "not dystopian," but rather a "warm and humorous look at what happens when society no longer needs us." Lien views the film as a spiritual successor to his earlier work, "The Bothersome Man," sharing a similar tonal affinity and dark humor.
Filming concluded in mid-November and is currently in post-production, with completion expected by the end of October. An international festival launch is planned before the Norwegian premiere in 2027. The film continues Lien's exploration of social systems and alienation through genre.
