Flophouse America and The Lions by the River Tigris will both have their North American premieres at DOC NYC this week.
Two Norwegian documentary films are set to premiere in North America at DOC NYC, the largest documentary film festival in the United States. The festival takes place in New York City from November 12–23.
Both Flophouse America and The Lions by the River Tigris are being screened in the “Resilience” section, which features stories of personal strength and persistence in the face of trauma.
Flophouse America follows 12-year-old Mikal, who grows up with his parents in a run-down hotel — known as a “flophouse”—in the United States. Mikal’s parents struggle with alcohol, and the home is marked by poverty and instability. The film depicts Mikal’s difficult everyday life, but also reveals moments of love, hope, and a longing for a better future.
Flophouse America had its world premiere at CPH:DOX 2025, where it competed in the main competition, Dox:Award, and received an honorable mention. The film has been shortlisted for the European Film Awards in the category of Best European Documentary.
The film is directed and shot by Monica Strømdahl. It is produced by Beathe Hofseth and Siri Natvik for Fri Film, in co-production with Eline van Wees of Basalt Film (Netherlands). Lightdox is the film’s sales agent.
Flophouse America received NOK 3,455,000 in development and production funding from the Norwegian Film Institute. The film was granted production support through the debut film scheme Neo.
Mikal (12) is born and raised in the hotel room he shares with his parents, both struggling with alcohol addiction. Mikal’s biggest wish is for his mum and dad to stop drinking. But what does it take for someone to change their ways?
The Lions of the Tigris River explores life in Mosul after the city’s liberation from ISIS, with large parts of the old town lying in ruins. Art collector Fakhri dreams of opening a museum to preserve heirlooms from the past. Bashar longs to return to the family home destroyed during the conflict. Central to the story is a portal flanked by two lions— a symbols of both loss and hope—which represent the importance of cultural heritage and the dilemma between preserving memory and moving forward.
The film explores themes of hope, resilience, identity, and the reconstruction of both the material and psychological legacy left in the wake of brutal conflict.
The Lions by the River Tigris had its world premiere at CPH:DOX and has since been screened at festivals across Europe and the Middle East. Illumina Films handles the sales.
The film is directed by Zaradasht Ahmed and produced by Thorvald Nilsen for Indie Film Bergen. Zaradasht Ahmed has extensive experience as a documentary filmmaker in the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa. His most well-known work, Nowhere to Hide (2016), won over twenty international awards, including Best Feature-Length Documentary at IDFA. With The Lions by the River Tigris, he returns to his homeland to tell a story about present-day
The Lions of the Tigris River has received NOK 2,900,000 in development and production funding from the Norwegian Film Institute
Mosul, the promised Caliphate of ISIS/Daesh, was the most hated city in the world. And it paid the ultimate prize of liberation. Can people heal their broken souls?
Manager International Relations, Documentaries
