One Day

She's attractive, 36 years old and comes from West Africa. She lives in a suburb of Copenhagen. She believes in God. She smokes more than she used to. Regularly every month she sends money home to her family and several times a week she has long phone conversations with her teenage daughter. She works as a prostitute and does not hesitate to fulfil even the most bizarre wishes of her customers. She keeps hoping that one day she will be able to live a normal life with her daughter. And outside it's raining. In this formally elegant picture, the Danish director Ditte Johnsen gives us an insight into the life of one of the many African women who try to provide for their families by working as prostitutes in European countries. The unenviable situation of the main protagonist is faithfully captured in at times almost bewitching shots containing sophisticated play with details and light. One Day has deservedly received three awards, including a special mention from Amsterdam's IDFA festival.