The Swedish welcome challenged by immigration in Sweden documentaries
Of all European countries, Sweden has a reputation of being the most welcoming to refugees and asylum seekers, but that’s all changing. The tolerance of some Swedes is being tested by new arrivals’ lack of integration. The film Salam Alaikum Sweden looks at the growing housing crisis within Sweden, as the influx of refugees overruns the system. Asylum seekers are being housed in out-of-season holiday centres as there is nowhere else for them to live. Processing of asylum applications has become log-jammed by the increased numbers. For people who have escaped war and conflict, the uncertainty of their existence means Sweden is certainly not a ‘promised land.’ For some Swedes, the influx of asylum seekers has become too much, and they are campaigning to stop more arriving. Areas with high migrant populations are becoming virtual ‘no-go’ areas for Swedish police. The documentary Testing Tolerance examines the growing backlash among Swedes who want to see less immigration and more integration. We go on patrol with the vigilante group ‘Soldiers of Odin’ as they walk the streets on the lookout for suspicious immigrants. Swedish society has always been at the forefront of modern thinking, but changes in school teaching methods are going too far for some people. The introduction of gender-free teaching in primary schools is the topic of the documentary Gender Madness. It’s become a hot issue in Sweden with some people saying it takes equality to the extreme.
