Shorts | Tøyen Pop-up

Adel Khan Farooq (1991) is a Norwegian filmmaker, author and journalist working across animation, fiction, and documentary. His acclaimed works include co-directing the feature Recruiting for Jihad (Hot Docs, IDFA, CPH:DOX) with Ulrik Imtiaz Rolfsen and the animated short Cockroaches (2022), produced by the Oscar-winning production company Mikrofilm. He is currently developing his first feature film.

Tøyen Pop-Up Sis a hybrid film that combines fiction and documentary to explore the tensions between different social realities in a rapidly changing neighborhood. At the center is a fictional scene I have written, where residents with long-standing ties to Tøyen receive "social education" from two newcomers. This artificial situation functions as a mirror for real tensions, and has a playful but sharp approach to examining questions of identity, power and belonging. The goal is to capture the complex and often contradictory narratives that characterize Tøyen's identity today. By pitting people with deep roots in the area against newcomers, both culturally and socially, the film opens up for nuanced conversations about gentrification, integration and community.

The script in the fictional scene is deliberately written to provoke. This is because I want to create friction and bring out underlying attitudes and assumptions, in both the characters and the audience. Through exaggerated dialog and staged encounters, the characters' vulnerability and resistance emerge. These tensions are taken further into the documentary part, where the participants reflect on the scene they have just acted out, and on their own attitudes. This method has been my way of opening up a space for both confrontation and reflection. I do not give clear answers. Instead, I try to make a film that invites unrest, ambiguity and reflection.

Visually, I have wanted to create a natural, yet cinematic style. The fiction parts are filmed with a tripod, where the composition has a controlled and staged feel, whereas the documentary footage has a handheld feel. I use the visual distinction to emphasize the contrast between the artificial and the authentic. In this way, the images reinforce the theme itself: What is scripted, and what is reality?

To reinforce the film's absurd and ambiguous tone, I have drawn inspiration from old arcade game music to add a playful, almost nostalgic layer, while underscoring the absurd contrasts in the social roles and dynamics.

Ultimately, Tøyen Pop-Up is my attempt to use fiction to spark real conversations. I hope the film can open up reflections on identity, belonging and power in an Oslo that is constantly changing.