The Last Resort, at the Nordic Film Festival

The global refugee crisis is brought into sharp focus in a tightly wound, suspenseful drama based around a family holiday.

The attention is on Danish school teacher Mikkel (Esben Smed) and his workaholic health ministry official wife, Louise (Danica Curcic).

They have taken their two young daughters, 11-year-old Sille (Sif Lucca Gersby) and Ella (Chili Olivia Jensen), six, away to a resort on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria.

Heading home one night along a dark road, the car Mikkel is driving strikes a man who turns out to be an Afghan refugee by the name of Ahmad (Aziz Çapkurt).

Ahmad suffers a significant leg injury and Mikkel takes him to hospital, feeling terribly bad about what has happened.

Once there, Mikkel gives Ahmad a little money and his phone number and address, and then leaves.

But that is far from the last that Mikkel, Louise and the children will hear of Ahmad.

Ahmad’s story is a heartbreaking one and while Mikkel is sympathetic, Louise is concerned that Ahmad may be scamming them.

In this part of the world, refugees with nothing to their name arrive by boat from African countries, often aided by people smugglers.

The government and police don’t take kindly to either.

Nor do those at the resort, who have seen tourist numbers dwindle in light of the influx of refugees on the island.

For Mikkel and Louise, things are about to escalate, and the picture presented is far from pretty.

The Last Resort is Norwegian screenwriter and director Maria Sødahl's first Danish feature, and it is compelling.

She was keen to explore morality and privilege.

The film asks what does it take to be a good person?

While it doesn’t provide any easy answers, it exposes vulnerability and exploitation on different levels.

I was drawn in and held tightly throughout. The contrast between the affluent and the desperate couldn’t be starker.

I greatly appreciated the dynamic between Mikkel and Louise, and Mikkel and Ahmad, which the three actors lean into.

There is a rawness about the performances of Esben Smed and Danica Curcic.

Aziz Çapkurt brings authenticity and despair to Ahmad.

The visual disharmony captured by cinematographer John-Erling Holmenes Fredriksen provides the appropriate emotional tug.

The deeply human questions posed in the movie resonate strongly as the global refugee situation remains a vexed issue.

The Last Resort makes its Australian debut at the Nordic Film Festival and scores an 8 out of 10.

For further details and tickets, go to https://nordicfilmfestival.com.au