Jan Olav (24) has dyslexia and spent his years in school fighting the teachers. Kelly (19) was bullied. Maylén (24) has ADHD and Jakob (25) loved partying more than doing schoolwork.
They are given a new chance.
When they start in a “class” for long-term unemployed young people, they are forced to focus on what is positive about themselves.
There are two mandatory rules, 1: You must be punctual, and 2: You must be drug free.
Jan Olav is the main-character in the film. Dyslexia gave him a hard start in elementary school. By the age of 12 he was sent off to an institution for troubled kids. This became the starting point of a criminal career.
Jan Olav's story is a tale of how to fit into society when so much of your identity is related to things you are told you have to change.
We see how fragile they are, and how difficult it can be to grab a life-changing opportunity. Through their voices we get new and important insights into why so many young people leave school.
European statistics show that in the EU, one in six people aged 18-24 drop out before completing high school. In Norway the numbers are even worse; one in three are drop-outs. Education is connected to employment opportunities – and employment is connected to life opportunities in general.
We know that if you are a boy you are more likely to drop out than if you are a girl. We know that if you have immigrant-background you are more likely to drop out than if you are an ethnic Norwegian.
We know a lot about the statistics – but we don’t know who these people are. In Rebels! the kids will talk for themselves.
