A young woman in search of a better life utilizes a Norwegian market ready to sell her goods. Taxfree, directed by Henry K. Norvalls, is a portrayal of the hidden human trafficking which is current in the outskirts of the big cities, showing how a woman entering prostitution is being transformed from a human being into a commodity. The short film is a conversation starter and it’s less about the plot and more about a creeping feeling of unease as the dynamic between its characters is revealed. The film asks a lot of questions, but doesn’t really answer any of them. Clearly, that’s not the director’s intention (nor is it something that a 9 minute runtime would allow). Similar to Norvalls previous short film Sweet Things, the result is something that just sticks with you, an unsettling feeling resting in the pit of your stomach. Norvalls is quite gifted at crafting experiential, socially conscious cinematic worlds.
