“Shut Up”: A groundbreaking Sámi drama breaking silence — and reaching the Emmys

“Shut Up” (“Oro Jaska”), the first high-quality Sámi youth drama, has rapidly become one of the most talked-about Nordic titles of the year — and its International Emmy nomination confirms its global impact. Produced by Alfred Films and distributed internationally by Norse Key Distribution, the six-episode series unfolds in Kárášjohka, in the heart of Sápmi, and follows a group of young people confronting the aftermath of a sexual assault in a tightly knit Indigenous community.

For producer Silje Burgin-Borch, the origin of the project emerged from a real and urgent need. “More than fifty percent of all Sámi women have experienced some type of violence,” she explains, referencing research that inspired the first idea. When NRK issued a call for Sámi-focused content, she immediately knew the topic demanded a series. “This is an idea where the topic came first,” she adds, noting that the team wanted to explore why speaking about sexual violence remains so difficult in many small communities worldwide.

The development process took an unusual path. Before writing began, the team spent a full year conducting research, including eight in-depth interviews with Sámi women who had experienced sexual abuse. These testimonies became the compass for the entire narrative. But Burgin-Borch, who is not Sámi herself, soon realized that the project had to be created from the inside. “Authenticity had to be the main value of the program. You can’t do that if it’s not told from within,” she stresses.

This turning point came when she partnered with Vegard Bjørsmo, a young Sámi artist from Kárášjohka, who joined as co-writer and also performs in the series. “This is the first project I’ve written, and I also act in it. It tells the story of where I come from,” he says. For Bjørsmo, who is queer and from the community portrayed on screen, the project became deeply personal. “It’s a reality that has never been shown before, and it’s really important,” he notes.

The writers’ room was formed exclusively by young Sámi talents — many also queer — creating a safe space to share lived experiences and shape storylines. This internal perspective was essential to tackling themes such as sexual violence, trauma, identity, and the cultural silence around them. Balancing these sensitive issues with the show’s youthful tone became one of the biggest challenges. “There had to be humor, a dynamic between dark, quirky humor and the seriousness of the topic,” Burgin-Borch explains.

For Bjørsmo, the process was not only creative but emotionally confronting. Returning to shoot in his hometown, where many of the themes mirrored real-life experiences, was particularly intense. “Think about it: in these towns there are maybe 3,000 people. Fifty percent of the women have experienced domestic abuse. Everyone in this series will know someone — or have experienced something similar themselves,” he says. Filming in the exact places where he had faced difficult moments himself was challenging, but ultimately healing. “People supported what we were trying to say. I think they want things to be better.”

Despite the highly local framework, the creators believe the series resonates globally because of its specificity. “Describe your village and you describe the world,” Burgin-Borch emphasizes. She never doubted that authenticity would give the series international potential. “I so firmly believe that if we managed to make something authentic, it would resonate,” she says.

The International Emmy nomination has further elevated the project. “It’s a huge acknowledgment,” the producer notes. Beyond prestige, she expects the recognition to boost visibility and sales: “We want to spread the story and tell it to as many people as possible.”

For Bjørsmo, the hope is that the series will spark dialogue. “People don’t talk about these issues out loud — and then the circle continues,” he says. “Maybe with this series we can start conversations and work toward something better.”