‘The Bothersome Man’ Director Jens Lien Tackles Automation Anxiety in ‘Joe’s Assignment’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Norwegian director Jens Lien is making “Joe’s Assignment”, a near-future comedy about automation, work and purpose, starring Trond Fausa Aurvåg. The film follows an ambulance driver replaced by self-driving vehicles who becomes trapped in a government scheme assigning compulsory tasks to unemployed people; its story examines the personal consequences of a society that needs less human labour.
The Norway-Greece co-production is in post-production and is expected to finish in October, having been presented at New Nordic Films in Haugesund. Lien calls it a spiritual successor to his 2006 film “The Bothersome Man”, sharing its absurdist humour while taking a warmer approach focused on kindness, relationships and belonging; the cast also includes Agnes Kittelsen, Alba August, Sven Nordin and Atle Antonsen.
- Jens Lien’s new comedy explores automation and lost purpose.
- Trond Fausa Aurvåg plays a driver replaced by autonomous vehicles.
- The film is expected to complete post-production in October.
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Automation is the use of machines and computer systems to carry out work previously done by people. It already affects jobs in transport, factories, shops and offices, and self-driving vehicles are often discussed as a possible future change to road travel and delivery work.
Jens Lien is a Norwegian film director known for The Bothersome Man, a 2006 dark comedy with an unusual, satirical view of modern life. His new film uses a near-future setting to explore what can happen when people lose work and have to find other sources of routine, identity and purpose.
The story centres on a former ambulance driver and a state-run scheme for people without jobs. It is a Norway-Greece co-production, meaning companies from both countries are involved in making and financing it.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of automation may argue that replacing routine driving with safer, more efficient systems can reduce accidents, lower costs and free people from dangerous or exhausting work. They would say the real task is to ensure that productivity gains are shared through retraining, income security and new forms of socially valuable work, allowing people more scope for relationships, care and personal fulfilment.
The case against
Critics may contend that work provides more than wages: it can offer structure, dignity, social contact and a sense of contribution, all of which can be lost when technology removes roles faster than society creates meaningful alternatives. They may worry that compulsory work schemes treat unemployed people as administrative problems rather than citizens with agency, and that automation’s benefits could deepen alienation unless democratic institutions give people genuine control over how the transition is managed.