2007 was widely recognized as a great year for Norwegian film. This spring you can experience some of the latest Norwegian productions here in New York.
The program at Scandinavia House features both a selection of short films, and some of the best feature films from the past year. Whether you are up for comedy or dark drama, you'll find it here. Click on these red hyperlinks to go directly to the information about the film and screening.
Nordic Shorts - Sons - Winterland - Bawke - Maria's Men
FILM SPECIAL EVENT
Nordic Shorts: New Short Films from Norway
Thursday, May 15, 6:30 pm
$8 ($6 ASF members)
For years, Nordic short films have been presented at major film festivals around the world, regularly winning top international prizes. Scandinavia House presents the Nordic Shorts series, a wide-ranging survey spanning many styles and genres that introduces some of the finest new shorts by the next generation of Nordic filmmakers. The series began last fall with short films by Finnish and Swedish directors and continues this spring with new films from Denmark, Iceland, and Norway.
RECENT FILMS FROM NORWAY
Film tickets: $8 ($6 ASF members)
Sons (Sønner) and talk with the director
Wednesday, March 26, 6:30 pm & Saturday, March 29, 3 pm
Directed by Erik Richter Strand (Norway, 2006). With Nils Jørgen Kaalstad, Edward Schultheiss, Henrik Mestad, Mikkel Bratt Silset, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal & Marika Enstad. In Norwegian with English subtitles. 103 min.
25-year-old Lars works as an attendant at an Oslo swimming pool. Good-hearted but violent-tempered, he shares a troubled past with his best friend Jørgen. Now Jørgen is on his way to adulthood with his girlfriend and their child, while Lars still lives the bachelor life of soccer and beer. One day Lars gets a nasty surprise at the swimming pool: he recognizes Hans, a middle-aged man who’s rumored to fool around with teenage boys. Lars alerts Anja, head of the pool and Jørgen’s girlfriend, that Hans is a threat and needs to be banned from the pool. When Anja will not listen to any accusations without proof, Lars sets out on his own to gather evidence and recruits Tim, a boy who has been seeing Hans, to help him bring down the abuser. Soon the situation spins out of control, and rage takes over as Lars embarks on a crusade that endangers the very people he’s set out to protect. Sons has been awarded the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival’s Rainer Werner Fassbinder Award, the Black Night Film Festival’s Don Quijote Award (Tallinn), and the Seattle International Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize.
On the screening on March 26, director Erik Richter Strand will be present at Scandinavia House to introduce his film and for a Q&A session with the audience!
Winterland (Vinterland)
Wednesday, April 2, 6:30 pm & Saturday, April 5, 3 pm
Screened with the short film Bawke
Directed by Hisham Zaman (Norway, 2007). With Raouf Sarag, Shler Rahnoma, Kawa Gilli & Alibag Salimi. In Norwegian and Kurdish with English subtitles. 52 min.
Director Hisham Zaman tells the story of Renas, a well-adjusted Kurdish refugee who lives in a godforsaken part of northern Norway, with warmth and a humor. Renas has everything he wants, except a wife. He marries a woman from his home country whom he has never met. The marriage has a difficult start when his bride arrives in Norway, and neither her husband nor the country appears the way she had imagined. And is it possible for Renas to love a woman he has only seen in a photo? Raouf Sarag received the 2007 National Film Award “The Amanda” for Best Actor.
Bawke (Father) Screened before Winterland
Directed by Hisham Zaman (Norway, 2005). With Broa Rasol & Serdar Ahmad Saleh.
In Norwegian and Kurdish with English subtitles. 15 min.
Winner of the Best Narrative Short at the Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival, this moving story of a father and his young son, illegal immigrants to Norway, traces their odyssey through the maze of difficulties they face in hopes that the son can have a better life than his father.
Maria’s Men (Marias Menn)
Wednesday, April 9, 6:30 pm & Saturday, April 12, 3 pm
Directed by Vibeke Ringen (Norway, 2006). With Ingjerd Egeberg, Ulrikke Hansen Døvigen, Mats Eldøen Jens Jørn Spottag & Kai Remlov. In Norwegian with English subtitles. 79 min.
40-year-old Maria is in the prime of life - she is a surgeon, has three children from two marriages, and is single. Her days are hectic, but she handles life just fine. Maria is unable to fit a man into her life, but when the successful Danish psychiatrist Fredrik joins her staff as chief physician, he seems like the perfect man for her! Moreover, he has a vineyard in France and seems quite interested. The problem arrives when the fun, spontaneous - and much younger - ambulance driver Jonas is also attracted to Maria. Jonas is Mr. Wrong: he is 15 years younger, lives by the principle of Carpe Diem, and loves his freedom. Fredrik is Mr. Right: mature, wise, financially stable, and confident. Maria tries to suppress her feelings for Jonas by dating Fredrik, but she gets more and more confused. The children, her job, and two men all demanding her attention and emotional energy is just too much. On top of it all, her ex-husband demands custody of their children. Maria is close to losing it when a tragedy helps her understand that she must follow her heart.
Special thanks to the Norwegian Film Institute.
Where: Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue (between 37th and 38th Streets)
When: See each film.
Info: (212) 879-9779