… and the Norwegian short film scene is booming. There are several opportunities to see the latest in Norwegian shorts here in New York this spring.
4/14/2008 :: In spring 2008, New Yorker video released a collection of short films, based on the program of shorts that they released theatrically in 2006. The collection, named "The World According to Shorts", includes shorts from a range of different countries, from Brazil to Norway. The Norwegian contribution comes from Hans Petter Moland, whose "United We Stand", is described by the New York Times as "witty and graceful." This is just the latest in a long line of Norwegian shorts to gain recognition in the U.S. the last years.
It’s been a good couple of years for the Norwegian short films. After years of winning smaller awards at different international film festivals, the Norwegian shorts got an international breakthrough in 2006, when “Sniffer” won the Palm D’Or in Cannes, and “The Danish Poet” (“Den danske dikteren”) won an Academy Award. In Norway, this has led to a hightened interest in the short films, with a dvd sales boom. Last year, the small things hit the big screen when a collection of Norwegian short horror films were screened on their own at Norwegian cinemas.
Important subjects
Because the time is limited in a short film, the message must come off strong and direct. This makes a short film a good way to convey a message about an important subject. Last year, the prize winning short film “Bawke”, about illegal immigrants trying to enter Norway, gained a lot of attention. It was recently screened in New York, just before “Winterland”, at Scandinavia House April 2nd and 5th.
The Norwegian short "The Crystal Palace" (“Ediths glasslott”) concerns a boy whose loss of his grandmother makes him challenge the difficult subject of death. This film will be used to help children in Thailand who lost their parents in the 2004 Tsunami.
Courage in “Hangman”
In March, the New York International Children’s Film Festival showed the US premiere of the short film “Hangman”. The title might sound gloomy – but it simply refers to the children’s game “hangman”, usually played at the chalkboard in the classrom.
”Hangman” is written by Hanne Ramsdal, co-directed by Ramsdal and Cecilie Semec, and produced by Trine Aadalen Lo. Note that they are all women – the shortage of women in leading positions in the Norwegian film industry led to a huge debate last year. It has been praised as a story about courage to do something about one’s seemingly impossible situation. More directly, it is about the 10 year old Miriam, who is bullied because she lisps. She falls in love with a boy named Ståle, but is unable to pronounce the letter S.
More freedom
Ramsdal and Semec both made their debut as directors with this short. Ramsdal has been working mostly with literature (she is also a published author), while Semec is a film photographer.
Semec says the short format can give a better opportunity to try out one’s thoughts and ideas:
“As a photographer, I often experience that there is more freedom to play in the short format. One is not as scared of taking chances!”
Ramsdal explains that it’s both challenging and fun to work with shorts.
”Shorts are closer to the poem. For many, it’s a stepping stone towards the feature film, but I think it’s a nice genre in its own – it has room for experiments.”
“Hangman” has been screened at several festivals both in Norway and abroad, and on March 1, 2 and 9, it was to be seen at the New York International Children's Film Festival, alongside other international shorts made for kids ages 8 to 14.
Silje Bekeng / Royal Norwegian Consulate General in New York