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1 2009 spring<br />
news <strong>of</strong> norway<br />
film<br />
issue<br />
pages 2-9<br />
page 12<br />
norway’s world champion chef<br />
Volume 67
film issue<br />
dear reader,<br />
Even though <strong>Norway</strong> has had its own<br />
film industry since the silent movie era,<br />
with few exceptions – such as when<br />
“Kon-Tiki” won an Oscar in 1951 – it catered<br />
mostly to a domestic audience. Traditionally,<br />
Norwegians <strong>of</strong>ten have preferred foreign<br />
movies, especially those made in Hollywood.<br />
Norwegian filmmakers<br />
worked in<br />
the shadow <strong>of</strong><br />
Sweden through<br />
the 1960s and ‘70s<br />
with names such as<br />
Ingmar Bergman<br />
in the spotlight,<br />
and in the 1980s, it<br />
was Danish film,<br />
with Lars von Trier<br />
and his “dogma”<br />
concept movies<br />
and his disciples,<br />
that won international<br />
acclaim.<br />
However, there has<br />
long been an international awareness <strong>of</strong><br />
Scandinavian filmmaking and its unique perspective<br />
on the human condition.<br />
The good news is that in the last 15 years<br />
we have seen a remarkable surge <strong>of</strong><br />
Norwegian films, reflecting contemporary<br />
life and human challenges. Many <strong>of</strong> these<br />
films have received awards at major film festivals<br />
in Europe and North America. There are<br />
some key explanations to why we now see a<br />
vibrant and internationally recognized<br />
Norwegian movie industry. Firstly, we need<br />
PHOTO BY ARILD STRØMMEN<br />
to go back to the 1980s, when commercial TV<br />
arrived in <strong>Norway</strong>. With it came new job<br />
opportunities for filmmakers to make TV<br />
commercials for the domestic and international<br />
markets. A lot <strong>of</strong> creativity was released,<br />
and Norwegian commercials became cool and<br />
won major prizes abroad with their particular<br />
brand <strong>of</strong> humorous storytelling.<br />
Young and unknown filmmakers gained<br />
the confidence they needed to move to short<br />
films and feature movies. Secondly, the establishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Lillehammer Film Academy<br />
increased interest in filmmaking and laid the<br />
foundation for a larger and more pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
filmmaking community. Finally, the government<br />
made the strategic decision to substantially<br />
increase long-term funding <strong>of</strong><br />
Norwegian film production. Since then, the<br />
cultural policy has been to fund many film<br />
projects, both the small and independent films<br />
in addition to the more commercial ones.<br />
Today, we are reaping the fruits <strong>of</strong> this<br />
investment. As someone involved in public<br />
diplomacy, I cannot think <strong>of</strong> many other<br />
forms <strong>of</strong> communication that so effectively<br />
can tell a story about my country and help<br />
place it not only in people’s minds, but also in<br />
their hearts. You can read more about<br />
Norwegian films and actors in this issue <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>News</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong>. Many <strong>of</strong> the Norwegian<br />
movies presented here are available at better<br />
stocked DVD stores around the United States,<br />
are sold on the internet, and are frequently<br />
screened at film festivals and independent<br />
movie theaters in larger cities. Do take the<br />
time to see some <strong>of</strong> them!<br />
jannicke jaeger, counselor <strong>of</strong> communications,<br />
royal norwegian embassy<br />
Royal Norwegian Embassy<br />
2720 34th. St., NW<br />
Washington, D.C. 20008<br />
(202) 333-6000<br />
www.norway.org<br />
AMBASSADOR<br />
Wegger Chr. Strommen<br />
COUNSELOR, COMMUNICATIONS<br />
Jannicke Jaeger<br />
EDITOR<br />
Arild Strommen<br />
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT<br />
Eli Havn<br />
SUBSCRIPTION<br />
<strong>News</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong> (ISSN: 0028-9272)<br />
is published by the Royal Norwegian<br />
Embassy in Washington, D.C. The<br />
magazine was founded in 1941 and<br />
reaches 37,000 subscribers in the United<br />
States and Canada. For a free subscription,<br />
write or call with your name and<br />
address, or send an email to<br />
subscription@norway.org<br />
Norwegian<br />
film through<br />
100 years<br />
by ingerid lund & eli havn<br />
1906/1908:<br />
The first film produced in<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> has been lost and<br />
source material is ambiguous.<br />
Produced by Hugo Hermansen in<br />
1906 or 1908, it was entitled<br />
"Dangers <strong>of</strong> a Fisherman's Life"<br />
("Fiskerlivets farer") or "A Drama<br />
at Sea" ("Et drama paa havet").<br />
1931:<br />
<strong>Norway</strong>'s first movie with<br />
sound, "The Big Christening," is<br />
released, written by Tancred<br />
Ibsen, grandson <strong>of</strong> authors<br />
Henrik Ibsen and Bjørnstjerne<br />
Bjørnson. The 30s were a time<br />
<strong>of</strong> growth and heightened popularity<br />
for the film industry.<br />
2 | news <strong>of</strong> norway | spring 2009<br />
PHOTOS IN TIMELINE COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE
film<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE<br />
Aksel Henie stars in World War II drama<br />
“Max Manus.” It is the second most<br />
seen Norwegian movie <strong>of</strong> all time.<br />
record year for norwegian film<br />
by eli havn<br />
The biggest Norwegian box-<strong>of</strong>fice success <strong>of</strong> 2008 was the<br />
World War II drama “Max Manus,” which premiered in mid-<br />
December, and is still running in Norwegian movie theaters.<br />
According to NRK TV, 140,500 tickets were sold during the opening<br />
weekend, 40,000 tickets more than the previous record. “Max<br />
Manus” is the second most seen Norwegian film in <strong>Norway</strong> ever –<br />
one in four Norwegians have seen it to date. One has to go back to<br />
1975 to find the most seen film ever, “Pinchcliff Grand Prix.” “Max<br />
Manus” is one <strong>of</strong> the most expensive Norwegian films ever made<br />
and is based on the true story <strong>of</strong> World War II resistance hero Max<br />
Manus. It is nominated for nine 2009 Canon awards, which are<br />
awarded by the people in the film industry, like the Academy<br />
Awards.<br />
Nils Gaup’s “The Kautokeino Rebellion” came in as the second<br />
most seen Norwegian film in 2008. The film is set in 1852 in the<br />
north <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong> and deals with a native Sami uprising.<br />
Traditionally, foreign film has captured most <strong>of</strong> the Norwegian<br />
market, but last year a total <strong>of</strong> 23 Norwegian films premiered,<br />
accounting for an all-time high <strong>of</strong> 22.5 percent <strong>of</strong> movie goers.<br />
Among the five most seen films in <strong>Norway</strong>, two <strong>of</strong> them were<br />
Norwegian (“Max Manus” and “The Kautokeino Rebellion”) and<br />
among the top 20, five were Norwegian. (In addition to the two<br />
already mentioned were “Long Flat Balls II,” “Cold Prey II,” and<br />
“The Man who loved Yngve.”)<br />
Norwegian director Bent Hamer believes that the Norwegian<br />
film industry is experiencing success because it has become<br />
braver. “From the middle <strong>of</strong> the 1990s, the industry has taken<br />
chances and seen that things work. I am very optimistic about the<br />
future.” Trond Espen Seim, a popular Norwegian actor, says, “There<br />
is a totally different confidence in the film industry now.”<br />
Since the 1990s, Norwegian films have not only become very<br />
popular with Norwegian audiences, but have also gotten more attention<br />
from abroad. Several Norwegian films have been exported and<br />
received international awards. In the first two months <strong>of</strong> 2009, the<br />
film “North” premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and<br />
“Dead Snow” screened at Robert Redford’s Sundance Festival in<br />
Utah. To keep the film industry moving forward, the Norwegian<br />
government has allocated an all time high <strong>of</strong> almost $100 million in<br />
production support for Norwegian film.<br />
1951:<br />
The documentary "Kon-Tiki" by<br />
Norwegian explorer and writer<br />
Thor Heyerdahl wins an Oscar<br />
for documentary feature at the<br />
24th Academy Awards. It is the<br />
only feature film in Norwegian<br />
history to win an Academy<br />
award.<br />
1957:<br />
Film director Arne Skouen's<br />
"Nine Lives" is released. The<br />
movie is nominated for an Oscar<br />
and a Golden Palm. In 1991<br />
Norwegian television audiences<br />
vote the movie the best<br />
Norwegian feature film ever<br />
made.<br />
www.norway.org | 3
y arild strommen<br />
norway’s no 1 director<br />
Norwegian film director Harald Zwart goes to Beijing in May this<br />
year to start making a new version <strong>of</strong> “Karate Kid.” “New<br />
movie scripts come across my desk all the time,” Zwart said.<br />
“The best ones already have stars attached.” “Karate Kid” will be produced<br />
by Will Smith and star his son Jaden and Jackie Chan.<br />
With his feet firmly planted in Hollywood and as the person behind<br />
Norwegian blockbusters such as “Long Flat Balls” and its sequel,<br />
Zwart is arguably the most accomplished filmmaker to come out <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Norway</strong>. He claims not to have gone out <strong>of</strong> his way to promote himself,<br />
but always concentrated on creating a good product. “If you are<br />
good enough, Hollywood will track you down,” he said.<br />
About 10 years ago, he received a phone call from the agency<br />
International Creative Management, with an invitation to have lunch<br />
with Steven Spielberg in Los Angeles. Zwart already had a successful<br />
career producing commercials in the United Kingdom, and Spielberg<br />
had been impressed by the Norwegian director’s show reel. “Having<br />
lunch with Spielberg opened many doors,” Zwart said. It most significantly<br />
led him to directing “One Night at McCool’s,” starring Liv<br />
Tyler, Michael Douglas, Matt Dillon, and Paul Reiser. A black comedy<br />
about three men who fall in love with the same woman on the same<br />
night, the film showcased Zwart’s talent for complex narrative, edgy<br />
humor, and inspired casting.<br />
Zwart went on to shoot “Agent Cody Banks,” an action film starring<br />
Frankie Muniz and Hilary Duff in the story <strong>of</strong> a teen secret agent<br />
with the tag line: “The CIA spent $10 million on his training, but didn’t<br />
teach him how to talk to women.”<br />
“Michael Douglas became a mentor <strong>of</strong> sorts,” Zwart said. And<br />
through Douglas he met Steve Martin, who was the lead in “The Pink<br />
Panther II,” which Zwart directed in 2008. The movie got a lukewarm<br />
reception by critics, something Zwart seemed unfazed by. “Our target<br />
audience was not critics or those who always will think that anyone<br />
other than Peter Sellers can’t be the Pink Panther. It is like when you<br />
make a movie based on a book, people who loved that book will think<br />
the book was better than the movie,” he said. Producer, and wife,<br />
Veslemøy Ruud Zwart chimed in: “If you feel you always have to take<br />
other people’s opinions into account, it can block your creativity.” She<br />
feels a movie based on something that already exists should still be a<br />
stand-alone product, something new, which also goes for the upcoming<br />
“Karate Kid.” It is not meant to be a movie for those who grew up with<br />
Ralph Maccio in the lead. “We want to make a movie for a new generation,<br />
those who haven’t seen ‘Karate Kid,’” she said.<br />
Veslemøy Ruud Zwart is founder and chief executive <strong>of</strong> the feature<br />
company Zwart Arbeid and the commercial production company<br />
Motion Blur, operating in <strong>Norway</strong> and Los Angeles. According to<br />
Harald, she is the backbone <strong>of</strong> their filmmaking operation. “She has<br />
extraordinary creative flair and pushes me to do my best. She is inseparable<br />
from my success,” he said. The filmmaking couple will now<br />
spend three months in China working on “Karate Kid.”<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE<br />
1949<br />
Edith Carlmar, <strong>Norway</strong>'s first<br />
female director, debutes with<br />
the film "Death is a Caress", a<br />
film considered to be <strong>Norway</strong>'s<br />
first film noir." She made 10 feature<br />
films between 1949 and<br />
1959.<br />
1959:<br />
Liv Ullmann is cast in her first<br />
starring role in Edith Carlmar’s<br />
"The Wayward Girl" ("Ung flukt").<br />
Carlmar’s critically acclaimed<br />
films <strong>of</strong>ten sparked public<br />
debate, and are today considered<br />
classics.<br />
4 | news <strong>of</strong> norway | spring 2009
los angeles celebrates 10<br />
years <strong>of</strong> nordic film<br />
by ann christin eng & liecel tverli scully<br />
In January, the 10th Scandinavian Film<br />
Festival in Los Angeles showcased riveting<br />
drama, zany comedies, and haunting<br />
imagery. Four Norwegian films were screened<br />
this year at the Writers Guild Theatre in<br />
Beverly Hills.<br />
The inspiration to create the festival came<br />
from an interest in Nordic film and a desire to<br />
share it with the American audience, founder<br />
and director James Koenig explained. “In a<br />
way, Scandinavian Film Festival L.A. was<br />
inspired by Liv Ullmann. About a dozen years<br />
ago, an organization called Women in Film,<br />
along with the Norwegian and Danish consulates<br />
sponsored a screening <strong>of</strong> Ullmann’s<br />
directorial debut ‘Sophie.’ She was there<br />
along with a small audience. I couldn’t help<br />
but think, ‘There are wonderful Nordic films<br />
like this, and people here don’t get the chance<br />
to see them.’ People need to see such films,”<br />
Koenig said. He then set out to create an<br />
annual opportunity to see films from the five<br />
Nordic countries – including as many as possible<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Nordic Oscar submissions, feature<br />
films, shorts, and documentaries.<br />
“The response has been great. It is clear<br />
that there is interest in Nordic film in<br />
Hollywood. Now in our 10th year we are<br />
proud to have regulars who see nearly every<br />
screening – industry pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, film<br />
lovers, and homesick Nordics.” Increased<br />
interest and the growth <strong>of</strong> the festival are in<br />
many ways connected to current cultural and<br />
technological changes. Koenig points out that<br />
the diversity <strong>of</strong> the American population has<br />
made the country more used to linguistic<br />
diversity and subtitles, opening up the market<br />
for foreign films. “Film is a nexus <strong>of</strong> art and<br />
technology, and business. Technology is<br />
increasing accessibility. Accessibility translates<br />
to increased interest,” he said.<br />
Norwegian films screened this year<br />
included “Peer Gynt from the Streets,” Harald<br />
Zwart’s comedy “Long Flat Balls II,” “Dead<br />
Cold,” set in 2020 when the Gulf Stream has<br />
disappeared and the northern areas are frozen<br />
over, and “The Kautokeino Rebellion.” The<br />
last chronicles a Sami uprising in northern<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> in 1852, directed by a descendant <strong>of</strong><br />
the rebellion. “After screening Nils Gaup’s<br />
wonderful Kautokeino Rebellion, I received<br />
letters <strong>of</strong> gratitude from a lawyer who has<br />
handled major cases defending the rights <strong>of</strong><br />
Native Americans, and from a Native<br />
American producer working for a film studio,”<br />
Koenig said.<br />
The film festival <strong>of</strong>fers important networking<br />
opportunities for film pr<strong>of</strong>essionals<br />
and Koenig has witnessed it giving rise to further<br />
collaborations: “A Norwegian cinematographer<br />
who was working here met<br />
Danish director Bille August at our festival<br />
and ended up working with him. Norwegian<br />
director Erik Poppe, at the festival with his<br />
film, ‘Hawaii Oslo,’ connected with both an<br />
agent and North American management via<br />
introductions at the festival. I’ve kept the<br />
thank you note from the agent. Filmmakers<br />
attending the festival have found distributors<br />
for theatrical and DVD releases,” Koenig<br />
said. According to the festival director,<br />
Norwegian film has something essentially<br />
Nordic to it, dealing with life, death, love,<br />
hate, fear, identity, immigration, alienation,<br />
and other human issues, which the American<br />
audience is readily able to identify with.<br />
WHERE TO SEE NORWEGIAN FILM<br />
film<br />
“The Kautokeino Rebellion,” the second most seen Norwegian film in 2008, chronicles<br />
a Sami uprising in northern <strong>Norway</strong> in 1852. It is directed by Nils Gaup, a descendant<br />
<strong>of</strong> the rebellion. It was one <strong>of</strong> four Norwegian films showed in Los Angeles in January.<br />
Los Angeles Scandinavian Film Festival<br />
Los Angeles, Calif., January<br />
www.scandinavianfilmfestivalla.com<br />
Austin Scandinavian Film Fest<br />
Austin, Texas, February<br />
www.scandinavianfilmfest.com/austin<br />
Denver Scandinavian Film Fest<br />
Denver, Colo., March/April<br />
wwwscandinavianfilmfest.com/denver<br />
Scandinavia House Films<br />
New York, year-round<br />
www.scandinaviahouse.org<br />
Seattle Scandinavian Film Fest<br />
Seattle, Wash., October<br />
www.scandinavianfilmfest.com/seattle<br />
Twin Cities Nordic Lights Film Fest<br />
Minneapolis, Minn., November<br />
www.scandinavianfilmfest.com/twincities<br />
PHOTO BY NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE<br />
1965:<br />
"The Heroes <strong>of</strong> Telemark" starring<br />
Kirk Douglas is based on<br />
the true story <strong>of</strong> the Norwegian<br />
heavy water sabotage at<br />
Rjukan, <strong>Norway</strong>, which denied<br />
the Germans the ability to<br />
develop a nuclear bomb during<br />
World War II.<br />
1975:<br />
The most widely seen<br />
Norwegian film <strong>of</strong> all time,<br />
"Pinchcliffe Grand Prix" ("Flåklypa<br />
Grand Prix"), is released. The<br />
stop motion animated feature<br />
directed by Ivo Caprino has sold<br />
5.5 million tickets since its<br />
release.<br />
www.norway.org | 5
“troubled<br />
water” to<br />
be remade<br />
in hollywood<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE<br />
by erlend haugen<br />
Norwegian filmmaker Erik Poppe’s “Troubled<br />
Water” (De Usynlige) took home the Hamptons<br />
International Film Festival’s top Golden Starfish<br />
prize for a narrative feature along with its audience<br />
award in October 2008. “Troubled Water” is now getting<br />
a Hollywood remake by producer Basil Iwanyk,<br />
who made “Firewall” and “Clash <strong>of</strong> the Titans.”<br />
“People were incredibly touched by this movie,”<br />
Poppe said after the awards ceremony at the Regal<br />
Cinemas in East Hamptons. “They asked questions<br />
about the story, the acting, and my storytelling.”<br />
“Troubled Water” is the third film in a trilogy starting<br />
with renowned “Schpaa” and “Hawaii, Oslo.” The<br />
movie brings up existential questions regarding guilt,<br />
responsibility, betrayal, care, and love in a contemporary<br />
plot. How do you find light, joy, and purpose in life<br />
after a blow <strong>of</strong> fate<br />
Jan Thomas is released from prison after having<br />
served eight years – for what may have been an<br />
accident or murder. Being a divinely gifted organist,<br />
he gets a deputyship at a church. The priest is Anna,<br />
a single mother to whom Jan Thomas soon finds himself<br />
attracted. He decides not to tell her about his past, but<br />
then Agnes, a teacher, comes on a school visit to the<br />
church. She recognizes the organist Jan Thomas as the<br />
young boy who was convicted <strong>of</strong> the murder <strong>of</strong> her son.<br />
When Basil Iwanyk and Icelandic-born Joni<br />
Sighvatsson remake the movie, they will keep the title<br />
“Troubled Water” in the English-language version.<br />
PHOTO BY HAAKON NORDVIK<br />
1985:<br />
The Norwegian equivalent <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Academy Awards, the Amanda<br />
award, is created. The award is<br />
presented during the annual<br />
Norwegian Film Festival in<br />
Haugesund.<br />
1987:<br />
"The Pathfinder" ("Veiviseren") by<br />
Nils Gaup is nominated for an<br />
Oscar in the best foreign film<br />
category. He has made several<br />
films with and about indigenous<br />
Sami, including “The Kautokeino<br />
Rebellion,” the second most<br />
seen Norwegian film in 2008<br />
6 | news <strong>of</strong> norway | spring 2009
film<br />
worth<br />
the ride<br />
by anne myklebust<br />
Usually, the old adage, “this is the first day <strong>of</strong> the rest <strong>of</strong> your<br />
life,” exudes comfort rather than despair. But in the Norwegian<br />
film “O’Horten,” aging train driver Odd Horten finds anything<br />
but comfort in contemplating his future. And he will have to face the<br />
rest <strong>of</strong> his days sooner rather than later, as he only has one last train to<br />
steer across the mountains <strong>of</strong> western <strong>Norway</strong> before retirement looms.<br />
This delightful mixture <strong>of</strong> melancholy and comedy opens in U.S. theaters<br />
in May this year.<br />
“O’Horten” is written and directed by Bent Hamer, a name which<br />
will sound familiar to many film buffs. Three years ago, Hamer directed<br />
the U.S. film “Factotum,” an adaptation <strong>of</strong> a novel by Charles<br />
Bukowski, which featured Matt Dillon and Marisa Tomei. “O’Horten,”<br />
Hamer’s fifth feature, is more mellow than the poignant “Kitchen<br />
Stories,” which has become a staple <strong>of</strong> contemporary Scandinavian<br />
filmmaking.<br />
“O’Horten” explores the familiar, yet never boring, theme <strong>of</strong> locating<br />
a stable platform in one’s existence. For Odd Horten, that platform<br />
is – literally as well as figuratively – his job. When he realizes that his<br />
future existence is one without fixed timetables or familiar destinations,<br />
the ground no longer feels so solid under his feet.<br />
As one has come to expect from Hamer, the film’s depth lies in its<br />
direction as much as in its dialogue. Hamer has taken great care<br />
to ensure that all parts <strong>of</strong> the film reflect just how central the railroad<br />
is to Horten’s life. In the opening segments, we see that even his<br />
small apartment lies in the shadow <strong>of</strong> the tracks.<br />
The film’s well-rounded production package has not gone unnoticed<br />
by U.S. critics, and was described as “aces,” by Variety’s Alissa<br />
Simon, who states that the film, “provides a warm and gently humorous<br />
divertissement that should be appreciated by niche arthouse auds<br />
worldwide.”<br />
The thought that went into the creation <strong>of</strong> the soundtrack underlines<br />
the quality <strong>of</strong> the film. John Erik Kaada, described by<br />
Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet as “<strong>Norway</strong>’s film music<br />
guru,” has done an excellent job accentuating the sparse dialogue. His<br />
music becomes a voice just as significant as those <strong>of</strong> the film's characters.<br />
As Alexis Madden states in a review for Moving Pictures:<br />
“Kaada’s score subtly influences the viewer’s mood, adding the underlying<br />
magic from which the audience can feel the film as well as<br />
observe it.”<br />
As one would suspect, creating this “underlying magic” was anything<br />
but easy. In an exclusive interview, John Erik Kaada commented<br />
on the collaborative process <strong>of</strong> creating this unique soundtrack. “The<br />
collaboration between the director and the writer varies from film to<br />
film. In some productions, we literally work side by side, while in others,<br />
one is left alone to make the music, and the director will leave most<br />
decisions to the composer. I’m not really sure which method <strong>of</strong> working<br />
I prefer. Somewhere in between would be ideal. Which was the<br />
case with O’Horten. The whole process began with me sending a series<br />
<strong>of</strong> snippets and suggestions on a couple <strong>of</strong> CDs. Then Bent would<br />
select what he liked the most, and I would work from there. This was<br />
before shooting started. Often I get ideas from reading the script, in<br />
which case I will start recording immediately,” the composer said.<br />
Considering Kaada’s success in <strong>Norway</strong>, one might not expect him<br />
to dream about working on a U.S. production in the future. As it turns<br />
out, he does. “I am <strong>of</strong>ten envious <strong>of</strong> composers who are able to be<br />
overtly pompous, and create music with a huge orchestra. There are not<br />
a lot <strong>of</strong> Norwegian films this would work for – “O’Horten,” would certainly<br />
not be one <strong>of</strong> them. Bent Hamer’s characters are so frail. It is difficult<br />
to find the balance between how much music and pomposity one<br />
can add. Usually, with these kinds <strong>of</strong> films, it is the simple things that<br />
work best.”<br />
PHOTO BY JOACHIM DRAGELAND ISAKSEN<br />
1997:<br />
"The Other Side <strong>of</strong> Sunday"<br />
("Søndagsengler") by Berit<br />
Nesheim is nominated for an<br />
Oscar in the best foreign film<br />
category, and subsequently<br />
released in movie theaters in<br />
the United States.<br />
2002:<br />
Director Petter Næss's "Elling" is<br />
nominated for a best foreign<br />
film Oscar. The film is based on<br />
Ingvar Ambjørnsen's novel<br />
"Blood brothers" from 1996, one<br />
<strong>of</strong> four books in a series about a<br />
neurotic Elling.<br />
www.norway.org | 7
NICOLAI CLEVE BROCH has appeared<br />
with his close friend and fellow actor Aksel Hennie<br />
in several films, and the two are considered by<br />
many to be Norwegian film's dynamic duo. Cleve<br />
Broch is known for going all out to get into character.<br />
For his most recent role in the wartime drama<br />
"Max Manus," his hair was bleached so extensively<br />
that his hair actually began falling out. The 33-year<br />
old's interest in acting came by way <strong>of</strong> a Dungeons<br />
and Dragons-style live-role-playing game in the forest,<br />
after he got tired <strong>of</strong> sitting in his room "pretending<br />
to be an elf." The actor always strives to<br />
give the audience something new: "The audience<br />
needs to be educated. I have never really understood<br />
why people want to see the same thing over<br />
and over again." Cleve Broch is married to<br />
Norwegian actress Heidi Gjermundsen. He got his<br />
breakthrough in the film "Buddy" in 2003. He has<br />
also appeared in "UNO" (2004), "Uro" (2006), and<br />
"Cold Lunch" (2007).<br />
ANE DAHL TORP works in film and theater. When she<br />
works in the theater, she brings her dog, the Norfolk terrier<br />
Jonas, to work every day. The 33-year-old used to live in Molde,<br />
where she felt like "the loneliest actress in Norwegian history":<br />
"Several times I sat in bars with my gin and tonic, pretending to<br />
scout for people I was waiting for." Dahl Torp claims to have<br />
once forgotten her purse, forcing her to substitute a grocery<br />
store bag for it on the red carpet. Dahl Torp has received an<br />
Amanda award for her role in the film "Comrade Pedersen"<br />
(2006). She also starred in "Uro" (2006). Currently, she<br />
can be seen in Norwegian movie theaters in<br />
Tommy Wirkola's "Dead Snow," which<br />
screened at Robert Redford's Sundance<br />
Festival in Utah in February, and will<br />
be released in the United States<br />
later this year.<br />
INGRID BOLSØ BERDAL hails from Nord Trøndelag<br />
in <strong>Norway</strong>. She was the lead in the thriller "Cold Pray" and in the<br />
sequel, "Cold Pray II," both box <strong>of</strong>fice successes. Twenty-nineyear-old<br />
Bolsø Berdal also starred in "Comrade Pedersen,"<br />
"Sons," and "House <strong>of</strong> Fools." When preparing for "House <strong>of</strong><br />
Fools," she admitted herself to a psychiatric ward for 24 hours<br />
for research. "It was an important experience. I am humble that I<br />
was allowed to stay there," she said. In 2007, she won an award<br />
for using her own regional dialect in films and her conscious<br />
use <strong>of</strong> dialect has become a big part <strong>of</strong> her image. This year she<br />
will be jury chairman <strong>of</strong> the Amandus festival, a Norwegian film<br />
festival for youths and children, which celebrates young filmmakers.<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE<br />
PIA TJELTA made her film<br />
in 2001 with "Mongoland," shot<br />
hometown, Stavanger. According<br />
year-old Tjelta, if she had not be<br />
accepted by the Norwegian Nati<br />
Academy <strong>of</strong> Theater she would h<br />
majored in child welfare. Before<br />
became a film actress, she toure<br />
Europe with a theater company.<br />
adamant that self-confidence is<br />
something that comes naturally<br />
"Everyone needs acceptance an<br />
confirmation that she is needed,<br />
that she matters, and that she is<br />
good at what she does. Me<br />
too." Norwegian TV2 called<br />
her "the first lady <strong>of</strong><br />
Stavanger," because <strong>of</strong><br />
her looks and popularity.<br />
Tjelta, who<br />
was last seen in<br />
"Fallen<br />
Angels,"<br />
also starred<br />
in "Buddy"<br />
and "Cold<br />
Lunch."<br />
norw<br />
MARIA BONNEVIE<br />
Maria Bonnevie was born in Swe<br />
to a Norwegian actress and a<br />
Swedish actor. She grew up in Os<br />
and graduated from the Swedish<br />
National Academy <strong>of</strong> Mime and<br />
Acting in 1997. She debuted in 19<br />
with "The Polar Bear King" and "<br />
White Viking." Thirty-five-year-old<br />
Bonnevie has said that starring in<br />
the films changed her life: "I was<br />
young girl with bad self-esteem, w<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten blushed. I was not very goo<br />
in school and not very popular.<br />
Therefore it was a great experien<br />
to become the center <strong>of</strong> everyone<br />
attention." Five years after her<br />
debut, she got her breakthrough<br />
the film "Jerusalem." Bonnevie is<br />
also known for her lead role in "I<br />
Dina." Bonnevie was last seen in<br />
Russian film, "The Banishment."<br />
2005:<br />
Actor/director/writer Aksel<br />
Hennie is awarded the Silver<br />
Tower at the 2005 Palic<br />
International Film Festival in<br />
Yugoslavia for an "extraordinary<br />
combination <strong>of</strong> action, writing,<br />
and directing skills" in the feature<br />
film "UNO."<br />
2006:<br />
The Norwegian/Canadian animated<br />
short film "The Danish<br />
Poet," directed by Norwegian<br />
Torill Kove, and narrated by Liv<br />
Ullmann, wins an Oscar in the<br />
animated short film category –<br />
the second Norwegian film to<br />
receive an Academy award.<br />
8 | news <strong>of</strong> norway | spring 2009
debut<br />
in her<br />
to 31-<br />
en<br />
nal<br />
ave<br />
she<br />
d<br />
She is<br />
not<br />
to her:<br />
d<br />
KRISTOFFER JONER<br />
has starred in "Dark Woods,"<br />
"Next Door," and "Mongoland."<br />
According to Joner, who has<br />
recovered from a drinking problem,<br />
but still smokes up to 50<br />
cigarettes per day, he leads a<br />
complicated life. "A world without<br />
problems will soon become<br />
dull," he claimed. He considers<br />
himself to be slightly neurotic<br />
and he is afraid <strong>of</strong> (among other<br />
things) flying and deep water.<br />
He is known for his strong<br />
opinions when it comes to<br />
issues such as the justice system<br />
and the Norwegian policy<br />
on drugs. Thirty-six-year-old<br />
Joner applied three times for<br />
the theater academy, but never<br />
got in. Still, he has played more<br />
roles in film than any other<br />
Norwegian actor since 2000. He<br />
was awarded the audience's<br />
prize for Best Norwegian Male<br />
Film Actor <strong>of</strong> the Century in<br />
2005.<br />
film<br />
TROND ESPEN SEIM is best known<br />
for his role as private investigator Varg Veum<br />
in a film and TV series based on popular crime<br />
novels by Gunnar Staalesen. He has also<br />
starred in "Hawaii, Oslo" and "Troubled Water."<br />
The 37-year old claims he has two rules he has<br />
to abide by in relation to acting: "I must avoid<br />
acting in my regular underpants and I have to<br />
brush my teeth before every performance."<br />
Seim has the Latin words for "perpetual motion<br />
machine" tattooed on his chest. He is always<br />
optimistic: "If you want something bad enough,<br />
you will find a way to make it happen," he said.<br />
en<br />
lo,<br />
91,<br />
The<br />
gian stars by eli havn<br />
AKSEL HENIE has become one <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong>'s favorite<br />
actors. At the age <strong>of</strong> 17, he was one <strong>of</strong> the first in <strong>Norway</strong> to be<br />
convicted <strong>of</strong> graffiti-tagging. This experience later became the<br />
basis <strong>of</strong> the film "UNO," which he wrote, directed, and starred in.<br />
Director Joachim Rønning has called the 33-year old a man "who<br />
is not afraid to stand up for others, even if he has to bleed for it."<br />
Known for his extensive repertoire, Hennie's roles have<br />
included a bodybuilder on steroids ("UNO"), an angel<br />
("Through a Glass, Darkly"), a self-absorbed gay man<br />
("Cold Lunch"), and most recently a lead role as a<br />
World War II resistance hero ("Max Manus"). "Max<br />
Manus" was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong>'s largest box-<strong>of</strong>fice<br />
successes ever, in 2008/09.<br />
a<br />
ho<br />
d<br />
ce<br />
's<br />
in<br />
Am<br />
a<br />
2008:<br />
Director Erik Poppe’s “Troubled<br />
Water” (“De Usynlige”) wins<br />
both the Golden Starfish for best<br />
narrative feature and the audience<br />
award at the 16th Annual<br />
Hamptons International Film<br />
Festival. (See page 6)<br />
2008:<br />
Norwegian directors Joachim<br />
Rønning and Espen Sandberg’s<br />
biographic World War II drama<br />
“Max Manus” is released. It’s the<br />
most expensive film ever made<br />
in <strong>Norway</strong>, and the second<br />
most widely seen Norwegian<br />
film ever. (See page 3)<br />
www.norway.org/culture/film | 9
Q&A – Congressman Earl Pomeroy<br />
Congressman Earl Pomeroy is a founder<br />
and co-chairman <strong>of</strong> the Friends <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Norway</strong> Caucus in the House <strong>of</strong><br />
Representatives – a forum for dialogue and<br />
exchange <strong>of</strong> views between U.S. and<br />
Norwegian politicians on issues, interests, priorities,<br />
and policies, between <strong>Norway</strong> and the<br />
United States, and globally.<br />
What is the Friends <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong> Caucus<br />
I formed the Friends <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong> Caucus in<br />
1999 with retired Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN)<br />
to further enrich the relationship between the<br />
United States and <strong>Norway</strong>. According to the<br />
most recent U.S. census, there are more than 5<br />
million Norwegian-Americans. North Dakota,<br />
the state which I represent, has the largest percentage<br />
<strong>of</strong> Norwegian-Americans, with over<br />
30 percent <strong>of</strong> my state's population claiming<br />
Norwegian descent. My constituents have<br />
deep ties with <strong>Norway</strong>, and I wanted to create<br />
a congressional entity that could further connections<br />
between our two countries.<br />
What are the areas <strong>of</strong> concern to your constituents<br />
with regards to <strong>Norway</strong> In what<br />
ways do they wish to have links to <strong>Norway</strong><br />
Norwegian-Americans in North Dakota care a<br />
great deal about our tourism, culture, and heritage<br />
connections with <strong>Norway</strong>. In fact, the<br />
largest Norwegian festival in the United<br />
States, Norsk Høstfest, is held in Minot, North<br />
Dakota each year. North Dakota also hosts the<br />
largest tour operator in the United States for<br />
taking Americans to <strong>Norway</strong>.<br />
North Dakota shares a strong connection<br />
with <strong>Norway</strong> through our university systems.<br />
For a decade or more, the University <strong>of</strong> North<br />
Dakota has hosted more students from<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> than any other university in North<br />
America. Moreover, the leaders <strong>of</strong> the university<br />
are working towards strong, reciprocal<br />
student and faculty exchanges in <strong>Norway</strong> in<br />
areas like law, medicine, entrepreneurship,<br />
and engineering.<br />
Interestingly enough, my state, like<br />
<strong>Norway</strong>, has a great potential to produce energy.<br />
People from my area look to <strong>Norway</strong> to<br />
see if its enhanced oil recovery technologies<br />
may be helpful to our efforts. In fact, a<br />
Norwegian company is currently working on<br />
putting together a strategic alliance to produce<br />
wind energy in North Dakota, using their<br />
expertise developed in northern <strong>Norway</strong>.<br />
How has the caucus been useful to you<br />
The U.S. has a strong bond with <strong>Norway</strong>. Our<br />
interests are strategic in nature as we both<br />
work to bring peace and stability to troubled<br />
10 | news <strong>of</strong> norway | spring 2009<br />
spots in the world. We appreciate our friendship<br />
with <strong>Norway</strong>, and have been able to use<br />
the caucus to build upon the bonds between us<br />
founded on our shared values <strong>of</strong> freedom,<br />
democracy, free markets, and human dignity.<br />
Our governments work well together diplomatically,<br />
militarily, and economically. But<br />
for me and my constituents in North Dakota,<br />
this connection is personal. The caucus provides<br />
an opportunity to foster those good<br />
friendships.<br />
What do you expect to achieve by being<br />
engaged in the caucus<br />
I want to foster understanding between our<br />
two nations. <strong>Norway</strong> is more modern and<br />
high-tech than many Americans understand,<br />
and Americans are more diverse, kind-hearted,<br />
and generous than many Norwegians<br />
understand from what they see on television.<br />
Some Norwegians come to New York, Los<br />
Angeles, Las Vegas, or Disney World and<br />
think they have experienced the United States.<br />
Instead, I invite folks to come to the Great<br />
Plains, where so many Norwegian descendents<br />
live, to fully understand what is in the<br />
hearts and minds <strong>of</strong> Americans.<br />
We have much to learn from each other,<br />
and much to gain through working together.<br />
Ideally, we hope to attract more Norwegian<br />
students to study in the United States at the<br />
undergraduate and graduate levels. So many<br />
<strong>of</strong> our wonderful relationships with the leaders<br />
in <strong>Norway</strong> started with Norwegians studying<br />
here in America. I wish we had thousands<br />
<strong>of</strong> Norwegian students studying in the United<br />
States, not just hundreds.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY OF CONGRESSMAN EARL POMEROY’S OFFICE<br />
In what areas do you think <strong>Norway</strong> and the<br />
U.S. should cooperate<br />
I can think <strong>of</strong> an area where we should not<br />
cooperate - perhaps you could send us a little<br />
less lutefisk, but keep the brown cheese and<br />
Jarlsberg cheese coming! In all seriousness,<br />
there are areas where we could cooperate<br />
more, such as areas <strong>of</strong> alternative energy,<br />
energy efficiency, global warming, rural medicine,<br />
and commercializing innovation from<br />
our research entities.<br />
How would you describe the nature <strong>of</strong> U.S.-<br />
Norwegian relations<br />
Just excellent. As good friends do, we sometimes<br />
disagree, but we know we are still best<br />
<strong>of</strong> friends. We work closely together around<br />
the world to bring peace and stability to troubled<br />
spots. We work closely together in<br />
NATO and the United Nations. We both are<br />
involved in humanitarian relief in many countries.<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> invests the most per capita in<br />
foreign aid, and the United States invests the<br />
most overall. We are both committed to making<br />
the world a better place.<br />
Who is your favorite Norwegian politician<br />
<strong>of</strong>f all time<br />
Former Prime Minister and WHO Director<br />
General Gro Harlem Brundtland.<br />
Who is your favorite Norwegian artist<br />
Painter Edvard Munch.<br />
Why do your constituents/Americans <strong>of</strong><br />
Norwegian ancestry care about <strong>Norway</strong><br />
now that they live in America<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> is a very powerful brand in North<br />
Dakota because Norwegian-Americans are<br />
proud <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong>'s accomplishments, culture,<br />
history, and people. You hear North Dakotans<br />
almost apologize for only being one-quarter<br />
or half Norwegian rather then 100 percent<br />
Norwegian. <strong>Norway</strong> has advanced from being<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the poorer nations <strong>of</strong> Europe more than<br />
a century ago, whose citizens had to leave to<br />
find opportunity, to a country today that is<br />
among the richest nations <strong>of</strong> the world.<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> is now an example for other nations<br />
because <strong>of</strong> its high standard <strong>of</strong> living, high<br />
levels <strong>of</strong> education, and great opportunities<br />
for its citizens. Folks in North Dakota recognize<br />
the great accomplishments <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong><br />
and are proud <strong>of</strong> the educational, business,<br />
and deep personal connections between our<br />
two countries.
society & policy<br />
PHOTO BY SIRI WOLLAND/MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND EQUALITY<br />
“<br />
Promoting Women by Involving Men<br />
by siv helén strømland<br />
Men benefit from gender equality,” said<br />
Norwegian Minister <strong>of</strong> Equality<br />
Anniken Huitfeldt. In March, 2009,<br />
she presented the first white paper about men<br />
and gender equality for the United Nations.<br />
She brought the World Economic Report stating<br />
that <strong>Norway</strong> is the No. 1 country in the<br />
world when it comes to closing the gender<br />
gap.<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> has taken an active part in the<br />
annual U.N. Commission on the Status <strong>of</strong><br />
Women (CSW), where important issues concerning<br />
gender equality are discussed. And<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> has made an impact: “We have made<br />
valuable contributions to the U.N. about the<br />
role <strong>of</strong> women in peace processes. National<br />
Norwegian policies on gender equality also<br />
attract international attention, especially<br />
because <strong>of</strong> the increased birth rate,” Huitfeldt<br />
said.<br />
The theme <strong>of</strong> CSW this year is the sharing<br />
<strong>of</strong> responsibilities between men and women.<br />
Huitfeldt pointed out that in Norwegian politics,<br />
care-giving responsibility <strong>of</strong> men is an<br />
important issue. “In the last 10 to 15 years the<br />
male gender role has undergone tremendous<br />
change, nobody takes as much care <strong>of</strong> their<br />
own children as Norwegian men – they work<br />
less and have more responsibilities at home,”<br />
the minister said. She has met several foreign<br />
colleagues who raise their eyebrows when she<br />
tells stories about men leaving meetings at<br />
work to pick up their children from daycare.<br />
“It is important to note that men themselves<br />
also have gained much in this process. For<br />
instance, now more men report that they have<br />
close friends,” Huitfeldt explained.<br />
Being in the lead <strong>of</strong> global gender equality<br />
is an achievement, but Huitfeldt warned<br />
against Norwegians becoming too self-righteous.<br />
Even though the country has come a<br />
long way in dealing with gender inequality,<br />
the finish line has not yet been crossed. “We<br />
still have a gender-biased pr<strong>of</strong>essional scene,<br />
and women are overrepresented in lowincome,<br />
care-giving pr<strong>of</strong>essions,” she said.<br />
Also when promoting gender equality as a<br />
global norm, she recognizes the importance <strong>of</strong><br />
an adaptable perspective. “There are big differences<br />
between <strong>Norway</strong> and developing<br />
countries.” She pointed out that things that are<br />
high on the agenda in <strong>Norway</strong>, such as paternity<br />
leave, may seem very alien in a country<br />
with no maternity leave to speak <strong>of</strong>. “But it is<br />
important everywhere to recognize the interrelation<br />
between men’s care-giving responsibilities<br />
and women’s pr<strong>of</strong>essional participation,”<br />
said Huitfeldt. “For instance in industrialized<br />
countries where female participation in<br />
Anniken Huitfeldt met with fathers and their<br />
children after announcing that paternity<br />
leave will increase from six to ten weeks.<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional life has been advocated without<br />
also addressing the male care-giving responsibilities,<br />
it has proved difficult to maintain<br />
birth rates,” she added.<br />
Huitfeldt highlighted that it is important to<br />
maintain a global perspective in Norwegian<br />
politics because understanding the challenges<br />
<strong>of</strong> other countries is essential for international<br />
participation. She’s <strong>of</strong>ten asked why <strong>Norway</strong><br />
takes such an interest in global development.<br />
“It’s not because we are so much nicer than<br />
anyone else, but because we are so small,” she<br />
pointed out. “It is in our self interest, as a<br />
nation, to maintain a global perspective in our<br />
policy-making, and that we behave in a manner<br />
<strong>of</strong> solidarity towards other countries.”<br />
U.N. COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN<br />
– Annual commission about gender equality and the advancement <strong>of</strong> women<br />
– Held March 2-23, 2009<br />
– Established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1946<br />
– Priority theme 2009: The equal sharing <strong>of</strong> responsibilities between women and<br />
men, including care-giving in the context <strong>of</strong> HIV/AIDS<br />
GENDER EQUALITY IN NORWAY<br />
– World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report (2008) ranked <strong>Norway</strong> first on<br />
gender equality<br />
– 70 percent <strong>of</strong> women in <strong>Norway</strong> are employed<br />
– The fertility rate (1.9 children per woman) is among top six in Europe (2007)<br />
NORWEGIAN GENDER EQUALITY LEGISLATION<br />
– 40 percent board representation <strong>of</strong> both genders in big companies<br />
– Gender Equality Act (1978) - prohibits all discrimination on grounds <strong>of</strong> gender<br />
– Parental leave for 54 weeks that can be divided between the parents, 10 weeks<br />
reserved for the father (from July 2009)<br />
– Flexible working hours for parents with small children<br />
www.norway.org | 11
food<br />
Fried Loins <strong>of</strong> Norwegian Cod<br />
with Baked Root Vegetables<br />
and Garlic Foam<br />
Ingredients<br />
Fish<br />
2 pounds loin <strong>of</strong> Norwegian fresh cod, with skin<br />
4 cloves garlic<br />
2 branches thyme<br />
4 tablespoons butter<br />
Vegetables<br />
2 carrots<br />
2 celeriac<br />
½ turnip cabbage<br />
2 parsley roots<br />
2 tablespoons butter<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 branches thyme<br />
4 cloves garlic<br />
<strong>Norway</strong>’s World<br />
Champion Chef<br />
by eli havn<br />
Twenty-eight-year-old Geir Skeie from Fitjar on the west coast <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Norway</strong> has won the world championship for chefs – Bocuse<br />
d’Or 2009. The competition is held every two years in Lyon,<br />
France, and is the most recognized competition in the business. “It is a<br />
good feeling when everything comes together,” Skeie said.<br />
Each <strong>of</strong> the 24 contestants had to produce five dishes in five hours,<br />
and the set ingredients for the fish dish were Norwegian scallops, cod,<br />
and prawns. This corresponded well with Skeie’s food philosophy. He<br />
revealed that he prefers to cook with local ingredients – a secret to his<br />
success: “Norwegian seafood is very good, both wild and farmed. I<br />
really like local vegetables, and try to use whatever is in season,” he<br />
stated.<br />
Cooking has been Skeie’s passion since he started out in the<br />
kitchen at home at the age <strong>of</strong> 13. After winning Bocuse d’Or<br />
2009, he exclaimed: “Cooking became even more fun after I<br />
won the competition, and now I will get to travel more too.” Last year<br />
he focused all his attention on the championship, but now he will go<br />
back to his job as chef at Mathuset Solvold, a restaurant in Sandefjord<br />
in southern <strong>Norway</strong>.<br />
Fancy cooking is not all Skeie does. The top chef stated that he is<br />
inspired by the simplicity and cleanliness <strong>of</strong> the Norwegian food tradition<br />
and likes that there is “no extra fuss about it.” According to Skeie,<br />
Fårikål, the un<strong>of</strong>ficial Norwegian national dish, with lamb, cabbage,<br />
and whole black pepper, is a favorite.<br />
Foam<br />
20 ounces fish stock<br />
7 ounces cream<br />
2 tablespoons melted butter<br />
4 cloves garlic<br />
12 scalded almonds<br />
3.5 ounces dry white wine<br />
Preparation<br />
Fry the fish, skin down in vegetable oil in a frying pan on<br />
medium heat until almost finished (8 to 10 minutes). Sprinkle<br />
butter, garlic, and thyme over the fish, turn the fish, and fry<br />
for 30 seconds before serving.<br />
Peel the root vegetables and cut in same sized pieces. Drizzle<br />
with oil, butter, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bake in oven<br />
at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until tender.<br />
Slice garlic and fry until golden with almonds and vegetable<br />
oil. Add white wine and fish stock and bring to a boil. Add<br />
cream and boil for another 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.<br />
Mix in blender before serving.<br />
PHOTOS BY PAAL-ANDRÉ SCHWITAL<br />
12 | www.norway.org/food
ooks<br />
The<br />
Conqueror<br />
“<br />
by anahita yousefi<br />
Even though life is lived forward, it is always understood backward.<br />
You turn around and behold – in awe or fear – a pattern that you<br />
are not aware <strong>of</strong> having made,” Jan Kjærstad <strong>of</strong>fers in his latest<br />
novel published in the United States, “The Conqueror.”<br />
Jonas Wergeland is in prison for the murder <strong>of</strong> his wife – a beloved<br />
and celebrated television personality in <strong>Norway</strong>. Wergeland’s programs<br />
on the history <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong> hold the country in his thrall. A pr<strong>of</strong>essor is<br />
hired to write the definitive biography <strong>of</strong> Wergeland, but finds himself<br />
unable to process the astonishing volume <strong>of</strong> contradictory information<br />
he unearths – until a mysterious woman appears on his doorstep.<br />
Possessing innumerable intimate stories about Jonas, the woman details<br />
the dark side <strong>of</strong> his rise to prominence, and through her stories tries to<br />
explain what made him a murderer.<br />
Kjærstad’s latest novel <strong>of</strong>fers a compelling story as well as insight<br />
into Norwegian cultural life during the past 50 years. With a series <strong>of</strong> references<br />
to historical characters and events, the novel serves as an introduction<br />
to contemporary Norwegian society. The rise <strong>of</strong> the welfare state<br />
and emergence <strong>of</strong> the mediated society are the backdrop to which this<br />
story is told. Although the novel plays on Norwegian cultural life, it<br />
remains appealing to a wider audience through its reflections on universal<br />
themes.<br />
Combining the fictional with the factual, Kjærstad invites the reader<br />
to reflect upon the art <strong>of</strong> storytelling itself and consider all the<br />
elements that makes up a story. Fact, fiction, coherence, and contradiction<br />
melt together in a series <strong>of</strong> short, seemingly unordered chapters.<br />
This gives the narrative a form that reinforces the questioning and<br />
curiosity toward the given that is displayed throughout the novel.<br />
“The Conqueror” is the second book in the trilogy about Jonas<br />
Wergeland that consists <strong>of</strong> “The Seducer,” “The Conqueror,” and “The<br />
Discoverer.”<br />
Kjærstad is one <strong>of</strong> Scandinavia’s most prominent contemporary<br />
authors. He made his debut in 1980 with a collection <strong>of</strong> short stories<br />
titled, “The Earth Turns Quietly.” Over the years, he has written<br />
a number <strong>of</strong> novels, short stories, and essays and received numerous<br />
prizes. He was awarded the Norwegian Literary Critics Association’s<br />
Prize in 1984 for “Homo Falsus” (“The Perfect Murder”). Kjærstad was<br />
also honored with the prestigious Henrik Steffens Prize in 1998, given to<br />
Scandinavians who have significantly enriched Europe's artistic and<br />
intellectual life. In 2001, he won the Nordic Council’s Prize for<br />
Literature for “The Discoverer,” the last book in the Wergeland trilogy,<br />
which will be published in the United States in 2009.<br />
“The Conqueror,” the second book in Jan Kjærstad's trilogy,<br />
was published in the United States by Open Letter in<br />
February, 2009.<br />
PHOTOS BY WWW.OPENLETTERBOOKS.ORG<br />
spring 2009 | news <strong>of</strong> norway | 13
PHOTO BY NIGEL PARRY<br />
PHOTO BY WWW.LAGE-LUND.COM<br />
For a complete and<br />
updated calendar <strong>of</strong><br />
events please visit<br />
www.norway.org<br />
new york<br />
performing arts<br />
Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler on<br />
Broadway<br />
NEW YORK, NY, through March 29<br />
A woman <strong>of</strong> dangerous independence<br />
restrained by a conventional<br />
marriage, the newly married<br />
Hedda (Mary Louise Parker)<br />
mourns the freedom and excitement<br />
<strong>of</strong> her former life by<br />
indulging in a cruel game, amusing<br />
herself with the misfortune she<br />
inflicts on those around her.<br />
Tickets: (212) 719-1300<br />
music<br />
Guitarist Lage Lund at The<br />
Village Vanguard<br />
NEW YORK, NY, March 17<br />
through 22<br />
Norwegian jazz guitarist Lage<br />
Lund will appear at the legendary<br />
club The Village Vanguard as part<br />
<strong>of</strong> the David Sanchez quartet.<br />
Lund came to New York in 2003<br />
on a grant from the Fulbright foundation<br />
to attend the Juilliard<br />
School as the first electric guitarist<br />
in the school's 100-year history.<br />
Info: www.lage-lund.com or<br />
www.davidsanchezmusic.com<br />
14 | www.norway.org<br />
PHOTO BY MARTINE PETRA HOEL<br />
Edvard Grieg Society Concert<br />
at Yasi Piano Salon<br />
NEW YORK, NY, April 7, 7.30 pm<br />
The Edvard Grieg Society celebrates<br />
the anniversaries <strong>of</strong> Joseph<br />
Haydn and Felix Mendelsohn with<br />
a concert featuring renowned<br />
Norwegian pianist Geir Henning<br />
Braaten.<br />
Info: (212) 339-9995<br />
U.S. premiere <strong>of</strong> Gunnar Berg's<br />
Hymnos at the Trinity Church<br />
NEW YORK, NY, May 28, 2009<br />
New York Scandia Symphony<br />
presents Scandinavia's musical<br />
heritage by Norwegian composer<br />
Gunnar Berg.<br />
Info: (212) 602-0747<br />
exhibits<br />
Anki King<br />
NEW YORK, NY, through April 26<br />
The Norwegian Seamen's Church<br />
and Trygve Lie Gallery is proud to<br />
present Norwegian artist Anki King<br />
with her most current work<br />
"Sisters." The oldest <strong>of</strong> three sisters,<br />
King has created a series <strong>of</strong><br />
paintings and drawings based on<br />
the relationships between siblings.<br />
Info: www.kjerka.com or call<br />
(212) 319-0370<br />
Martine Petra Hoel Exhibit at Art<br />
Raw Gallery<br />
NEW YORK, NY, through March 21<br />
Art Raw gallery will have four photographs<br />
by Martine Petra Hoel on<br />
view and hundreds <strong>of</strong> pieces <strong>of</strong> art<br />
created by other emerging international<br />
artists.<br />
Info: (212) 810-6503<br />
Jannicke Låker in Ecstatic Truth<br />
NEW YORK, NY, through April 26,<br />
Wednesday- Sunday, 12-6 PM.<br />
Norwegian artist Jannicke Låker is<br />
one <strong>of</strong> two artists with works in the<br />
exhibition Ecstatic Truth at the<br />
Dumbo Arts Center. "Ecstatic<br />
truth" is a term used to describe a<br />
filmmaking technique that favors<br />
emotional accuracy over detailoriented<br />
accuracy in a documentary<br />
context.<br />
Info: www.dumboartscenter.org<br />
PHOTO BY HUGO FAGERNES<br />
film<br />
"The Art <strong>of</strong> Negative Thinking"<br />
at Scandinavia House<br />
NEW YORK, NY, March 18, 6:30<br />
pm and March 21, 3.00 pm<br />
This black comedy, directed by<br />
Bård Breien, follows 33 year-old<br />
Geirr, who after becoming severely<br />
handicapped in a traffic accident,<br />
slips into isolation, self medication,<br />
and bitterness, and develops<br />
an odd yet worrisome<br />
weapons fixation.<br />
Info: www.scandinaviahouse.org<br />
or (212) 879-9779<br />
"Natural Born Star" at<br />
Scandinavia House<br />
NEW YORK, NY, March 25, 6:30<br />
pm and March 28, 3.00 pm<br />
This moving documentary from<br />
2007 chronicles the rise and fall <strong>of</strong><br />
Fred Robsahm, who gained fame<br />
in the 1960s as a Norwegian actor<br />
in Italian westerns and dramas<br />
including the cult classic,<br />
Barbarella (1968). The film is<br />
directed by Even Benestad.<br />
Info: www.scandinaviahouse.org<br />
or (212) 879-9779<br />
special event<br />
Miss <strong>Norway</strong> <strong>of</strong> Greater New<br />
York & Miss Norwegian Heritage<br />
NEW YORK, NY, April 4, 2.00 pm<br />
This event at the Norwegian<br />
Christian Home & Health Center<br />
includes lunch, c<strong>of</strong>fee and cake,<br />
live music, special guests and raffle<br />
prizes.<br />
Info: (917) 656-1552 or<br />
bskaar1@aol.com<br />
washington dc<br />
architecture exhibit<br />
Detour at the National Building<br />
Museum<br />
WASHINGTON, D.C., through<br />
May 25, 2009<br />
In recent years, small but sensational<br />
architectural projects along<br />
Norwegian tourist routes have<br />
gained national as well as international<br />
attention.The Detour exhibit<br />
showcases these eye-catching<br />
constructions.<br />
Info: www.norway.org or<br />
(202) 272-2448<br />
panel discussion<br />
Architects discuss Detour<br />
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 30, 6.30 pm<br />
The Norwegian Embassy and the<br />
National Building Museum are<br />
bringing together two Norwegian<br />
architects who have participated<br />
in the Detour project, and an<br />
American architect for a discussion.<br />
The event will <strong>of</strong>fer insight<br />
into the ideas behind the tourist<br />
routes project and highlights the<br />
nature <strong>of</strong> Norwegian architecture.<br />
Info: www.norway.org or<br />
www.nbm.org<br />
the king’s guard<br />
His Majesty the King's Guard at<br />
the US Navy Memorial<br />
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 12.30 pm<br />
His Majesty the King's Guard will<br />
perform at the US Navy Memorial,<br />
Pennsylvania Ave.<br />
Info: www.norway.org<br />
Twilight Tattoo at Ft McNair<br />
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 6, 7 pm<br />
His Majesty the King's Guard will<br />
perform at The United States<br />
Army's most popular outdoor ceremonial<br />
pageant.<br />
Info: www.norway.org<br />
virginia<br />
Wreath laying at Arlington<br />
Cemetery<br />
ARLINGTON, VA, May 8, 14.15 pm<br />
His Majesty the King's Guard will<br />
lay down a wreath at the Tomb <strong>of</strong><br />
the unknown soldier.<br />
Info: www.norway.org<br />
exhibit<br />
61 10' 00" North Latitude:<br />
Encounters and Memories at<br />
the Montpelier Center for Arts<br />
and Education<br />
MONTPELIER, VA, through April 19<br />
Five artists from Virginia will display<br />
images in oil, watercolor,<br />
charcoal and textiles, with motives<br />
based on their travels to <strong>Norway</strong>.<br />
Info: (804) 883-7378<br />
PAINTING BYMIRIAM AHLADAS<br />
PHOTO BY SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER TRANSFORMATION
calendar<br />
PHOTO BY WWW.KNUTERIKJENSEN.COM<br />
PHOTO BY ERIK BERG<br />
on tour<br />
music<br />
Knut Erik Jensen on tour<br />
NEW ORLEANS, LA, March 15,<br />
The Norwegian Seamen's Church<br />
in New Orleans, 1772 Prytania<br />
Street<br />
ATLANTA, GA, March 20, St.<br />
Lukes Lutheran Church, 3264<br />
Northside Parkway N.W.<br />
JACKSONVILLE, FL, March 22,<br />
St. Marks Church, 3976 Hendricks<br />
Ave<br />
The young Norwegian classical<br />
pianist Knut Erik Jensen tours the<br />
U.S. Jensen is the most frequently<br />
used pianist for the opera company<br />
in Trondheim and the above<br />
concerts are the last <strong>of</strong> his spring<br />
tour, "Nordic Elegance."<br />
Info: www.knuterikjensen.com<br />
texas<br />
performing arts<br />
Dance Salad Festival at<br />
Wortham Center, Cullen Theater<br />
HOUSTON, TX, April 9-11, 7.30<br />
pm<br />
Carte Blanche, from Bergen in<br />
<strong>Norway</strong>, will be performing at<br />
Houston International Dance<br />
Coalition's annual Dance Salad<br />
Festival. The festival is committed<br />
to a multi-cultural presentation <strong>of</strong><br />
diverse dance disciplines at the<br />
highest pr<strong>of</strong>essional level.<br />
info: www.dancesalad.org or<br />
(877) 772-5425<br />
PHOTO BY ESPEN KRUKHAUG<br />
photography exhibit<br />
Before Dawn<br />
GRANBURY, TX, Through March 30<br />
Norwegian photographer, video<br />
and installation artist Espen R.<br />
Krukhaug explores the changing<br />
shades and forms during the<br />
hours <strong>of</strong> darkness through his<br />
photographs <strong>of</strong> urban nights. This<br />
show comes with a musical collaboration<br />
with the Norwegian<br />
experiment/ambient band<br />
'Orangedark'. At Studio 216, 216<br />
W Pearl St.<br />
Info: www.espenkrukhaug.com or<br />
www.216art.com<br />
PHOTO BY WWW.IBSEN.NET<br />
minnesota<br />
music<br />
An Evening Devoted to Nordic-<br />
American Composers in<br />
Sateren Recital Hall at<br />
Augsburg College<br />
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, April 5, 3 pm<br />
The Edvard Grieg Society <strong>of</strong><br />
Minneapolis and <strong>Norway</strong> House<br />
present a concert devoted to the<br />
music <strong>of</strong> Nordic-American composers.<br />
This concert <strong>of</strong> music by<br />
"the next generation" will be curated<br />
and hosted by Libby Larsen,<br />
Minnesota native with Norwegian<br />
roots, and one <strong>of</strong> the leading composers<br />
<strong>of</strong> her generation.<br />
Info: (952) 842-8343<br />
festival<br />
12th annual Ibsen Festival<br />
LANESBORO, MN, April 17-19<br />
This year's events include Ibsen's<br />
classic drama Hedda Gabler, an<br />
exhibit by artist Julie McLaughlin<br />
and lectures by Joan Templeton,<br />
the president <strong>of</strong> the Ibsen Society<br />
<strong>of</strong> America, and Ba Clemetsen,<br />
the manager <strong>of</strong> Ibsen Festival at<br />
the National Theatre <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong>.<br />
Additional events include<br />
Norwegian cultural presenters,<br />
concerts, classes and folk art.<br />
Info: 1-800-657-7025<br />
PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN HOUGE PHOTO BY ALF BJORJESSON<br />
california<br />
exhibits<br />
IRREVERENT: Contemporary<br />
Nordic Craft Art at the Yerba<br />
Buena Center for the Arts<br />
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, through<br />
April 12<br />
This exhibition features a new<br />
generation <strong>of</strong> craft artists from<br />
<strong>Norway</strong>, Sweden, Denmark and<br />
Finland who challenge the aesthetics<br />
and principles <strong>of</strong><br />
Scandinavian Modernism.<br />
Info: www.ybca.org<br />
Arctic Technology at Hosfelt<br />
Gallery<br />
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, through<br />
March 21<br />
The presence <strong>of</strong> technological<br />
installations on the isolated and<br />
sublime island <strong>of</strong> Svalbard is the<br />
focus <strong>of</strong> the Norwegian fine art<br />
photographer Christian Houge's<br />
images in his exhibition “Arctic<br />
Technology”.<br />
Info: www.hosfeltgallery.com or<br />
(415) 495-5454<br />
canada<br />
music<br />
The Thing, Nordic jazz band on<br />
tour<br />
VANCOUVER, BC, May 1<br />
MONTREAL, QC, May 6-7<br />
The Thing features one <strong>of</strong><br />
Sweden's leading sax players,<br />
Mats Gustafsson, the brilliant<br />
Norwegian rhythm section <strong>of</strong><br />
drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and<br />
the bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten.<br />
The threesome will be performing<br />
at "The Ironworks" in Vancouver<br />
May 1, and at the "Casa del<br />
Popolo" in Montreal May 6 and 7.<br />
Info: www.costaljazz.ca<br />
performing arts<br />
Peer Gynt opens at Third Wall<br />
Theatre<br />
OTTAWA, ON, March 10- 21<br />
A new adaptation <strong>of</strong> Ibsen's epic<br />
drama "Peer Gynt" is coming to<br />
Ottawa's Third Wall Theatre<br />
Company on Richmond Road.<br />
Adaptation by Canadian poet,<br />
novelist and playwright Henry<br />
Bissel.<br />
Info: www.thirdwall.com<br />
Jon Fosse in new Canadian<br />
English Translation<br />
TORONTO, ON, through March 29<br />
Contemporary playwright Jon<br />
Fosse premier in Canada this<br />
spring at One Little Goat Theatre<br />
in Toronto. The play has been<br />
translated by Harry Lane and<br />
Adam Seelig under close consultations<br />
by the author.<br />
Info: www.onelittlegoat.org<br />
Norwegian Dance Company in<br />
Vancouver<br />
VANCOUVER, BC, May 7-9<br />
One <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong>'s foremost contemporary<br />
dance companies, Cie<br />
Wee from Oslo, makes its<br />
Canadian debut May 7-9, 2009 at<br />
Canada's flagship dance facility,<br />
Scotiabank Dance Centre.<br />
Info: www.thedancecentre.ca<br />
film<br />
"The man who loved Yngve"<br />
TORONTO, ON, May 14-24<br />
The Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film<br />
festival screen more than 275<br />
films and videos. This year the<br />
festival features the acclaimed film<br />
from <strong>Norway</strong> "The man who loved<br />
Yngve", directed by Stian<br />
Kristiansen.<br />
Info: www.insideout.ca<br />
PHOTO BY ULLA MONTAN<br />
spring 2009 | news <strong>of</strong> norway | 15
news <strong>of</strong> norway<br />
Royal Norwegian Embassy<br />
2720 34th. St., NW<br />
Washington, D.C. 20008<br />
(202) 333-6000<br />
www.norway.org<br />
PRESORTED<br />
STANDARD<br />
U.S. POSTAGE<br />
PAID<br />
Washington, D.C.<br />
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cover shot<br />
PHOTO BY PAAL-ANDRÉ SCHWITAL<br />
Cert no. SW-COC-002142<br />
COVER: Twenty-eight-year-old Geir<br />
Skeie from the west coast <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong><br />
won the world championship for chefs –<br />
Bocuse d’Or 2009.<br />
<strong>News</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Norway</strong> is printed on forest-friendly paper. Number <strong>of</strong> trees saved: 12.39;<br />
total energy saved: 8,776,250 BTUs; greenhouse gas reduction: 1,147 lbs.; wastewater<br />
reduction: 5,263 gallons; solid waste reduction: 582 lbs.<br />
news <strong>of</strong> norway 1 2009<br />
inside:<br />
Norwegian film production is at an<br />
all time high. The biggest Norwegian<br />
box-<strong>of</strong>fice success <strong>of</strong> 2008 was the<br />
World War II drama “Max Manus,”<br />
starring Aksel Henie. It is the second<br />
most seen Norwegian film ever. One<br />
in four Norwegians have seen it to<br />
date, and it is still running in movie<br />
theaters in <strong>Norway</strong>.<br />
page 3<br />
The 10th annual Scandinavian Film<br />
Festival in Los Angeles showcased<br />
four films in January this year. “The<br />
response has been great. It is clear<br />
that there is interest in Nordic film in<br />
Hollywood” said founder and director<br />
James Koenig. There are six film<br />
festivals in the United States screening<br />
Norwegian movies.<br />
page 5<br />
The Norwegian film “O’Horten” will<br />
start showing in movie theaters in<br />
the United States in May, 2009. In a<br />
mixture <strong>of</strong> melancholy and comedy<br />
the movie tells the story about train<br />
driver Odd Horten, who contemplates<br />
his future as he steers his last<br />
train across the mountains <strong>of</strong> western<br />
<strong>Norway</strong> before retirement looms.<br />
page 7<br />
“Men benefit from gender equality,”<br />
said Norwegian Minister <strong>of</strong> Equality<br />
Anniken Huitfeldt. She presented a<br />
white paper about men and gender<br />
equality for the United Nations in<br />
New York in March, 2009. The World<br />
Economic Report ranks <strong>Norway</strong> as<br />
the No. 1 country in the world when it<br />
comes to closing the gender gap.<br />
page 11<br />
www.norway.org