Norwegian Film Institute Mission and Primary Objective
The objective of the Norwegian Film Institute is to preserve, support and distribute Norwegian and foreign films, so that film as an expression of art and culture becomes more visible. The Institute's primary objectives are
Norwegian Short Films
In the beginning films were short, also in Norway. In its infancy, Norwegian film consisted entirely of shorts. First came the newsreels, which were received with great enthusiasm by a film-hungry audience.
The first permanent film theatre was opened in Kristiania in 1904 (Norway's capital Kristiania changed it's name to Oslo in 1924). The newsreel was a vital part of the film theatre's program. The programs consisted of a combination of Norwegian and international films, imported dramatic films and various documentaries from near and far. The Norwegian films in particular were a great success, and this led to the production of the first Norwegian feature film - which also was short: The Dangers of Fishing - A Drama at Sea premiered in 1908.
In the '20s and for some time after, short film production was dominated by newsreels and advertising films. Newsreels were still very popular and Oslo Kinematografer concentrated on weekly reviews starting in 1928. The short film had now, in addition to the weekly reviews, become part of the program. A brief, entertaining or informative short before the feature film.
After WWII a more dominant short film culture came forth in Norway. The foundation was laid for a more substantial and varied short film production, and the State began accepting the short film as a substantial addition to the cultural scene. The State gave a certain cinema tax discount if a Norwegian short was shown prior to the feature film, and in 1948 Statens Filmsentral was established in order to distribute short films. Statens Filmsentral has been one of the largest national-- and international-- distributors of Norwegian short films to schools, libraries, institutions, and film clubs. On January 1, 1993, Statens Filmsentral merged with Norsk Filminstitutt under the name Norsk Filminstitutt, and was handed the responsibility of presenting short films and documentaries internationally, as well as distributing them nationally.
In 1960 television began broadcasting on a regular basis, and the newsreel disappeared in 1963. In 1964 the State, through a separate grant to Norsk Kulturråd, for the first time financially supported a short film which was neither a documentary nor instructive, but was characterised as a "free, artistic short film".
In 1969 the luxury tax on films was removed, and that same year Statens Kortfilmutvalg was established for the purpose of distributing fixed annual grants to short film projects. Statens Filmsentral was first handed the role of secretariat, and later also given administrative responsibility for the committee. Since 1973 Statens Filmsentral (now Norsk Filminstitutt) has contributed to the production of all types of short films.
In 1978 the first Short Film Festival was held, and it became a new meeting ground for the short film in Norway. In 1997 the festival was arranged for the 20th time. The Festival has a competition for new Norwegian shorts, and shows international films as part of the special programs. Until 1985 all new Norwegian films which were entered into the Festival were screened, since 1986 applications have first been judged by a jury. Less than 50 % of the applications are accepted and screened. The Short Film Festival has approximately 750 participants annually, most of them active in the film business. The Festival is the largest professional event for people in film, and the only arena in which to present Norwegian short films. The Festival is Norway's largest short film festival.
Regional production has long been an important element in short film production. The Northern Norwegian Nordnorsk Filmsenter was, after a 2-year trial period, established in 1981. The centre was founded after increased demands for more regional production centres. Several locations in Norway were considered - Bergen, Stavanger and Porsgrunn has sizeable, active film communities. The centre is located in Honningsvåg, by the North Cape, and supports 3-6 short films annually. Until 1996 the projects were given grants based on the professional evaluation of an arts council, today the council has been replaced by a consultant. Since 1997 Nordnorsk Filmsenter also gives special grants to the production of Lapp films.
In 1994 a new regional film centre was established. Vestnorsk Filmsenter, in Western Norway. The centre supports manuscript development, project development, and regular production of short films. The establishment of Vestnorsk Filmsenter has led to an increased production of short films in Western Norway, and several new production companies have been established.
In the '80s both Oslo Kinematografer and Bergen Kino attempted screening shorts. In 1989 the screening of short films became more organised when the commercial distributor Europafilm began a subscription arrangement for the country's film theatres. Approximately 30 film theatres take part in this arrangement today, and these cover more than 60 % of the total number of moviegoers. The arrangement has resulted in a move toward the production of short, humoristic, to-the-point films of less than ten minutes, which are popular as short films. Today, more than 150 short films are distributed to film theatres through Oro film (this company took over the distribution package from Europa Film in 2002).
The Norwegian short film is a complex, multi-faceted form of artistic expression. It covers any film from one minute to one hour in length, and can span from the simplest animation to fiction and documentaries.
Despite limited funds and periods where it has been difficult to reach a national audience, Norwegian short films are in an expansive period. Not least internationally, where Norwegian short films have attracted a great deal of attention. Since 1988 Norwegian short films have been critically acclaimed abroad and have won several international prizes, for example Eating Out, Depth Solitude, A Year Along the Abandoned Road, One Day a Man Bought a House, Aria and Houdini's Hound. As a mediator of Norwegian culture abroad, Norwegian short films are in the forefront.
Toril Simonsen
The programme will be presented by Arna Marie Bersaas from the Norwegian Film Institute.
Arna Marie Bersaas
Po študiju na univerzi v Oslu v zgodnjih 90ih letih je Arna več let delala na številnih filmskih in glasbenih festivalih. Začela je kot festivalska koordinatorka na Festivalu animiranega filma v Oslu leta 1996. Potem je isto delo opravljala na Norveškem festivalu kratkega filma. Od leta 1998 dela v mednarodni pisarni Norveškega filmskega inštituta kjer je zdaj zadolžena za festivalsko distribucijo, informiranje in prodajo norveških kratkih in dokumentarnih filmov.
After studies at the University in Oslo in the early 90's, Arna has been working "behind the scenes" with film and music festivals for many years. In film she started as festival co-ordinator at Oslo Animation Festival in 1996 . She followed up as festival co-ordinator for The Norwegian Short Film festival. From 1998 she has been working in the International relations department at Norwegian Film Institute and is now taking care of International festival distribution/information and sales of Norwegian short and documentary films.
Bawke
Hisham Zaman (4 1/2 as)
Norveška / Norway, 2005, 35 mm, 15'
Moški in njegov mali sin sta že dolgo na begu. Ko prideta do cilja, ugotovita, da sta še vedno v težavah. Da bi sinu zagotovil varno prihodnost, mora oče na koncu izbrati med manjšim in večjim zlom.
They have been on the run for a long time, a man and his very young son. When they reach their destination, they realize they are still in trouble. In the end the father is forced to make a choice of two evils to provide for his sons future.
Slovo od svetilnika / Fyret / Leaving the Lighthouse
Erik Smith Meyer (JAB Film)
Norveška / Norway, 2005, 35 mm, 9'
Vsi norveški svetilniki so avtomatizirani in svetilničarji bodo kmalu stvar preteklosti. V prosti umetniški obravnavi te teme srečamo svetilničarja kot spomin, medtem ko njegovo mesto zasedejo elektronski sistemi.
All Norwegian lighthouses are automated, and the old lighthouse keepers will soon be a thing of the past. In this freely artistic treatment of this theme, we meet the lighthouse keeper as a memory, while electronic systems take his place.
Peel OFF
Therese Jacobsen (Apecosmonautene)
Norveška / Norway, 2002, 35 mm, 3'
Nekaj prikritega, kar pride na površje vsakič, ko skušaš razumeti znake, vsakič, ko obrneš pogled navznoter, eksplodira, kot da bi bil ti prvi.
Something, underlying, which surfaces every time you try, to interpret the signs, every time you turn to gaze inwards, exploding, as if, you, were the first.
Adrift
Inger Lise Hansen (Inger Lise Hansen)
Norveška / Norway, 2004, 35 mm, 9'
Film Adrift je posnet na arktičnem otoku Spitzbergen in na Norveškem v kombinaciji upočasnjene fotografije in stop-motion animacije pokrajine. S pomočjo kotov kamere in kadriranja režiserka doseže, da gledalec postopno izgublja tla pod nogami, izgineta občutek za razmerja in globino. Film ima za cilj potovanja sámo zaznavanje.
Adrift is shot on the arctic island of Spitzbergen and in Norway. It combines time-lapse photography with stop-motion animation of the landscape. Through camera-angles and framing the film gradually dislocates the viewer from a stable base where one looses the sense of scale and grounding. Adrift takes perception itself as the subject of its journey.
Tea House
Farhad Kalantary (Farhad Kalantary)
Norveška / Norway, 2004, Beta SP, 4'
Tea House je kratek film o spominih na kuhanje čaja. Struktura filma in zvoka skupaj s spreminjajočim se fokusiranjem kamere oblikuje intimen in krhek prostor.
Tea House is a short film about the memories of tea making. It works with the texture of film and sound along with shifting planes of focus to form its intimate and fragile space.
Složni zmagujemo / De beste går først / United We Stand
Hans Petter Moland (Motlys as)
Norveška / Norway, 2002, 35 mm, 9'27''
Ta kratki film je bil izvirno del celovečerca Utopija - V popolni državi ni nihče popoln (Folk flest bor i Kina) iz leta 2002. Projekt se je začel z idejo skupine Screenwriters Oslo, ki združuje nekaj norveških najobetavnejših mladih scenaristov. Kot navdih za zgodbe o norveški sedanjosti so uporabili politične stranke. Večinoma se lahko identificiramo z eno ali več strankami. Vse politične stranke imajo manifest, v njem izražene vrednote, stališča in miselnost pa se zlahka spremenijo v dejanja in konflikte. Prav ti predstavljajo osnovo za posamezne epizode Utopije in dajejo producentom odlično priložnost tako za smešna kot resna sporočila o nenavadni državici Norveški.
This short film is originally part of the feature film Utopia - Nobody is Perfect in the Perfect Country (Folk flest bor i Kina) released in 2002. The project started with an idea from Screenwriters Oslo, a collective comprising some of the most promising young screenwriters in Norway today. They used the political parties as inspiration to create stories about Norway today. The majority of us can identify with one or more parties. All the political parties have a manifesto which gives expression to values, attitudes and mentalities that can easily turn into actions and conflicts. These are the basis of the episodes of Utopia and gave the producers a golden opportunity to make funny and serious statements about the strange little country Norway.
Prag bolečine / Smertepunktet / The Pain Threshold
Aamund Johannessen (Filmhuset Produksjoner AS)
Norveška / Norway, 2005, Beta SP, 10'20''
Portret mladega norveškega filmskega režiserja.
A portrait of a young Norwegian film director.
The Homolulu Show
Frank Mosvold (Kool Produktion as)
Norveška / Norway, 2004, 35 mm, 1'
Henry in Martin živita v Homoluluju. Poročena sta že dolga leta. Henryju se gnusi že sama misel na heteroseksualni zakon, Martin pa ne more razumeti, zakaj neistospolni pari nimajo enakih pravic kot drugi. »Ljubezen je vendar ljubezen.«
Henry and Martin live in Homolulu. They have been married for many years. Henry finds the idea of heterosexual marriages disgusting, while Martin cannot understand why straight couples cannot enjoy the same right as they have. After all,”love is love.”
Domača igra / Hjemmekamp / Home Game
Martin Lund (Feil Film)
Norveška / Norway, 2004, 35 mm, 10'
Film o najtežjem in najpogostejšem boju.
A film about the hardest, most common fight of them all.
Včasih boli / Noen ganger gjør det vondt / Sometimes it Hurts
Geir Henning Hopland (Delicious Goldfish Productions)
Norveška / Norway, 2006, 35 mm, 6'
Ženska razdre zvezo, moški se noče predati.
A woman breaks up. The man refuses to let go.
Moja glava / Hodet mitt / My Head
Knut Petter Ryan (9mm film)
Norveška / Norway, 2004, 35 mm, 3'
Nadrealistični avtoportret povezave med notranjim in zunanjim življenjem. Večina filma je posnetega s tehniko stop-motion, preostanek pa na tradicionalen filmski način.
A surrealistic self-portrait about the relationship between the inner and outer lives. Most of the film was shot frame by frame (stop-motion), and the rest with traditional live-action.
Medium Raw
Morten Hovland (Fabelaktiv AS)
Norveška / Norway, 2005, 35 mm, 9'
Sivolas moški vstopi v restavracijo. Ujame se v kipenje zavisti med kuharjem in natakarico. Vročina zajame še kaj drugega kot samo meso …
A grey man enters a restaurant. He's caught in the boiling jealousy between the chef and the waitress. Not only meat feels the heat…
Click here for contact info