After a muted 2020 because of COVID-19, the Norwegian International Film Festival within the picturesque coastal city of Haugesund will probably be again in full drive over Aug. 21-27, with attendance anticipated to bounce again to pre-pandemic ranges, each for the on-website competition and parallel hybrid confab New Nordic Films, based on competition director Tonje Hardersen.

“The pandemic is still impacting Haugesund, forcing us to apply social distancing measures, notably in cinemas – with a maximum of 400 spectators per screen – but last year’s event gave us confidence,” she stated. “The viewers and business reception final 12 months was very constructive, everybody is keen to satisfy in individual, and I sense that the tip of full COVID restrictions is getting nearer. “
Haugesund’s fest honcho went on: “What stands proud is that 2021 has been very robust for the general Norwegian movie business as a result of pandemic, but it surely’s been a wonderful 12 months for Norwegian movie manufacturing, with two movies in Cannes [Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” in official competitors and Eskil Vogt’s “The Innocents,” at Un Certain Regard] and the historic greatest actress award to Renate Reinsve [for “The Worst Person in the World”].

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“We’re extremely proud to have a record number of Norwegian films at the festival, including opening film ‘The Innocents,’ “a-ha-The Movie” in regards to the all-time favourite band in Norway, and one other six native documentaries which can be having their nationwide premiere in Haugesund,” Hardersen added.

For the Festival chief, who has been working the non-aggressive occasion since 2015, the sturdy Norwegian lineup is immediately linked to the movie distribution bottleneck sparked by COVID-19.

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“Historically, Haugesund has been a prime meeting point for local exhibitors and distributors, and a favored launch pad for upcoming domestic releases,” she identified. “As far as I know, there have never been as many Norwegian films lined up for release this fall, so our program is also full of Norwegian content, in terms of both closed market and open audience screenings.”

Beyond the sturdy Norwegian slate, movie highlights in the principle program take within the Danish occasion biopic “Margrete-Queen of the North” by Charlotte Sieling, and sizzling picks from Venice 2020 (“The Man Who Sold His Skin”) and this 12 months’s Sundance (“Coda”) in addition to Berlinale (“Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn,” “I’m Your Man”, “Petite Maman”, “Nowhere Special”, “Fabian-Going to the Dogs”) and up to date Cannes entries.

Tonje Hardersen - Credit: Credit: NFFTonje Hardersen - Credit: Credit: NFF

Tonje Hardersen – Credit: Credit: NFF

Credit: NFF

While acknowledging that the proximity of the main world movie competition – postponed to July from its regular May slot – made the Haugesund choice “unusually challenging,” Hardersen is extraordinarily proud to display screen the Palme d’Or winner “Titane” as nicely Cannes Grand Prix co-winner “Compartment No 6,” Directors’ Fortnight spotlight “Clara Sola” and Critics’ Week titles “The Gravedigger’s Wife” and “Olga.”

A complete of 62 function size movies and 23 quick movies will probably be showcased throughout the competition’s 12 sections, such because the multi-awarded Danish animated doc “Flee” unspooling at the Nordic Focus, Cannes Critics’ Week 2020 entry “Skies of Lebanon,” chosen for the French Touch, quirky U.S. romcom “Dinner in America” and John Carpenter cult film “Escape from New York” bowing as Special Screenings. Norwegian doc success “Gunda” performs Human Nature; French pic “Gagarine” unspools each in the principle part and Norwegian ArchFest.

As all the time, to highlight upcoming Nordic abilities, Haugesund will current ten of the most effective commencement movies from a few of the Nordic area’s prime movie colleges in its Next Nordic Generation part; excellent Nordic pics of the 12 months vying for the Nordic Council Film Prize 2021 will probably be unveiled Aug.24.

Other potential fest excessive-factors embody a seminar about Feminism and Religion primarily based on the movie “Seyran Ates, Sex and Islam,” attended by the doc’s protagonist – excessive-profile feminine Imam, lawyer and feminist Seyran Ates – amongst others, and a dialogue about Power and Intimacy after Covid-19 and #MeToo, led by intimacy co-ordinator Ita O’Brien.
Meanwhile this 12 months’s Norwegian Film Policy Conference for native business reps, led by Norwegian Film Institute’s CEO Kjersti Mo, will give attention to Diversity and Democracy.

Haugesund will wrap with the Danish comedy and Tribeca entry, “Wild Men” by Thomas Daneskov.

The anticipated New Nordic Films confab will run each on-line and on-website over Aug. 24-27.

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