My favourite Norwegian filmmakers
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Joachim Trier is a Norwegian writer and director. He is known for Reprise (2006), Oslo, August 31st (2011), Louder Than Bombs (2015) and Thelma (2017).
Trier also directed three short films, Pietà (2000), Still (2001) and Procter (2002).
His father, Jacob Trier, was the sound technician of The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix, a notable film produced in Norway in 1975.
Louder Than Bombs was his first English-language film.
Thelma was selected as the Norwegian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.- Director
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- Editor
Morten Tyldum was born on 19 May 1967 in Bergen, Norway. He is a director and producer, known for Headhunters (2011), The Imitation Game (2014) and Passengers (2016).- Director
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- Actor
Hans Petter Moland was born on 17 October 1955 in Oslo, Norway. He is a director and writer, known for In Order of Disappearance (2014), Aberdeen (2000) and Out Stealing Horses (2019). He is married to Maria Sødahl. They have three children. He was previously married to Elizabeth Pacini.- Director
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Joachim Rønning is a film director and writer from Sandefjord, Norway - a small coastal town south of Oslo. He spent his teenage years making short films and shooting commercials for local businesses. In 1995 Rønning began directing professionally with his childhood friend, Espen Sandberg. Working under the name of Roenberg, their extensive and award-winning commercial work in Scandinavia led to major international commissions.
Roenberg established themselves in the American commercial film market with spots for Capital One, Labatt's and especially with the USA Today Superbowl 2001 Viewer's Poll-winning spot "Rex" for Budweiser.
In 2006, Rønning and Sandberg directed their feature film debut, BANDIDAS, starring Penélope Cruz and Salma Hayek, and written and produced by legendary French filmmaker Luc Besson. When asked how it was to be debuting with such big stars and budget, Rønning explained: "It was my first movie and I remember feeling so lucky to be working with these amazing actors. Looking back now I realize I had no clue what I was doing. It was truly the best film school I could ever dream of. Probably the most expensive too."
In December 2008, Rønning's second feature, MAX MANUS, premiered. The critically acclaimed WWII drama tells the true story of infamous Norwegian saboteur and war hero; Max Manus, and his battle to overcome his inner demons. MAX MANUS soared to become the highest grossing Norwegian movie of all time.
KON-TIKI became the director's next epos. The true story about legendary explorer Thor Heyerdahl and his epic crossing of the Pacific on a balsa wood raft, KON-TIKI became historical when it in 2013, as the first Norwegian film ever, was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award in the best foreign language category.
The success of KON-TIKI led to Rønning directing the latest installment in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise starring Johnny Depp. Filmed on location in Australia, POTC: Dead Men Tell No Tales went on to earn 800 million dollars at the box office - making it one of the top 10 grossing movies of 2017.
Rønning's next movie MALEFICENT: Mistress of Evil starring Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfeiffer for Disney, premiered in the fall of 2019 to become the third highest October release of all time, and eventually grossing half a billion dollars worldwide.
In 2022, Rønning began filming YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA, starring Daisy Ridley. The film tells the true story about New York native, Trudy Ederle, who in 1926 became the first woman to swim the English Channel - changing the world of women's sports forever.
Rønning is currently in pre-production on TRON: ARES for Disney starring Jared Leto, planning a fall 2023 start date.
Joachim Rønning lives in Los Angeles and London with his wife, Amanda Hearst. He has three children.- Director
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- Executive
Espen Sandberg was born on 17 June 1971 in Sandefjord, Norway. He is a director and producer, known for Kon-Tiki (2012), Max Manus: Man of War (2008) and Troll (2022).- Producer
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Marius Holst was born on 15 January 1965 in Oslo, Norway. He is a producer and director, known for Ti kniver i hjertet (1994), King of Devil's Island (2010) and Øyenstikker (2001).- Director
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- Producer
André Øvredal was born on 6 May 1973. He is a director and writer, known for Troll Hunter (2010), The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) and Tunnelen (2016).- Writer
- Director
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Tommy Wirkola was born on 6 December 1979 in Alta, Norway. He is a writer and director, known for Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead (2014), What Happened to Monday (2017) and Dead Snow (2009).- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Nils Gaup was born on 12 April 1955 in Kautokeino, Norway. He is a director and actor, known for Pathfinder (1987), Head Above Water (1993) and Pathfinder (2007).- Director
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Norwegian director Jens Lien was educated at the London International Film School. In his early career he made documentaries, commercials and short films, including Døren som ikke smakk (2000) and Naturlige briller (2001) which were both nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or in Cannes. Lien's stylish and edgy short films have won numerous awards all over the world.
In 2003, Lien's first feature film Jonny Vang (2003) had its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. His acclaimed second feature The Bothersome Man (2006) premiered in 2006 to fantastic reviews, was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival and won both the ACID Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the Hampton Golden Starfish. Since its release it has further gone on to win more than 30 international awards.
The successful and award-winning feature Sons of Norway (2011) saw its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2011 and was the opening film for The Norwegian Film Festival the same year. Lien is also director of the TV series Viva Hate (2014) for SVT which won Prix Europa for Best European TV Series in 2015. His latest project, the sci-fi satire Beforeigners (2019), was HBO Nordic's first Norwegian original. Beforeigners (2019) was an immediate hit and was met with rave reviews both in Scandinavia and internationally.
Furthermore, Lien is a distinguished director of commercials for TV and cinema, for which he has received international awards including the Cannes Lion and the Gullfisken Award (Best Commercial of the Year) twice - in 2014 for the SAS commercial Daddy's Girl and in 2020 for The Boy With the Lunchbox. The latter instantly went viral and has been streamed more than 700 million times.- Director
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Petter Næss was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1960. Originally he worked as a writer, director and actor for the theatre, staging close to 30 productions. In 1997 he was appointed director of Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre) and he quickly made a mark for himself promoting contemporary Norwegian plays and focusing on works for young audiences. At the theatre he realized the first staging of "Elling", based upon Ingvar Ambjørnsen's popular book "Brødre i blodet" (Brothers in Blood). The show was a huge success and gained rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
In 1999 Næss made his debut as a film director, with his dark comedy "Absolutt Blåmandag" (Absolute Hangover). Both leads of the movie ended up winning the Amanda Award (at the International Norwegian Film Festival) for best actor and actress in 1999. After the huge success of "Elling" it was just a question of time before it was turned into a feature film, and when "Elling" the movie saw the light of day in 2001 the result was the one of the biggest blockbusters in Norwegian cinema history (roughly 800,000 Norwegians saw the movie - for comparison: there are only 4,2 million people in Norway). "Elling" became an instant favorite and somewhat a modern classic with Norwegian movie-goers and it became the fourth Norwegian film in history to be nominated for the best foreign film Oscar (Academy Award).
Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey soon after bought the rights to re-make "Elling" for American theatres, and the Norwegian original became somewhat a cult hit with audiences around the globe. With "Elling" the "feel-good film" had finally come to Norway, and it struck a nerve with international audiences as well.
In 2003 the success of "Elling" led to Næss signing a deal with 20th Century Fox to direct 3 movies for the traditional production company. Before he began production on the first of these ("Mozart & the Whale" with Josh Hartnett) he proved he also had a rare talent for youth-films, with his Norwegian youth-drama "Bare Bea" (opening in January of 2004). Again the critics were impressed, and with three critical and commercial successes in a row, Petter Næss proved without a shadow of a doubt he was one of the greatest Norwegian filmmakers of his generation.- Director
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Bent Hamer was born on December 18, 1956 in Sandefjord, Norway. He is a well-regarded film auteur, director, producer, and writer, known for Eggs (1995), Kitchen Stories (2003), O' Horten (2007) and Factotum (2005).
Hamer studied film theory and literature at the University of Stockholm and the Stockholm Film School. In addition to his later feature films, he has written and directed a number of short films and documentaries. His first film, Eggs, premiered at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it was shown in the Directors' Fortnight section and was rewarded best newcomer. That same year, it was shown in competition at the 19th Moscow International Film Festival where it won the award for Best First Film; it also received the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1995 Toronto International Film Festival. Eggs are about a father and son suffering from autism living in a remote place, where the son is more than usually concerned about the shape of eggs. Eggs was shot by his friend Erim Poppe, which quite soon later also became a front figure in the New Norwegian Wave, which can be seen as quality reality-based movies with underplayed quirky humor based on good scripts and reasonable budgets, focusing on the good story well acted out.
Hamer followed up with another strong film in Water Easy Reach (1998) about a young sailor stranded at a remote island, trying to fix his beloved golden watch, which saw Hamer really to be a leader of this New Norwegian Wave of quality films, starting the best period in Norwegian films ever. the film was awarded best screenplay amongst four nominations at the Amanda Awards at The Norwegian Film Festival in Haugesund. it was also nominated for the Crystal Star in Brussels, and Francisco Rabel won best main actor a Fotogramas de Plata.
His third film, the 2003 film Kitchen Stories (Salmer fra kjøkkenet) screened at many international festivals and was the Norwegian submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It received much praise and recognition, and went on to get worldwide distribution, and awarded Best film at Amanda Awards. It also won main prizes in Copenhagen, Lübeck, Sao Paulo, Tromsø and Valladolid as well as in Ghent. The film is based on a true story about a scientific approach to make better kitchens by observing how a kitchen is used. We meet an observer as he agrees to follow an old bachelor's kitchen use.
In April 2004, Bent Hamer started shooting Factotum based on the novel of the same name by US poet and writer Charles Bukowski. The screenplay was written by Hamer and Jim Stark (Mystery Train, Cold Fever), who produced the film together with Christine Walker (American Splendor). The film premiered at the Kosmorama Film Festival in Trondheim, Norway, on April 12th 2005. It also received much praise, being nominated to C.I.C.A.E. in Cannes, winning the Golden swan in Copenhagen IFF, as well as winning prizes in San Diego and at Kosmorama in Trondheim.
In December 2007 Hamer returned back to comedy with O'Horten which premiered to great reviews, and the film about a train engineer being pensioned off his life work went on to be the most acclaimed of Hamers career yet, being nominated for seven Amandas, winning two, and winning four out of 10 nominations of the Kanon price in Trondheim IFF. It also won one of two nominations in Cannes, and won Hamer best director in Ghent IFF.
In 2010 Hamer directed a new drama-comedy, a Christmas movie, Home for Christmas. The film looks at those who are desperately trying to connect or reconnect with their families, friends, or anyone who will listen, based upon several shorts written by Levi Henriksen, from his "Bare mjuke pakker under treet". The film won three Amanda nominations and two Kanon nominations, and won the audience award at RiverRun IFF, though being felt like a minor step back in his film making.
The 2014-film 1001 Grams about a Norwegian scientist Marie attending a seminar in Paris on the actual weight of a kilo, only to find it is her own measurement of disappointment, grief and, not least, love, that ends up on the scale. Again Hamer won best screenplay at the Amandas and five more nominations. Here his steady companion photographer John Christian Rosenlund also won best cinematography at Chicago IFF.
September 2020 sees premiere of The Middle Man, based upon acclaimed writer Erlend Loe's second part of novel "Sluk" where Frank Farrelli takes on the job as a middle man in the God-forsaken town of Karmack, USA, a community in a depression so deep that they need a middle man to professionally communicate more of the bad news.
Hamer is the owner and founder of the BulBul Film Association, established in Oslo in 1994, and ha been called the Norwegian film auteur. due to his film language and how he tells his stories. Film historian Peter Cowie has compared Hamers characters with Jacques Tati. there's no doubt Hamer will be standing as one of the most important Filmmakers and a leader of the New Norwegian Wave occurring in the mid-nineties.- Director
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Pål Øie was born on 15 November 1961 in Norway. He is a director and writer, known for Villmark (2003), Hidden (2009) and Dark Woods II (2015).- Director
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Hisham Zaman was born in 1975 in Kurdistan, Iraq. He is a director and producer, known for Letter to the King (2014), Before Snowfall (2013) and Bawke (2005).- Director
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Eirik Svensson was born on 19 October 1983 in Norway. Eirik is a director and writer, known for Harajuku (2018), One Night in Oslo (2014) and Betrayed (2020).- Director
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Rune Denstad Langlo was born on 16 April 1972 in Trondheim, Norway. He is a director and producer, known for Nord (2009), Chasing the Wind (2013) and Welcome to Norway (2016).- Writer
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- Script and Continuity Department
Torun Lian was born on 15 January 1956. She is a writer and director, known for The Color of Milk (2004), Only Clouds Move the Stars (1998) and Vegas (2009).- Director
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- Cinematographer
Arild Østin Ommundsen was born in 1969 in Stavanger, Norway. He is a director and writer, known for It's Only Make Believe (2013), Sisters: The Summer We Found Our Superpowers (2020) and Mongoland (2001).- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Script and Continuity Department
Katarina Launing was born in Sweden, and studied directing at the Norwegian Film School, graduating in 2001 and has since directed for both TV and cinema with several works both in series format as well as features. She made her debut as a feature film director with the family adventure film Magic Silver (2009), co-directed by Roar Uthaug. Cool Kids Don't Cry (2014) her second feature won ECFA Award and Audience Award at BUFF and Oulu Filmfestival. Her 3d feature the dance hit movie Battle was the first Nordic film under the Netflix Originals banner and due to its popularity a sequel was made. 4th feature Family Adventure Dragon Girl was rewarded the Gryphon Award for Best Film at Giffoni as well as an Amanda for best VFX same year. For TV she conceptualized "Tainted" for national broadcaster in Norway, as well as "Wisting", the Viaplay hit crime series 1st season together with series creator and co director Trygve Allister Disen.- Director
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Anne Sewitsky was born on 12 January 1978 in Stavern, Norway. She is a director and producer, known for Happy, Happy (2010), Totally True Love (2011) and Homesick (2015).- Director
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Johan Kaos is known for Max Manus: Man of War (2008), Robin og Planeten (2022) and Pornopung (2013).- Actress
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Edith Carlmar was born on 15 November 1911 in Oslo, Norway. She was an actress and director, known for A Young Woman Missing (1953), The Wayward Girl (1959) and Death Is a Caress (1949). She was married to Otto Carlmar. She died on 17 May 2003 in Oslo, Norway.- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
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Knut Andersen was born on 9 May 1931 in Harstad, Norway. He was a director and writer, known for Autumn Sonata (1978), Balladen om mestertyven Ole Høiland (1970) and Skjær i sjøen (1965). He was married to Nicole Macé. He died on 17 June 2019 in Oslo, Norway.- Producer
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- Actor
Norwegian film producer, director and watchmaker. Grew up on the west coast of Norway in the Art Nouveau city of Ålesund Asbjørnsen founded and was publisher-in-chief of Fritt Forlag ( Free Publishing) and have written screenplays and books. He is also the head of Main Island Production. He created and founded the watch company Von Doren - Fine Timepieces in 2016, known for their Art Nouveau inspired Norwegian design.- Director
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Martin Asphaug was born on 28 April 1950 in Norway. He is a director and writer, known for En håndfull tid (1989), Folk flest bor i Kina (2002) and Kim Novak Never Swam in Genesaret's Lake (2005).- Director
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- Producer
- Director
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- Producer
Trygve Allister Diesen is a director and writer, known for Wisting (2019), Red (2008) and Torpedo (2007).- Actor
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Åsleik Engmark was born on 27 December 1965 in Oslo, Norway. He was an actor and director, known for Twigson (2009), Brødrene Dal og mysteriet med Karl XIIs gamasjer (2005) and Twigson Ties the Knot (2010). He was married to Helle Engmark. He died on 12 February 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.- Director
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- Additional Crew
Oddvar Einarson was born in 1949. He is a director and writer, known for X (1986), Finanseventyret: Tidenes investering (2012) and Karachi (1989).- Director
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- Producer
Karoline Frogner was born on 3 February 1961 in Oslo, Norway. She is a director and writer, known for Mørketid (1995), Tradra - I går ble jeg tater (2004) and Kirsten Flagstads Plass (2009).- Director
- Writer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Line Halvorsen is known for Et steinkast unna (2003), USA vs Al-Arian (2007) and Living Without Money (2010).- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Aksel Hennie is a Norwegian actor, writer and director. He has acted in a number of successful Norwegian movies, and has received several awards. Hennie grew up in Lambertseter in Oslo. In his late teens he was sentenced for tagging, and became an outcast in the community for confessing to the police. This personal story contributed much of the background for the movie Uno. The conviction against Hennie was in fact one of the first such cases in Norway. Hennie was admitted to the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre after applying four times. He graduated in 2001, and has since acted both at Teatret in Molde from 2001 to 2002 and at Oslo Nye Teater from 2002 till now where he has been in plays such as Hamlet, and The woman who married a turkey. His main success, however, has been as a film actor. He made his debut starring in the feature film Jonny Vang in 2003. Though the director, Jens Lien, originally thought Hennie was too young for the role, the actor convinced him he was the right man for the film. The same year he also acted in the movies Buddy and Ulvesommer, and the next year he made his debut as a director and writer with the movie Uno, in which he also acted.[5] For this film Hennie, and his co-star Nicolai Cleve Broch, went into hard physical training for six months to perform convincingly as bodybuilders. He won the Amanda Award (the main Norwegian film award) for "The Best Direction" (for the movie Uno in 2005), and that same year he was also among the nominees for "Best Actor" and "Best Film". He also won an Amanda award as "Best Actor" for the movie Jonny Vang in 2003. He was named one of European films "Shooting Stars" by European Film Promotion in 2004. In 2001 he was also named "Theatre talent of the year" by the newspaper Dagbladet. In 2008 Hennie starred in the movie Max Manus, where he played the role of the Norwegian war hero by that name. The movie had a large budget by Norwegian standards, and was met with great expectations.- Director
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Tancred Ibsen was born on 11 July 1893 in Gausdal, Norway. He was a director and writer, known for Venner (1960), Valfångare (1939) and Gjest Baardsen (1939). He was married to Lillebil Ibsen. He died on 4 December 1978 in Oslo, Norway.- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eva Isaksen was born in 1956. She is a director and writer, known for Death at Oslo Central (1990), Over stork og stein (1994) and Burning Flowers (1985).- Director
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- Actor
Pål Jackman was born on 20 September 1967 in Haugesund, Norway. He is a director and writer, known for State of Happiness (2018), The Storm in My Heart (2009) and Detektor (2000).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Peter Lykke-Seest was born on 26 September 1868 in Kristiania [now Oslo], Norway. He was a writer and director, known for Historien om en gut (1919), Unge hjerter (1917) and Vor tids helte (1918). He died on 24 February 1948 in Oslo, Norway.- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hallvar Witzø is known for Yes We Love (2014), Tuba Atlantic (2010) and Everybody Hates Johan (2022).- Actress
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Liv Ullmann's father was a Norwegian engineer who used to work abroad, so as a child she lived in Tokyo, Canada, New York and Oslo. In the mid-1950s she made her stage debut and in 1957 made her film debut. She really became successful, however, when she began to work for Swedish director Ingmar Bergman in such films as Persona (1966), The Passion of Anna (1969) and Face to Face (1976). She also had a successful film career away from Bergman (The Abdication (1974), Dangerous Moves (1984).