Kitchen Stories (2003) Salmer fra kjøkkenet (original title)

Director:

Bent Hamer

Writers:

Jörgen Bergmark (writer)
Bent Hamer (writer)

Release Date:

17 January 2003 (Norway)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A scientific observer's job of observing an old cantakerous single man's kitchen habits is complicated by his growing friendship with him.

Plot Keywords:

Kitchen | Researcher | Sweden | Friendship | Research

Awards:

8 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Joachim Calmeyer	...	Isak Bjørvik
Tomas Norström	...	Folke Nilsson
Bjørn Floberg	...	Grant
Reine Brynolfsson	...	Malmberg
Sverre Anker Ousdal	...	Dr. Jack Zac. Benjaminsen
Leif Andrée	...	Dr. Ljungberg
Gard B. Eidsvold	...	Bakkerman (as Gard Eidsvold)
Lennart Jähkel	...	Green
Trond Brænne	...	Ordforer
Bjørn Jenseg	...	Vaktmester
Jan Gunnar Røise	...	Vaktmesterassistent
Karin Lunden	...	Svensk selskapsdame
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Päivi Laakso	...	Finsk selskapsdame

Directed by
Bent Hamer

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jörgen Bergmark		writer
Bent Hamer		writer

Produced by
Jörgen Bergmark	....	producer
Arve Figenschow	....	line producer
Bent Hamer	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans Mathisen

Cinematography by
Philip Øgaard

Film Editing by
Pål Gengenbach

Casting by
Mette Holme Nielsen
Betten Vaager

Production Design by
Billy Johansson

Costume Design by
Karen Fabritius Gram

Makeup Department
Eros Codinas	....	hair stylist
Eva Rygh	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Nina B. Andersson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Binne Thoresen	....	assistant director

Art Department
Per Arild Amundsen	....	carpenter
Gudrun Johanna Benonysdottir	....	assistant decorator (as Gudrun Benonysdottir)
Paul André Fuller	....	assistant decorator
Lars Erik Gurholt	....	carpenter
Rolf Kise	....	carpenter
Anders Lunde	....	property master
Erik Magnussen	....	construction manager
Olivier Marcouiller	....	assistant decorator
Geir Opheim	....	carpenter
Caroline Størmer	....	props
Jens Petter Svensrud	....	construction manager
Morten Swang	....	assistant property master
Karen Søndrol	....	assistant art director
Pål Tohje	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Per Carleson	....	sound
Petter Fladeby	....	sound re-recording mixer
Linda Forsén	....	sound
Lars Jameson	....	sound
Tomas Naug	....	boom operator
Willie Peterson-Berger	....	sound
Morten Solum	....	sound

Special Effects by
Pål Morten Hverven	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Erik Aavatsmark	....	still photographer
Charles Curran	....	first assistant camera: second camera
Knut Haraldsen	....	gaffer
Ingeborg Klyve	....	first assistant camera
Hilde Malme	....	camera operator: second camera
Jens J. Patterson	....	assistant camera
Ståle Rue	....	electrician
Matthew R. Soria	....	assistant grip
Johan Wallin	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ingvill Fjeldstad	....	seamstress
Kari Steihaug	....	assistant costumer

Editorial Department
Janne Karin Hansen	....	assistant editor
Bente Helle	....	negative cutter
Torulf Henriksen	....	on-line editor
Kirsti Marie Hougen	....	post-production coordinator
Andrzej Kiwala	....	color grader
Jan Erik Nielsen	....	color timer

Music Department
Lars Petter Kristiansen	....	music recordist
Erik Valderhaug	....	music mixer

Other crew
Bjørn Bjølseth	....	production accountant
Teréz Hollo	....	production secretary
Aslaug Konradsdottir	....	script supervisor
Hanne Liseth	....	publicist
Kristian Mejdell Nissen	....	location manager
Eirik Ohna	....	location manager
Audun Skarbøvik	....	location scout
Pål Erik Solberg	....	production runner

Production Companies

• BOB Film Sweden AB
• Bulbul Films
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Arsenal (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Filmladen (2005) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2003-2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Lady Film (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• SPO (Japan) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2004) (USA) (subtitled)
• Les Films du Losange (France)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MegaCom Film (MCF) (2004) (Yugoslavia) (all media)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• United King Films (Israel)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Norsk Filmstudio  sound mixing
• Studio Lagnö  post-production sound

Also Known As:

"Salmer fra kjøkkenet" - Norway (original title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language

Runtime:

95 min | Argentina:96 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

Norway | Sweden

Language:

Norwegian | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | Hungary:14 | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Germany:o.Al. | Norway:A | Philippines:G | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:Unrated | USA:PG | Brazil:14 | Finland:S | Czech Republic:12

Company:

BOB Film Sweden AB

Trivia:

Throughout the film, Isak speaks Norwegian and Folke speaks Swedish; this is true even when they are having conversations with each other.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Brødrene Dal og mysteriet med Karl XIIs gamasjer: Episode #1.1" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Visa Från Utanmyra

A thoroughly moving experience

The only lamentable part of this extraordinarily moving film is its title. I went to an art-house cinema in Toulouse to see it, more for Hamer's reputation than the published blurb, still not knowing what to expect. Nothing moves in the film, like the observant Folke on his directorial high chair, we are watching the goings on, monotonous. But, boring? Most certainly not! As the plot develops around the friendship between the subject and the object, we are drawn into a conflict which is essentially outside the boundaries of nations: how can you understand someone without verbal communication, for the sake of scientific research? You can't.

Bureaucratic strictures can lead to disobedience however much the personal cost of that kind of action might be. Folke and Isak forge a friendship in a relatively short time, which might take others years of nurturing. We applaud the rebellious scientist when he dumps his snail-shell caravan to return to Isak's uncomplicated rural dwelling. The most moving closing scene suddenly makes you realise that what seemed to be a static film was, in fact, full of heroic action.

That there are only two IMDb comments on this film demonstrates how exclusionist South Europe and the States are, when third rate trash receives attention of one sort or the other.