Vinterkyss (2005)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Sara Johnsen

Writers:

Ståle Stein Berg (writer)
Sara Johnsen (writer)

Release Date:

11 February 2005 (Norway)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

After her son is hospitalized, a doctor cheats on her husband with a snow plow driver who is a suspect in her investigation of the recent death of a young Arab boy.

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Annika Hallin	...	Victoria
Kristoffer Joner	...	Kai
Fridtjov Såheim	...	Stein
Göran Ragnerstam	...	Filip
Linn Skåber	...	Wibeke
Axel Zuber	...	Sune
Jade Francis Haj	...	Darjosh
Michalis Koutsogiannakis	...	Darjosh´s father
Mina Azarian	...	Darjosh´s mother
Trine Wiggen	...	Gerd
Klara Døving	...	Maja
Henrik Storsveen	...	Ben
Luis Engebrigtsen Bye	...	Inge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nina Andresen Borud	...	Bens mor

Also Known As:

Gutten i snøen (Norway) (working title)
Kissed by Winter (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality and nudity.

Runtime:

84 min | Finland:77 min

Country:

Norway

Language:

Norwegian | English | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Dolby SR

Certification:

Norway:11 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Norway

Company:

Friland

Trivia:

Selected to represent Norway at the 78th Annual Academy Awards in the Foreign Language Film category.

Soundtrack:

Hallelujah

Intelligent drama of grief

Making subtle yet penetrating use of what can now be called 21st century flashback--based on films like Amores Perros and several others--the director of this excellent 2005 Norwegian film, Sara Johnsen, has crafted a near-masterpiece that centers on the loss of a child. The main character, Victoria, a pediatrician originally married and in a large city (one presumes either Oslo or Bergen), has moved to a small town following her divorce and a much more traumatic event as well.

The discovery of the body of an Iranian refugee boy in the snow draws into the story the local cop, his wife--a friend of Victoria's--the boy's parents, and the local snowplow driver, Kai. The scenes of Victoria's former life with her husband and son are so skillfully woven into the pattern of this film that the contrast between that life and her present one--alone--is absolutely riveting. Her involvement with Kai is an integral part of this story and is done just as skillfully, with great depth of feeling.

The resolution of the mystery of the Iranian boy's death converges with the emotional resolution that Victoria reaches regarding her own son's loss. The plotting here is flawless, and the acting is superior. Sara Johnsen is, based on this very strong debut, a real talent to watch in Norwegian film-making. I was lucky enough to have seen this film in New York City's Lincoln Center, during their Norwegian Film Festival.

Very highly recommended; one of the top ten films of the year.