Nord (2009)

Director:

Rune Denstad Langlo

Writer:

Erlend Loe (written by)

Release Date:

6 February 2009 (Norway)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

An anti-depressive off-road movie.

Plot:

NORTH Following a nervous breakdown, ski athlete Jomar has isolated himself in a lonely existence as the guard of a ski park...

Plot Keywords:

Alcohol | Norway | Mental Breakdown | Grandmother | Anti Social

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Anders Baasmo Christiansen	...	Jomar Henriksen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tommy Almenning	...	Table tennis player
Marte Aunemo	...	Lotte
Celine Engebrigtsen
Kyrre Hellum
Mads Sjøgård Pettersen

Also Known As:

North (Europe: English title) (festival title) (International: English title)

Runtime:

Germany:78 min (Berlin International Film Festival) | Norway:79 min

Country:

Norway

Language:

Norwegian | Saami

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Norway:11 (cinema release)

Company:

Motlys

Movie Connections:

References The Straight Story (1999)

Comic off-road movie about loneliness in a remote winterland

This film got highly praised at the Berlin festival before it's cinema release in Norway, winning two of the main prizes. It also became a huge hit at the festival, with tickets going on the black market.

Well, the film isn't a blockbuster. It's a nice, tragic but warm story about 30 year old Jomar, not particularly successful in his life. Actually his life stinks, and he has problems. and he knows it. Lying to his psychologist, living unsound, and not caring about anything. So uncaring, that he finds himself burning down ski center where he works, almost forcing him to look for a meaning in his life.

So Jomar goes off on a 900 kilometers trip up North to find what is supposed to be his four year old son, of which he didn't know about before slapping his best friend who'd run off with his girlfriend some time ago.

On this trip he meets all kinds of lonely people, all having some kinds of wisdom to offer. And Jomar? Does he change their lives? Maybe he does...

This story by Norwegian master-writer Erlend Loe, gives a great feeling of both great winter-nature, and human understanding. It'll be felt exotic by most foreigners, and the film have some scenes you'll never forget.

This film is another example of how great Norwegian storytelling on film has become. Great acting, also from the amateurs. No fake Hollywood stuff here. Pure Nordic realistic storytelling with a hint of humor. If you liked the films of Bent Hamer, you also like this.

The only thing dragging down is the film being to short. We'd actually like Jomars trip to be longer. A great off-road movie, since the film is more going on off road, than on road, though having to be put in the genre of road-movies.

Another spot on Norwegian film! What a gem!