“Crossings 200” commemorates 200 years of organized Norwegian migration to North America. It’s a year to celebrate the strong ties between Norway and Canada. It’s an opportunity to remember what it means to take great risks and trade one home for another. And it’s a chance to better understand the movement of peoples that continues worldwide today.
In collaboration with the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library, the Norwegian Embassy in Ottawa is proud to screen a varied selection of films that will give you the opportunity to experience Norwegian culture, history, humour and spirit.
Norway’s Ambassador-designate to Canada, Hanne Ulrichsen, will introduce the first film on October 8. Presentations by Gunnar Iversen, professor of film studies at Carleton University, will precede the following screenings. Professor Iversen will provide context and insight that are sure to heighten your appreciation for the cultural relevance of these films.
October 8: Amundsen (2019, 125 min)
How could Roald Amundsen, an unknown man from impoverished Norway, become the greatest polar explorer the world has ever seen?
Amundsen dedicated his life to the exploration of distant lands and was the first to successfully navigate a ship through the Northwest Passage, where he learned from and lived with the Inuit. The knowledge he received and the lessons he learned there would later help him win the race to the South Pole. Amundsen often took extreme measures to achieve his goals, which led to professional success, but at a high cost in his personal life.
October 15: Bridal Party in Hardanger (1926, 104 min)
The Bridal Party in Hardanger (1926) is a highlight of the breakthrough of 1920s Norwegian cinema. The film depicts the era, peasant culture and scenic landscapes that so many Norwegian migrants left behind.
“Those wonderful Norwegian landscapes which nowadays people from all parts of the world flock here to see.”
-Rasmus Breistein, Director
The filming of The Bridal Party was exceptionally important to its director, Rasmus Breistein. Having grown up in Western Norway, Breistein used this film to convey his own view on nature and traditions. “No other film I have made has given me as much pleasure as this one,” he stated.
All copies of the film’s original form have been destroyed. The version that will be screened on October 15 is a restoration, which is composed of partial material retrieved from several sources.
Composer Halldor Krogh reconstructed the silent film’s music with surviving cue sheets. The score was then performed by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded to accompany the restored film.
October 22: Everybody Hates Johan (2022, 93 min)
This explosive comedy follows the life of Johan, a small-town loner with a flair for dynamite, who finds himself in constant conflict with the members of his rural community.
Orphaned at a young age, Johan is brought up by his aunt and uncle. Throughout his life, he struggles to find his place in society and cope with his lifelong, unrequited love for the girl next door… whom he nearly blew to pieces during his younger days!
October 29: Double docu-feature! Siblings are forever (150 min)
Siblings are Forever (2013)
The siblings Magnar and Oddny Kleiva, respectively 73 and 70 years-old, never left their childhood home. Far from wealthy, the brother and sister remain close to nature and continue to run the family farm using the decades-old techniques. However, while time may seem to be standing still, it is nevertheless running out.
Siblings are Forever: the Grand Journey (2015)
Magnar and Oddny have led their entire lives on their small mountain farm in Norway, seemingly unaffected by the riches of modern society. One day, relatives from the US come to visit and invite them to see where their grandmother’s sister emigrated in 1890.
Will the brother and sister, both in their seventies, dare the long journey, having barely left Norway before?