NIFF 22: 5 Must-See Films
Celebrate Norwegian and Nordic cinema which runs from August 20–26.
By Anna Fredrikke Bjerke, Norway Ambassador for FREE THE WORK
From a harrowing drama on the Ukrainian-Russian border to a thrilling portrait of a female truck driver, the 50th Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund boasts a lineup filled with promising discoveries. Here are 5 recommendations featuring voices from the FREE THE WORK community and beyond.
Paradise Highway Oscar winner Juliette Binoche in a role unlike anything else she has done. She plays the role of the tough truck driver Sally taking on a dangerous job to keep her imprisoned brother (Frank Grillo) safe from a dangerous gang within the prison walls. Sally gets more than she had negotiated when she realizes that the cargo she is expected to carry is young girl Leila (Finley). Meanwhile, we have an FBI agent (Morgan Freeman) who is on the trail of this dangerous gang who tries to hurt Leila and decides to do everything he can to keep the girl and Sally safe. This is an action-packed and pulsating thriller led by a brave woman.
Norwegian director Anna Gutto’s ambitious feature debut boasts of household names and an exciting newcomer. It transports the viewer to a wild ride of high stakes and suspense that is bound to entertain and provoke thought, while shining a light on the issue of human trafficking.
“Paradise Highway” is playing in the Special Screening section. Check here to see the full schedule.
12 Dares (2022, 1h 45m, Sweden/Norway) Fuad is at the age where the gang of friends means everything. After escaping from a fight that leaves his friend and gang leader, Salle, in hospital, Fuad is ostracized by that gang. At the place Fuad lives, there are unwritten rules about loyalty and the requirement to be a real man. Fuad, who has always hidden his weaknesses, must complete 12 achievements to gain a foothold in the ruthless gang again.
Directed by Nowegian-Macadonian Izer Aliu (Amanda, Best Director Winner), “12 Dares” has directed a captivating film about loyalty and youth violence that makes us eager to see more.
“12 Dares” is playing in the Main Competition and is scheduled to premiere on August 21, 2022. Check here to see the full schedule.
Sonne (2022, 1h 27m, Austria) In a moment of ordinary madness, three girlfriends go viral after shooting a burqa music video parody.
Winner of the Berlinale Best First Feature Award, Kurdwin Ayub’s feature debut captures the intersection of Generation Z social-media freinzy and contemporary Muslim identity.
“Sonne” is playing in the Main Programme and is scheduled to premiere on August 22, 2022. Check here to see the full schedule.
Call Jane (2022, 2h 01m, USA) Housewife Joy lives a normal life with her husband and daughter in Chicago in 1968. When Joy’s pregnancy leads to a life-threatening condition, she does not receive much help from the male doctors and goes on a journey to find an alternative solution. The road leads to the Jane collective — an underground network which help women to have an abortion. A real organization that existed when abortion was illegal in United States.
Phyllis Nagy wrote the script for Todd Haynes’ “Carol”. Now she is debuting as a feature film director and using some of Haynes’ visual features into her own work. “Call Jane” is an energetic, feel-good film that sheds light on a topic that has received a lot of media attention this year.
“Call Jane” is playing in the Main Programme and is scheduled to premiere on August 21, 2022. Check here to see the full schedule.
Klondike (2022, 1h 40m, Ukraine) With a violent rumble, a Ukrainian family in the Donetsk region experiences that something has happened to their house. A floating part has torn down one of the walls. This comes from the Malaysian Airlines plane that was shot down by a rocket on July 17, 2014. Irka is heavily pregnant and refuses to leave the house, even though their village is taken over by pro-Russian rebels. The way Maryna Er Gorbach uses the camera to both hide and uncover the gloomy nature of this region is gripping. The melancholy film style is reminiscent of Andrey Zvyagintsev (Leviathan, Loveless). It shows the gloomy and brutal part of this region. Despite the fact that this is a realistic and tense illustration of events in 2014, it is also a horrific reflection of the current situation.
Winner of the 2022 Sundance Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic, “Klondike” resonates deeply with the current political climate and is sure to invade the emotions of its viewers. It is a haunting piece of contemporary cinema about the choices we make when the world falls apart.
“Klondike” is playing in the Human Nature section and is scheduled to premiere on August 22, 2022. Check here to see the full schedule.
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