Photo: Trond Kjetil Holst
For those who do not yet know, January 15th to 22nd 2024, we had Tromsø International Film Festival.
According to the festival’s leader, Lisa Hoem, it is the biggest film festival in Norway. Quite impressive for the relatively small town up here, in the far, far North. It is one of the events that makes the long Polar Night and the wait for the Sun to return shorter and more enjoyable. This year, it was the first time there were digital films as well, so people all over Norway could access films that are more challenging to get.
Compared to earlier years, in 2024, the program was busy yet adjusted to the working hours of the public. Many screenings were distributed in the second part of the day and on the weekend. This way, people could see them after work and in their free time if they have the weekend off and do not work in shifts. For a couple of days, I had the time during the day and went to see movies in the morning and early afternoon. Guess who were my companions in the movie theaters? Lots of retired people, since they have the time at those hours. Many people from other parts of Norway take time off and use the week of the film festival to travel to Tromsø. Some stay with “film festival friends,” which means people they only see in this particular week of the year, and the friendships are all about the film festival, their love of movies, and nothing more. It is easier to maintain a friendship when people have something in common. Same as in partnerships and marriages.
Some people practically “live” for this film festival because there is so much to experience in one week from the safety of a movie theater. Dramas, war, other countries, other people’s lives, and tragedies, without doing anything more than just buying a festival pass and tickets. With no danger of being asked uncomfortable questions or having to speak with foreigners, yet, only to take a peak into their lives and withdraw again into their homes with no obligations. For many locals, this is the safest way to interact with foreigners, even if the migration experience is in every house, if one takes the time to look at the genealogy of families and the history or at the work they do/have done.
If you live in Tromsø or happen to be visiting precisely the week of the festival, it’s a pity not to experience this big event. All films have English subtitles, which makes it one of the most accessible cultural events. There are interviews and public talks around the subjects. You can meet new people since locals tend to be more chatty in these circumstances. Yet, there is no friendship guaranteed. You can find an article about how to make Norwegian friends on this link.
This year, I have watched the movies with migrant eyes and found elements that can be helpful to the migrant experience, which I think is not talked about enough, especially by migrants themselves. Of course, I found similar experiences and life events where the filmmakers have put pictures and words on so people can easily relate to them.
Here are some of the films that caught my eye in that regard. There were many others, yet my time was limited, and I did not manage to watch as many as I would have wished. Check the program yourself, and be open for when they may come into cinemas. The festival organizers have a series of prizes to give; I will mention if the film won anything.
“Life is Beautiful” (director Mohamed Jabaly) – a must-see if you’re a migrant. Regardless of WHY you’ve migrated, you’ll recognize much of your own migration process in this documentary.
“Riceboy Sleeps” (director Anthony Shim) – describes a migrant family living in Canada. It’s interesting to compare it with the Norwegian experience. It is also easy to see how child-rearing differences are transparent from one culture to another and the challenges children who grow up in migrant families meet in their new environment. This film won the International Film Critics Prize: FIPRESCI.
“The Tundra Within Me” (director Sara Margrethe Oskal) is a good image of the North Norwegian Culture, even if the story occurs in a Sami community. You can watch the film and eventually fill in with more information by reading my book. Just google my name, I am sure you will find it. Or check the PS at the end of the article. The film will be shown in the cinemas soon after the festival ends.
“The Promised Land” (director Nikolaj Arcel) shows some of the history of Northern parts of Europe and how Danish, Swedes, and Norwegians needed Tatars (gypsies), and German settlers to work the lands. Also, the fear and the superstitions linked to the skin of strangers transpire as well. Mads Mikkelsen is playing the main character. The Danish name of the film is “Bastard” and it had its world premiere on August 31st, 2023, at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion. It was selected as the Danish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards and was one of the 15 finalist films in the December shortlist.
“Housekeeping for Beginners“ (director Goran Stolevskis) is a picture of multiculturalism (“mangfold” in Norwegian) in Southern parts of Europe. This film won the best film prize this year, AURORA, which is the festival’s biggest prize.
“Un Amor” (director Isabel Coixet), where behind the juicy sex story the film is presented under, it also shows how migrants influence the lives of locals in a country or a community and how the primal needs of people, dry shelter, food, survival, pushes them to blend their lives for longer or shorter periods of time. I speak more about cultural differences in love partnerships in an article inspired by people I work with in therapy. You can find it on this link.
Other films that drew my attention:
The Holdovers (director Alexander Payne), which shows how circumstances can make strangers closer than family. This theme shows up in many other films, and perhaps it mainly wants to encourage people to take a chance on strangers and that good friendships can occur between people, one would expect less. It was the festival’s closing film and will be shown in cinemas later this year. Another theme presented here is about teenagers trying to cope with their lives and their families, as shown in a few other films at the festival.
“Creatura” (director Elena Martin) explores early childhood traumas and how they influence women’s sexuality, which further affects the behavior of men in relationships. It seems like a vicious circle: fathers influence girls, who become women who influence the men they are with, and the other way around: mothers influence boys, who become men, who influence the women they are with. Generation clash also shows through the psychological education today’s generations have access to and with which young adults confront their parents. The advantage is that the characters in a movie are more brave in confronting their parents. They show a “how-to” that perhaps people can also apply in their lives.
Certainly, a therapist can help in many situations shown in the films and which we see in real life. Check this link, if you’re considering therapy.
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2024’s Oscar nominations, 7 of this year’s festival titles walked away with 15 nominations:
THE HOLDOVERS for the nominations for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
THE ZONE OF INTEREST for the nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, and Best Sound.
MAY DECEMBER for the nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
PERFECT DAYS for the nomination for Best International Feature Film.
THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE for the nomination for Best International Feature Film.
FOUR DAUGHTERS for the nomination for Best Documentary.ROBOT DREAMS for the nomination for Best Animated Film
