Published: 25/01/2012 | Edited: 25/01/2012
Norwegian director Hallvar Witzø’s Tuba Atlantic competing for the trophy as Best Live Action Short
”We had prepared for a funeral feast, if it didn’t work – luckily we could grab at the champagne,” said Norwegian director Hallvar Witzø, as his 25-minute Tuba Atlantic was yesterday (24 January) selected as one of five contenders for the Oscar as Best Live Action Short – the only Scandinavian film on the list of this year’s noms.
Witzø’s 2010 graduation movie from the Norwegian National Film School in Lillehammer was last summer awarded for Best Foreign Film at the Student Oscars – also organised by the ’real’ Academy - among 52 candidates from 32 countries.
Tuba Atlantic has been a frequent traveller on the international festival circuit, screening at showcases between in Germany, France, the US and China. At last year’s Nordic Film Festival in Frederikshavn, Denmark, it won for Best Nordic Graduation film.
Scripted by Linn-Jeanethe Kyed, and starring Edvard Hægstad, Ingrid Viken and Terje Ranes, the film follows 70-year-old Oskar who has been told he has only six more days to live. But first he wants to make peace with his brother who lives in America.
Tuba Atlantic is the first Norwegian graduation film to receive an Oscar nomination. In 2007 Norwegian director Torill Kove’s short, The Danish Poet (Den danske dikteren), was both nominated for and won the trophy. – This year’s awards ceremony will take place on 26 February in Hollywood.
