Three Norwegian Documentaries Selected for Hot Docs

Hot Docs in Toronto is one of the world’s leading documentary festivals. This year, the festival the North American premieres of two acclaimed Norwegian documentaries: Hex, directed by Maja Holand, and Let Our Mountains Live, directed by Håvard Bustnes. 

Time of Plenty by Robin Jensen will have its world premiere in the Shorts competition. Featuring animation, interviews and narration, Time of Plenty is a 19 minute essay documentary that uses the collapse on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) as a metaphor for the climate catastrophe. The film is narrated by Academy Award nominee Renate Reinsve. «A unique, poetic film that addresses the climate threat in innovative ways», film commissioner Anna J. Ljungmark stated in her project assessment. Time of Plenty has received NOK 1 580 000 in production funding from the Norwegian Film Institute.  

Hex, Maja Holands documentary debut about the norwegian black metal-band Witch Club Satan, is screening in the Artspaces section at Hot Docs. Hex had its international premiere at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in March, and was also selected for this year’s CPH:DOX. The film has received funding from the NFI talent scheme Neo. 

Let Our Mountains Live is featured in the World Showcase section at Hot Docs. The film follows the existential conflict between the Sámi families in the Fosen region and the development of Europe’s largest wind farm development, endangering the Sámi families' traditional way of life. Let Our Mountains Live had its world premiere in the Nordic:Dox competition at CPH:DOX.

Co-productions

The Secret Reading Club of Kabul, finnish-norwegian co-production, will have its North American premiere at Hot Docs. Directed by Shakiba Adil and Elena Hirvonen, produced by Yellow Film with Norwegian co-producers Ten Thousand Images/ Johanna Dorthea Raita. 

Iranian co-production Vanishing Tracks is showing in the International Spectrum section at Hot Docs. Directed and produced by Hamed Zolfaghari/Crazy Woodpecker Studios, with Norwegian co-producers Storm Films/Verona Meier. The film is supported by Sørfond.