Norsk filminstitutt

Documentary film John - The Last Cowboy
(John - Den siste norske cowboy)

92-year-old John Hoiland runs his enormous ranch in Montana all by himself. The son of a Norwegian immigrant, he has been raised to work hard and save his dollars for a rainy day. Life on the ranch is the only life he wants, and he finds great joy in the nature that surrounds him, the freedom to work on his own land and the daily conversations with his best friend Jim.   

Production and distribution

Production Year:
2021
Production country:
Norway
Release date (national):
2021-10-22
Production company:
FIM Film AS
Financing company:
Norwegian Film Institute
Vestnorsk Filmsenter AS
Mediefondet Zefyr
Executive producer:
Frode Fimland
Producer:
Elisabeth Kleppe
Line producer:
Anne Kvellestad Klakegg
Film consultant:
Eirin Gjørv
Jesper Bergom-Larsson

Director

  • Frode Fimland

    Director and cinematographer Frode Fimland had his directorial debut with the feature documentary Siblings are Forever in 2013. The film, which documents the life of two elderly siblings on a traditional farm on the west coast of Norway, was a huge success in cinemas all over Norway. It is also the most successful documentary of all times on Norwegian TV2. 

    The film received The Feature Award at Big Sky Film Festival in 2015.  The same year he directed the sequel Siblings are Forever – the Great Journey, also an audience winner in Norwegian cinemas.  

    Fimland has previously worked on numerous wildlife and culture productions for the national broadcaster NRK both in Norway and abroad. In 2018 he directed The Wild Man of the North for NRK. Johnny - The Last Cowboy is his fourth feature film.    

    Frode Fimland

Awards

2022:
Nominated for the National Film Award Amanda for Best Documentary
2022:
Film Festival della Lessinia
Premio della Giuria MicroCosmo del Carcere di Verona
2022:
Duluth Superior Film Festival
Best Film
2023:
Oneota Film Festival
Walter Ordway Best of Fest - Documentary Feature

Festivals

2021:
BIFF - Bergen International Film Festival
2022:
The Norwegian Documentary Film Festival
2022:
Film Festival della Lessinia
2022:
Duluth Superior Film Festival
2023:
Oneota Film Festival

Crew

Director:
Frode Fimland
Screenplay:
Elisabeth Kleppe
Frode Fimland
Cinematographer:
Jason Burlage
Frode Fimland
Editor:
Anders Teigen
Composer:
Olav Øyehaug
Sound Design:
Yngve Leidulv Sætre
Iver Sandøy
Arve Ohnstad Stigen
Sound Recording:
Øyvind Rydland
Still photographer:
Bob Osborn

Technical information

Format:
DCP 4k
Screen ratio:
16:9
Colour:
Colour
Sound format:
Stereo 5.1
Length in min's:
90'
Language:
English

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