Norsk filminstitutt

The edge of the reindeers tongue holds all the lies and shall not be eaten. The one who eats it, will be a liar.

During a blizzard on the tundra, a Sami woman is herding her reindeer when she is attacked by a man. Her sister senses that something is wrong and starts looking for her. Wrapped in fear and confusion, both women will unite in their fight for revenge.    

Njuokčamat is a strong visual and exploratory film story that deals with the taboo theme of abuse of women in indigenous communities in Northern Norway. The story takes place in a wild and beautiful winter landscape where both nature and animals are essential elements of the story.  

Production and distribution

Production Year:
2019
Production country:
Norway
Release date (national):
2019-06-14
Production company:
Mer Film AS
Financing company:
Norwegian Film Institute
Nordnorsk Filmsenter AS
International Sami Film Institute
Fond for lyd og bilde
Producer:
Elisa Fernanda Pirir Ruiz

Director

  • Marja Bål Nango

    The Tongues is directed and written by the sisters Marja Bål Nango and Ingir Bål. Both are Sami indigenous, living on the tundra in arctic Norway and working as reindeer herders, which is their heritage.   

    Marja Bål Nango(b. 1988) is a Sami director from Galgujávri, Norway. Her education stems from Nordland Art and Film School, Film & Television studies at Lillehammer University College and Film producing at Sámi University College.  

    Her graduate short film Før hun kom, etter han dro (2012) won the Ellen Monague Award at the  imagineNATIVE in Toronto, and her last short film O.M.G - Oh máigon girl (2015) won the UR Award at Uppsala Film Festival and Skårungen Award at Tromsø International Film Festival. 

     Marja has participated in many international film festivals and is a member of the Sami International Film Institute. She is also a member of the board of the Northern Norway Film Center, a film funding center in Northern Norway.  

    She worked as reindeer co-ordinator and director's assistant on Sameblod (dir. Amanda Kernell, 2016).  In 2018 she was chosen for the FilmLab Norway-program - NFI's and Talent Norges talent development program for female directors.
     

Cast

Ainnox:
Johan Påve
Rovvi:
Ingir Bål Nango
Sargi:
Marja Bål Nango

Awards

2020:
Palm Springs International ShortFest
Best International Short Film
2020:
Rhode Island International Film Festival
Best Director - First Prize
2020:
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
Best Live Action Short Film

Festivals

2019:
The Norwegian Short Film Festival
2019:
Riddu Riddu International Indigenous Festival
2020:
TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2020:
Palm Springs International ShortFest
2020:
Rhode Island International Film Festival
2020:
OFF - Odense International Film Festival
2020:
Nuuk International Film Festival
2020:
Love & Anarchy - Helsinki International Film Festival
2020:
Reykjavik International Film Festival
2020:
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
2020:
Aesthetica Short Film Festival
2020:
Leeds International Film Festival
2020:
Nordic Film Days Lübeck
2020:
New Orleans Film Festival
2020:
Hollyshorts Film Festival
2020:
BOGOSHORTS - Bogotà Short Film Festival
2021:
Regensburg Short Film Week
2021:
Love & Anarchy - Helsinki International Film Festival

Crew

Director:
Marja Bål Nango
Co director:
Ingir Bål Nango
Screenplay:
Ingir Bål Nango
Marja Bål Nango
Cinematographer:
Victor Seguin
Editor:
Marja Bål Nango
Ingir Bål Nango
Joacim Svensson
Composer:
Joacim Svensson
ProductionDesigner:
Gerlinde Thiessen
Costume Designer:
Elin Marakatt
Kari Utsi
Sound Design:
Gustaf Berger
Sound engineer:
Gustaf Berger
Sound Recording:
Fanny Wadman
VFX supervisor:
Mehmet Ozdemir
Steven Higton
VFX artist:
Mehmet Ozdemir
Steven Higton
First assistant director:
Iain Forbes
Casting:
Marja Bål Nango
Choreographer:
Jan Lindqvist
Still photographer:
Marius Fiskum

Technical information

Genre:
Drama
Format:
DCP 2k
Screen ratio:
1:1,85
Colour:
Colour
Sound format:
Dolby Atmos
Length in min's:
15'
Language:
Sami
Subtitles:
English

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