Norsk filminstitutt

During the film festival in Cannes, five talented Norwegian directors were presented. Read about them and their upcoming projects here. 

Norske regissører i Cannes
From left: Silje Salomonsen, Mariken Halle, Nini Bull Robsahm, Yngvild Sve Flikke and Jannicke Systad Jacobsen

Silje Salomonsen 

Silje Salomonsen (b. 1978) is a Norwegian actress, musician and film director from Stavanger, known for her work on films like Now It’s Dark, It’s Only Make Believe and Monsterthursday. She plays the leading role in Jannicke Systad Jacobsen’s new film 110% Honest, and is a frequent collaborator of Thomas Dybdahl, who also has scored her upcoming directorial debut Sisters. 

Two sisters set off on an epic journey across the Norwegian wilderness to find help for their father who has fallen into a mountain crack.

Family film 72 min Original title Søstre Directors Silje Salomonsen, Arild Østin Ommundsen Screenplay Silje Salomonsen, Arild Østin Ommundsen Cast Billie Østin, Vega Østin, Thomas Skjørestad, Mette Arnstad, Oddgeir Thune Production Gary Cranner for Chezville Release 2020 Sales tba

Jannicke Systad Jacobsen

Jannicke Systad Jacobsen (b.1975) is a Norwegian writer/ director based in Oslo. She studied directing at FAMU – The Czech National Filmschool and London International Film School. She also studied theatre science and anthropology at the University of Oslo. She directed several documentaries and shorts with a great humorous flair, before making her feature film debut with the comedic youth drama Turn me on, goddammit in 2011. The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival where it was given the award for Best Screenplay in the World Narrative Competition. It was sold to quite a few territories, amongst others USA, Canada, Germany, France, Australia and Japan. Turn me on, dammit also did very well at the local box office and received the national film award Amanda for Best Picture and Best Cinematography. 
Systad Jacobsen’s second feature 110% Honest is a dark comedy about a doping scandal in cycling. Her next project is a romantic comedy centered on a woman her 70s, written by Ragnhild Tronvoll (Happy, Happy).

In 110% Honest we meet former pro cyclist Kim Karlsen (39) just moments before she holds a press conference admitting use of performance enhancing drugs in her career. This dark comedy takes us behind the scenes of a doping scandal as it starts rolling, and observes how Kim tackles her fall from grace. Rather than accepting the consequences of her actions, our antiheroine sticks to her guns and refuses to alter her mindset. The film chronicles the ups and downs of Kim’s annus horribilis.

Dark comedy 85 min Original title Hjelperytteren Director Jannicke Systad Jacobsen Screenplay Jannicke Systad Jacobsen Cast Silje Salomonsen, Espen Klouman Høiner, Kjersti Tveterås, Agnes Kittelsen, Nader Khademi Production Isak Eymundsson, Ruben Thorkildsen for Ape&Bjørn Release Aug 30, 2019 Sales tba

Yngvild Sve Flikke

Yngvild Sve Flikke (b. 1974) made shorts, music documentaries and children shorts for NRK for 15 years, before her debut feature, Wonen In Oversized Men`s Shirts (Amanda for best actress in a supporting role) in 2015. She then went on to direct the short Apple (Award for best screenplay, the Norwegian Short Film Festival) in 2016 and directed several episodes of the internationally acclaimed drama series Home Ground season 1 and 2 in 2018 and 2019. Her upcoming The Art of Fallingwill go into production in October 2019.

The Art of Falling is based on the graphic novel ‘Fallteknikk’ by Inga Sætre (winner of Brageprisen for best youth literature in 2012). Rakel (23) finds out way too late that she is 6 months pregnant, and that the father is not her boyfriend. When she decides not to keep the baby, an animated Ninjababy turns up and makes her everyday life difficult. 

Mariken Halle

Mariken Halle (b.1982) in Oslo, Norway. Wanted to be an actress as a child constantly making films with her friends and family. Educated at Rødkilde (2002), Nordland Art and Filmschool (2003-2005) and Akademin Valand in Gothenburg (2007-2011).

Made Maybe tomorrow (2011) - a feature length mix between documentary and fiction together with Clara Bodén as exam project at Valand. Made the feature The World is Waiting (2014) and produced documentaries, shorts, exhibitions and books together with Clara and Ronja from 2011 - 2014.

Mariken is now based in Oslo and part of the production collective ALTERNATIVET together  with Guro Bruusgaard, Magnus Mork and Katja Eyde Jacobsen. Currently in production of the  feature We are Here Now.  

A fiction film following a group of babies and their parents during a year, the Scandinavian parental leave. Many of the adults are in a crisis, trying to relate to each other and to the world.

Existential comedy -  Original title Vi er her nå Director Mariken Halle Screenplay Mariken Halle Cast Leif Edlund, Marte Germaine Christensen, Thomas Holtermann Østgaard, Magnus Mork Production Mariken Halle, Magnus Mork, Guro Bruusgaard, Katja Eyde Jacobsen for Alternativet Produksjon Release Fall 2019 Sales tba

Nini Bull Robsahm

Nini Bull Robsahm (b. 1981) based in Oslo, Norway. She was educated at NISS - Nordic Institute of Stage and Studio in Oslo, and worked primarily as an assistant director until she wrote the screenplay and starred in Manhunt (2008).  Her feature debut was in 2014 with the thriller Amnesia starring Pia Tjelta (Blind Spot), Good reviews, and remake rights were sold to Europe and USA. In 2011, she co-directed the feature film You Said What? which opened to good reviews at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.

She has her own company, Canopy Film, and is one of the young talents who works with the extremely popular Scandinavian crime genre.

Lake of Death is a remake of the first first and most successful thriller to have been made in Norway from 1958 på Kåre Bergstrøm, witch has everything Scandinavian crime is known for: dark forests, gloomy landscapes, tension, mystery, remote areas and ice cold murder.

Lillian’s twin brother Bjørn dies a mysterious death alone at the old family cabin. Now, one year later, Lillian and her friends arrive at the cabin to say their goodbyes and finally sell the place. Shortly after their arrival, strange things start happening. Lillian sleepwalks and her dog disappears. When the group goes swimming, a black mass from the water sticks to their skin. It seems as though someone or something is watching them.

Thriller 90 min Original title De dødes tjern Director Nini Bull Robsahm Screenplay Nini Bull Robsahm Cast Iben Akerlie, Jakob Schøyen Andersen, Sophia Lie, Jonathan Harboe, Elias Munk, Ulrik von der Esch Production Nini Bull Robsahm, Axel Mustad, Fredrik Pryser, Thomas Robsahm for Pryserfilm Release Nov 2019 Sales TrustNordisk