19/03/2014 - 30 European entries – eight in competition – feature at the European Documentary Film Festival, which runs from 19-23 March at Oslo’s Cinemateket

A new wave of Norwegian documentaries will unspool at the 12th Eurodok – European Documentary Film Festival, which runs from today (19 March) through to 23 March at Oslo’s Cinemateket in the Norwegian capital’s Film House, this year featuring 30 European entries, including eight in competition. The selection of 12 local productions comprises five world and three local premieres.

“Norwegian documentaries have developed a lot, and the filmmakers’ professionalism is amazing. Every year it gets harder to choose because the festival has a limited number of slots, but fortunately, we have been able to pick from the top shelf,” said promotion manager - Norway documentaries and shorts Ingrid Kristin Dokka, of the Norwegian Film Institute.

The European competition will be opened by Danish director Berit Madsen’s Sepideh – Reaching for the Stars [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the first documentary to be licensed for North America during the Sundance Film Festival and released immediately on iTunes (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Apple TV) during the festival. The film portrays an Iranian girl who wants to become an astronaut - her family has other plans, but she holds on to her dream.

Denmark is also represented by Andreas Johnsen’s Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which won the Danish Film Critics’ Bodil Award for Best Documentary; Swedish director Mia Engberg’s Belleville Baby [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which received the Guldbagge (Sweden’s national film prize), is one of Sweden’s two contenders. UK director Ken Loach will close the festival with The Spirit of ’45 [+see also:
trailer
film profile], about the enduring spirit of unity in Britain after World War II.

The full Eurodok competition programme for 2014 is as follows: 

Ne Me Quitte Pas [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Sabine Lubbe Bakker, Niels van Koevorden (The Netherlands/Belgium)
Metamorphosen - Sebastian Mez (Germany)
Everybody’s Child - Garry Fraser (UK)
Jag stanner tiden - Gunilla Bresky (Sweden)
Belleville Baby - Mia Engberg (Sweden)
Alphabet - Erwin Wagenhofer (Austria, Germany)
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case - Andreas Johnsen (Denmark, China, UK)
Sepideh – Reaching for the Stars - Berit Madsen (Denmark)