14/01/2008

The Tromsö International Film Festival (TIFF), the biggest annual film festival in Norway – which attracts some 46,000 visitors each year and screens over 100 films – opens tomorrow with the world premiere of Nils Gaup’s epic film The Kautokeino Rebellion [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

“This year’s opening film is a good example of the international standard of [the festival],” said Helga Pedersen, the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs. “The Kautikeino Rebellion is directed by Nils Gaup, who is one of the few Norwegian directors with international experience. This film focuses on indigenous people and describes some of the most dramatic events in the history of Northern Norway.”

Gaup’s return to filmmaking nine years after the Hollywood film Misery Harbour will compete for the Aurora Award (€10,000) sponsored by the Norwegian Film Institute, along with 11 other international films.

These include Abdellatif Kechiche’s The Secret of the Grain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hafsia Herzi
film profile] (France), Robert Thalheim’s And Along Came Tourists [+see also:
trailer
interview: Alexander Fehling
film profile] (Germany), Johan Kling’s Darling [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Sweden) and Asif Kapadia’s Far North [+see also:
film review
film profile] (UK), starring Michelle Yeoh. The film was shot in Svalbard and Filmcamp Målselv in Northern Norway.

The biggest industry meeting and gathering will be held on Wednesday, January 16 and will focus on “Regional and international film production challenges in store for Norwegian film policy”.