Childhood Burnt by War

A film by Oxana Vasilchikova,
Country: Russia,
Duration: 26min,
Language: Russian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2011

Childhood burnt by war explores evocations of memories of the people, who had experienced World War II (the Great Patriotic War) in different parts of the Soviet Union in their early childhood. The film is shot in Arkhangelsk, North-Western Russia, where Galina and Slava Lebedevy established an organization named “Children burnt by war”, putting as their main aim the transmission of their knowledge to the young generations. Being dedicated to their common task during 10 years of hard work within the organization they achieved a lot. Showing social activities deeply intertwined in their daily life, the film reveals the beauty of people’s relationships with each other. Strong personalities with vulnerable souls create their own history where the war will always remain an inevitable part.

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Beyond the Arctic Veil

A film by Elise Castberg,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 34min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2010

In ‘The Artic Veil’ we meet some of the women at the Alnor Centre, the northernmost mosque in the world. It shows some of the activities and events that the women participate in, both regular mosque activities as well as other events happening in Tromsø town. The film shows the interaction between Muslim women as well as the interaction with the local community.

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Learning to Become a Muslim

A film by Mari Bjørnsdatter Knudsen,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 27min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2003

When you grow up as a Muslim in Norway, it is a challenge to fit into the secular society, and at the same time pas on Islam. “Learning To Become A Muslim” is a film about children from different cultures who meet at the Quranic School every Saturday in the Mosque in Tromsø.

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Greater Than Ourselves

A film by Anita Lervoll,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 35min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2004

The indigenous peoples-festival, Riddu Riddu, “a storm by the coast”, was arranged for the 12th time in Gàivuotna/Kåfjord, Northern Norway in the summer of 2003. During the festival-week, the population in the small village is tripled, and all those who work for the festival, except the producer, are volunteers. Altogether 300 people were involved in the work this year. This film is mainly about the people behind the festival, focused on the reasons why these people spend great amounts of their time and energy on their work as volunteers for this festival. Parts of Riddu Riddu`s history will be portrayed, in addition to parts of the history of the Coastal Sami people in Norway. The film will also show glimpses of events during the festival-week: the children’s festival, seminars, classes, and concerts.

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Giving Birth in Northern Landscape

A film by Toril Hanson,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 34min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2002

The film is about giving birth in northern Norway. It also deals with contemporary midwifery practices, Western medicine, and the challenge of the centralization and decentralization of health services. Through a Saami woman, we learn about traditional Saami ways of birth and midwifery. Voices of different women – mothers and midwives, contemporary and traditional are heard.

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Autumn on Ob River

A film by Janno Simm,
Country: Russia,
Duration: 46min,
Language: Russian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2003

Near the mouth of Ob River in North-Western Siberia live the northernmost families of 22500 Khanty people. In conditions of a harsh polar environment and post-Soviet unpredictability, coping is a challenge. Like many of their neighbors – kinsmen, the Tobolko family is a part of a fishing brigade. To survive, when pay is scarce and even that has not been paid for months, they employ the traditional economical model of Arctic, where hunting and reindeer herding add value to fishing activities. The film follows the autumnal activity of a Khanty fisherman family: end of main fishing season – moving over to winter settlement, hunting, and reindeer herding activities. There is a story about “indigenous accountancy”- a unique balance system between fishing and reindeer herding Khanty, knowledge of fishing and hunting grounds…

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Food Stories

A film by Eline Arnevåg Lågeide,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 30min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2016

Food Stories is a film that explores how particular food commodities are related to memories and emotions. The film is an outcome of three-month fieldwork at Alanya Import, a greengrocery shop at Storgata in Tromsø, Norway. Different customers and goods are being followed through daily grocery shopping, cooking, and sharing a meal. The film’s point of departure is how the customers relate to their food from their home countries. Various perspectives are presented in sensory meetings at kitchens around Tromsø. Food becomes a window into different immigration and globalization processes. Furthermore, does the film presents an insight into kids growing up in several contexts when it comes to food traditions.

Interview with the filmmaker:
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Hunting the Halibut

A film by Bjørn Arntsen,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 51min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 2004

A film on the halibut fisheries outside Senja in Northern Norway.

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Few Are like Father No One like Mother

A film by Lisbet Høltedahl,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 1h05min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 1987

A film about women’s lives in the fishing village of Ersfjordbotn in northern Norway. Filmed in the middle of the 1980s, when the regions of Northern Norway were undergoing rapid social change, the film presents several personal life stories of elderly and younger women, problematizing the social marginalization of local women.

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Freedom to Choose

A film by Solveig Joks,
Country: Norway,
Duration: 31min,
Language: Norwegian,
Subtitles: English,
Year: 1999

Inga has ended her herding husbandry and joined the “readjustment” program courtesy of the Norwegian State. Together with her husband, she has started a Sami handicraft business. She and other women have always done handicrafts, also during herding husbandry. It was always an additional economic activity to the reindeer herding.

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