NEWS
FIRST ANNUAL NORDIC LIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL - TWIN CITIES WILL FEATURE THREEDAYS OF NORDIC FILM SCREENINGS
"We are thrilled to be launching this festival in the Twin Cities," says Kari Lie, chair of the festival planning committee. "The area already has a vibrant Nordic community, and this festival offers a new outlet for us to not only reaffirm the connection to our Nordic heritage, but to also foster an appreciation for contemporary Nordic culture."
The Twin Cities festival will kick off on November 20th with a screening of the Swedish film, "The Queen and I." The film chronicles Swedish-Iranian filmmaker and Iranian exile Nahid Persson Sarvestani’s talks with the widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the late Shah of Iran who was overthrown in 1979. The film will be followed by a question and answer session to discuss the historical and modern day implications of the topics addressed in the film.
Pepitos Mexican Restaurant will be serving up Torsk (fish) Tacos and Sovereign Grounds will be serving up Norwegian hjertevafler (heart waffles) at the festival as well, to help add an additional dash of Scandinavian flavor to the weekend’s events.
Tickets for the films can be purchased at the festival doors, or are available in advance online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/6422. Door price admission for each film is $10 for adults; $7 for students and seniors; and $5 for children under age 13. Online admission prices, before processing fees, are $8 for adults; $5 for students and seniors; and $3 for children under age 13. Festival passes are also available for $75. Tickets purchased online can be picked up at will call. All movies are subtitled.
Festival Schedule:
Friday, November 20, 2009
6:30 p.m. "The Queen and I" ("Drottningen och jag") (Sweden: 90 min)
8:00 p.m. "The Queen and I" Question and Answer Session
9:00 p.m. Nordic Shorts
· "The Lake" ("Järvi") (Finland: 8 min)
· "When Elvis Came to Visit" ("När Elvis kom på besök") (Sweden: 11 min)
· "Little Man" ("Lille mand") (Denmark: 13 min)
· "Opportunist" ("Menestyjä") (Finland: 8 min)
· "Family Reunion" (Iceland: 19 min)
· "Mr. Mustache" (Norway: 7 min)
· "Harvest Time" ("Elonkorjuu") (Finland: 15 min)
· "My Uncle Loved the Color Yellow" ("Min morbror tyckte mycket om gult") (Sweden: 9 min)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
11:00 a.m. "The Mystery of the Wolf" ("Suden arvoitus") (Finland: 90 min)
1:00 p.m. "Everlasting Moments" ("Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick") (Sweden: 131 min)
3:45 p.m. "My Uncle Loved the Color Yellow" ("Min morbror tyckte mycket om gult") (Sweden: 9 min) & "Heaven’s Heart" ("Himlens hjärta") (Sweden: 95 min)
6:00 p.m. "The Lake" ("Järvi") (Finland: 8 min) & "Black Ice" ("Musta jää") (Finland: 110 min)
8:30 p.m. "Mr. Mustache" (Norway: 7 min) & "Dead Snow" ("Død Snø") (Norway: 90 min)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
11:00 a.m. "The Last Farm" ("Síðasti bærinn") (Iceland: 15 min) & "Back Soon" ("Skrapp Ut") (Iceland: 92 min)
1:15 p.m. "Silent Snow" (Greenland: 14 min) & "Herdswoman" ("Hjordeliv") (Sweden / Sami: 58 min)
3:00 p.m. "Wrestling" ("Bræðrabylta") (Iceland: 20 min) & "Small Mountain" ("Heiðin") (Iceland: 95 min)
5:30 p.m. "Little Man" ("Lille mand") (Denmark: 13 min) & "Fear Me Not" ("Den du frygter") (Denmark: 95 min)
8:00 p.m. "Harvest Time" ("Elonkorjuu") (Finland: 15 min) & "Lights in the Dusk" ("Laitakaupungin valot") (Finland: 93 min)
About the Nordic Lights Film Festival – Twin Cities
The Nordic Lights Film Festival – Twin Cities is a program of the Twin Cities Associates of the American Scandinavian Foundation and is part of a series of Nordic Film Festivals taking place throughout the U.S. this year. Other festival locations include Seattle, Austin, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Denver.
Film fest partners include the Swedish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Icelandic Film Centre and IFC Films. Corporate and Foundation sponsors include The American-Scandinavian Foundation, The American Swedish Institute, Bache-Gabrielsen Norwegian Cognac, Finnish American Cultural Activities, Inc., FinnStyle, Lektorpuljen, Mindekirken - The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, Mindekirken Norwegian Language & Culture Program and Trillium Tours. The Scandinavian Studies Department at Gustavus Adolphus College, the Norwegian Department at St. Olaf College and the German, Scandinavian and Dutch Department at the University of Minnesota have also provided support. Visit www.nordicfilmfest.com/twincities for more information.