North

Jomar smokes, sleeps and drinks a lot - with a preference for high-proof alcohol. Ever since an accident ended his sporting career and his best friend stole the woman of his dreams from him, he has been feeling sorry for himself as a lift attendant in the snowy wastelands of Norway. However, when Jomar (Anders Baasmo) learns that he is to have a four-year-old son high up in the north, he starts up his snowmobile and grabs a five-liter can of alcohol as his only provisions for a journey that is as curious as it is poetic. Rune Denstad Langlo's laconic (off-)road movie celebrated its premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlinale. At Jomar's side, we immerse ourselves in Norway's breathtaking landscapes in the direction of the Arctic Circle, where it seems to be teeming with bizarre characters and new perspectives on the happiness we thought we had lost. In the end, a lonely young woman, a world-weary old man, a cheerful tank driver and a boy with original drinking habits become Jomar's unexpected guides back to life... “Despite the melancholy character of Jomar, Nord has become an enchanting film full of grandiose landscapes and quirky encounters, in which we not only learn a lot about [Rune Denstad] Langlo's very obvious admiration for David Lynch's similarly constructed film 'Straight Story', but also about the bizarre drinking habits of some Norwegians. Anyone who likes the films of Bent Hamer ('Kitchen Stories', 'O'Horten') and Aki Kaurismäki will also enjoy 'Nord'. Rarely have the depressive sufferings of a protagonist been as much fun in the movies as in this one. It's just a shame that the movie comes to an end after just 78 minutes - we wouldn't have minded if Langlo had taken up even more of our time with his charming story and likeable anti-hero. Because one thing is certain - we would have gladly given it to him.” (Joachim Kurz, on: kino-zeit.de)