Congo 1961 (Norwegian title: Kongoveteranene)

During the Congo Crisis (1960-1964), several hundred Norwegian and Swedish soldiers were sent to the Congo as UN peacekeepers. They were pioneers of the UN peacekeeping forces, were sent on dangerous missions, but knew little or nothing about what they were sent to.

For the first time the veterans talk about their experiences. They tell about dramatic rescue operations and captivity that has never been told before. Then UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld had great ambitions for the UN, and the UN Congo operation was far ahead of its time.

At a time when the world is once again characterized by Great Power Politics, the film is a warm defense of international cooperation and present exclusive, never seen archive material from the Congo crisis.

Official selected for

• Swedish International Film Festival (Finalist).
• Boden International Film Festival (Winner Best Feature Documentary for September).
• Luleå International Film Festival (Winner Best Feature Documentary).
• Stockholm City Film Festival (Winner Best Feature Documentary).
• Madrid Indie Film Festival • MADRIFF (Selected for Best feature documentary).
• Falcon International Film Festival (Honerable mention).
• Montreal Independent Film Festival (Semi-finalist: Best feature documentary).
• Cannes International Cinema Festival (Selected).

On the outside (In progress)

In a suburban block outside Oslo, lives Shahla (53) and her daughter Shiller (22). They are both Kurdish refugees, and has been in Norway for 10 years. Shiller speaks fluent Norwegian. She was 13 years old when she came to Norway. Now the Norwegian authorities want her and her mother out of the country.

Binayam Assefa is a trained nurse form Ethiopia. He has been ten years in Norway, and has worked at several hospitals in the country. Two years ago he married his wife, Nora, and together they have a daughter who are 2 ½  years.  But things suddenly change for Binayam and his family, when the authorities withdraw their work permit, and claims he have to return to Ethiopia.

Babak Majed came to Norway from Iran in 2003, and has worked as washing and cleaning boy at several hotels. Now he has lost his permit to stay in Norway. He speaks fluent Norwegian, and is afraid of returning to Iran.

On the Outside show the human consequences of new strict immigration policy. People who have been in Norway for more than 10 years are thrown out of the country.

Det nye Russland (2012):

In one of Russia most polluted areas, a young environmentalist (Vitaliy Servetnik) travels from town to town to recruit teenagers to become environmentalists. He is an acknowledged speaker on behalf of the environment, and leader of the biggest environmental NGO in the region.

The film depicts the director’s meeting with Vitaliy and the new Russia, where the authorities imaginatively tries to stop young, enthusiastic people to have their say.

Premier at The Norwegian Documentary film festival in April 2012.

Official selected for

•  The Norwegian documentary film festival, Volda,  April 2012.
• Silafest, Serbia, September 2012.
• Ekotopfilm, Bratislava, Košice and Žilina in Slovakia, October 2012.
• Tromsø International Film Festival, Tromsø, Norway, January 2013.