There has been a lot of debate around the purpose of making such a film. A film which captures the horrific events that took place on the Norwegian island «Utøya», and how the kids camping there struggled for survival.
When seeing the film at the Berlinale, there was a surreal atmosphere in the cinema. I don't think many people really understood how much the next 90 minutes would affect them. But when the first pictures rolled across the screen, the silence was overwhelming. Being Norwegian and remembering the shock when hearing the news on the actual day, I was absolutely terrified and had trouble breathing though large parts of the movie. Erik Poppe has chosen to put his focus on survival, panic and injustice. Nowhere in the film does he show the solitude, love or support that rose in the aftermaths of the attack, and this is perhaps what some of the critics are missing; something which resembles hope.
But I think it's extremely important to understand why this film doesn't tell that story. As Poppe said after the screening: this is a film made with and for the people on the island. 69 people never had a chance to witness what came after, and we need to remember their stories (however hard it is), so that we can make sure it never happens again.
This film is highly uncomfortable, extremely sad and simply terrifying at times.. but so is life, and we must not close our eyes.
When seeing the film at the Berlinale, there was a surreal atmosphere in the cinema. I don't think many people really understood how much the next 90 minutes would affect them. But when the first pictures rolled across the screen, the silence was overwhelming. Being Norwegian and remembering the shock when hearing the news on the actual day, I was absolutely terrified and had trouble breathing though large parts of the movie. Erik Poppe has chosen to put his focus on survival, panic and injustice. Nowhere in the film does he show the solitude, love or support that rose in the aftermaths of the attack, and this is perhaps what some of the critics are missing; something which resembles hope.
But I think it's extremely important to understand why this film doesn't tell that story. As Poppe said after the screening: this is a film made with and for the people on the island. 69 people never had a chance to witness what came after, and we need to remember their stories (however hard it is), so that we can make sure it never happens again.
This film is highly uncomfortable, extremely sad and simply terrifying at times.. but so is life, and we must not close our eyes.
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