This week Norwegian film director Rune Denstad Langlo was named Best Emerging Filmmaker at Robert De Niro’s prestigious Tribeca Festival in New York City. Langlo received the honors for his first narrative feature film “Nord (North)” described as “a road movie without a road.” Starring Anders Baasmo Christiansen (who played a key role in the 2003 romantic comedy “Buddy”), “North” tells the story of a has-been athlete who discovers he may have a child and so undertakes a long journey via snowmobile across Northern Norway to confront his past. While no North American release has been planned yet, the prize reportedly kicked off a bidding war for distribution rights in Europe.While Nord is Langlo’s first fiction film it’s hardly his first project. The Trondheim-born director also directed the feature-length documentaries “Alt for Norge (Too Much Norway)” and “99% ærlig (99% Honest).” You can read an English-language interview with the director here and see the trailer (in Norwegian, with no subtitles) here.
And remember: even though Nord isn't set for a U.S. release yet, all is not lost. You can still get your Anders Baasmo Christiansen fix by calling the Sons of Norway Media Lending Library and requesting "Buddy".