Utøya: July 22

Utøya: July 22
(Utøya 22. juli)
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Erik Poppe
Produced by
  • Finn Gjerdrum
  • Stein B. Kvae
Written by
  • Siv Rajendram Eliassen
  • Anna Bache-Wiig
Starring
  • Andrea Berntzen
  • Aleksander Holmen
  • Brede Fristad
  • Elli Rhiannon Müller Osbourne
  • Solveig Koløen Birkeland
  • Jenny Svennevig
  • Ingeborg Enes Kjevik
  • Sorosh Sadat
  • Ada Eide
  • Mariann Gjerdsbakk
  • Daniel Sang Tran
  • Torkel Dommersnes Soldal
  • Magnus Moen
  • Karoline Schau
  • Tamanna Agnihotri
Music by Wolfgang Plagge
Cinematography Martin Otterbeck
Edited by Einar Egeland
Production
company
Paradox
Distributed by Nordisk Film (Norway)
Release date
  • 19 February 2018 (2018-02-19) (Berlin)
  • 9 March 2018 (2018-03-09) (Norway)
Running time
 90 minutes
Country Norway
Language Norwegian
Box office $3.6 million[1]

Utøya: July 22 (Norwegian: Utøya 22. juli) is a 2018 Norwegian drama film directed by Erik Poppe and written by Anna Bache-Wiig and Rajendram Eliassen. It is based on the Utøya summer camp massacre that took place on 22 July 2011 and was shot in one single take in real time.[2] The film is based on historical events, but the characters are fictional. The purpose is to promote understanding of the victims of the massacre as seen from their perspective. The film was created in close dialogue with several survivors, to get the action as close to reality as possible. The terrorist is only a figure in the periphery.[3]

The film was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.[4] Utøya: July 22 received eight nominations for the 2018 Amanda Awards during the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund.[5] The film received the Amanda Awards for the Best Actress (Andrea Berntzen) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Solveig Koløen Birkeland).[6]

Plot

Kaja attends a social-democratic summer camp on Utøya with her younger sister Emilie. On 22 July, participants receive news that a bomb has exploded in the Government quarter in Oslo but believe they are safe as long as they are on an island, away from the city. Soon, gunshots are heard, and the campers quickly disperse as it becomes clear that it is not a drill. Kaja is separated from Emilie; when she cannot find her in their tent, Kaja runs into the forest to find her.

Kaja comes across a young girl who has been shot and tries to comfort her. Smoke grenades fill the forest, and the girl dies just as her mother calls her. Kaja finds Magnus, a new camper she had met earlier in the day, with two other campers along the shoreline of the island. Magnus tries to diffuse the situation and tell jokes to brighten the mood, but the other two do not take it lightly. Later, they see a large number of campers running in the lake, and the other two campers abandon Kaja and Magnus. Kaja and Magnus discuss what they want to be when they grow up; Kaja wants to be Norway's Prime minister, and Magnus an actor.

After a close encounter with the shooter, Kaja goes out to find her sister again. Once on the beach, she discovers bodies scattered along the shoreline, including that of a boy she helped to escape the campsite. As Magnus catches up to her, Kaja breaks down. A boat is seen in the distance, and Magnus tries to convince Kaja to go with him, but she gets shot by the terrorist.

The perspective then switches to that of Magnus, as he runs for the boat and successfully reaches it with other survivors. As the boat sails away from the island, Magnus tearfully breaks down, and it is revealed Emilie is also on the boat. The boat reaches land, and the cries and screams of the survivors are heard.

Cast

  • Andrea Berntzen as Kaja
  • Aleksander Holmen as Magnus
  • Brede Fristad as Petter
  • Elli Rhiannon Müller Osbourne as Emilie
  • Solveig Koløen Birkeland as vanished girl
  • Jenny Svennevig as Oda
  • Ingeborg Enes Kjevik as Kristine
  • Sorosh Sadat as Issa
  • Ada Eide as Caroline
  • Mariann Gjerdsbakk as Silje
  • Daniel Sang Tran as Even
  • Torkel Dommersnes Soldal as Herman
  • Magnus Moen as Tobias
  • Karoline Schau as Sigrid
  • Tamanna Agnihotri as Halima

Historic background

See also

References

  1. ↑ "U: July 22". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Utoya on screen: How two film directors tackled the same tragedy". BBC News. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  3. ↑ Connolly, Kate (19 February 2018). "Utøya massacre re-enactment stuns Berlin audiences". the Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Competition and Berlinale Special Are Complete". berlinale.de. 6 February 2018. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Amandanominasjonene 2018". Retrieved 17 August 2018. (in Norwegian)
  6. ↑ Dette er årets Amanda-vinnere 2018 VG 18 August 2018 (in Norwegian)
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