Norwegian Documentary Nominated for Emmy

While we wait for another update from Norwegian Experience winner, Judy Gray, I've got a blog post from Cultural Advisor, Colin. Enjoy!

Last week the documentary Belarusian Waltz, co-produced by a Norwegian company, was nominated for an Emmy in the category “Outstanding Arts and Culture Programming.” The film focuses on Alexander Pushkin, a performance artist from Belarus, a former Soviet nation often described as “Europe’s last dictatorship.” Pushkin’s frequently provocative art is aimed at satirizing and protesting the Belarusian regime and its Stalin-esque leader. The film also portrays Pushkin as a bitter, angry man, whose hatred for Russians drives him to spurn his own daughter.

Belarusian Waltz was broadcast in America as part of the PBS documentary series POV. The film was produced by Piraya Film, a Norwegian company based in Stavanger, in cooperation with a number of other international production firms. Producer Torstein Grude called the nomination “fantastic” and looked forward to the increased attention the piece would receive.