“Upperdog” Is Underdog Winner in Haugesund

If you read Rob Nelson’s article on Norwegian Cinema in the July issue of Viking, you know that the Amanda Awards—Norway’s version of the Academy Awards—were held on Aug. 21 as part of the Haugesund International Film Festival. In the article, Nelson wrote that “few will be shocked if the prize for Best Norwegian Film goes to ‘A Somewhat Gentle Man,’” a dark comedy directed by Hans Petter Moland. I’m sure Rob wasn’t the only one surprised to learn that “Upperdog,” directed by Sara Johnsen (pictured here) won a total of five awards, not only for Best Picture, but for Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Actress.

“A Somewhat Gentle Man” (“En Ganske Snill Mann”) did win one award: Stellan Skarsgård brought home the Best Actor award for his performance in the film.

You’ll find the entire list of Amanda award winners on the Norwegian International Film Festival’s website. You can also check out trailers for both of these films on YouTube.

Photo: Helge Hansen



Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minnesota, where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585. Amy is a Nordic folk music enthusiast, and when she’s not working or parenting, she can often be found making music with friends.