“While emotionally intense and engaging, the series also takes a critical approach. The characters have been created through research, then shaped to offer a variety of insightful perspectives on the tragic event. The perpetrator himself and the ideology of hate play less prominent parts in the series. July 22nd reminds us how brutal the occurrence was, but does so in a sober, unobtrusive manner”, remarked Grete Brochmann, Chair of the Fritt Ord Board, in her speech to the Tribute laureates.

She pointed out how July 22nd says something about how society works under pressure.

“The series’ focus on institutions is a reminder that society must have the capacity to deal with unforeseen events such as fires, natural disasters, terror, and pandemics. Such events suddenly decimate the routine parameters of our daily lives, laying bare our most basic needs, including physical survival, safety, and mental balance. Institutional organisation has emerged as a crucial part of this preparedness.”

Pål Sletaune used his speech of thanks to underscore the value of drama and art. “For us as film-makers, this is the most important prize we have ever received because it shows that drama can and must be an important part of public discourse and not be relegated merely to media-driven entertainment culture.”

Sletaune stated further: “The TV series we have made is an attempt to shed light on the act of terror by shadowing people who have come into contact with the occurrence through their work. The series is based on what happened to real people, that is, our characters are composites of the experiences and gestalts of these people and they form a sort of collective memory of July 22nd.”

The award ceremony for the Fritt Ord Tribute took place in the Foundation’s premises in Oslo and was live-streamed on Fritt Ord’s website. The six episodes of the TV drama series July 22nd were aired on NRK in January and February 2020 to rave reviews. Spouses Sara Johnsen and Pål Sletaune created the series together, with Johnsen as the main script writer and Sletaune bearing the main responsibility for directing.

The Fritt Ord Foundation Board emphasised that the series “provides an eminent artistic contribution to critical reflection on the dramatic event. The protagonists of this drama series are the people who, at that time, worked in key institutions in Norway, a welfare state based on the rule of law: the public health service, the media, the school system, the church and the police”. The prize is worth NOK 100 000.

Sara Johnsen (50)
Johnsen is a film director and writer. Her background is from the Norwegian Film School in Lillehammer, and she began her directing career with the short films The Heaven Stormer (1999) and Hormones and Other Demons (2000), as well as the episode Boundless love in the serial Most people live in China (2002). Her cinematic début Winter kiss (2005) won the Film Critics’ Prize the following year. Her second feature film, Upperdog from 2009, received both the Amanda Prize for best motion picture and the Film Critics’ Prize the following year. In 2012, she made Innocence and in 2016, Rosemari. In addition, Johnsen has published a collection of short stories entitled He knows about something she can try (2004). In 2008, Johnsen made her début as a novelist with White Man. (Source: Store norske leksikon, snl.no)

Pål Sletaune (60)
Sletaune is a director and scriptwriter whose main vehicles are film and TV. He first gained acclaim with short films like The Bingo Place (1992) and Eating Out (1994). His feature film début The Messenger (1997) earned an Amanda Prize for best motion picture, then gained international success. It achieved distribution in more than 60 countries, receiving a number of international awards, not least at the film festivals in Cannes, Stockholm, Ghent and Tokyo. Since then, Sletaune has written and directed the burlesque comedy The Amateurs (2001) and the film noir Neighbours (2005). Babycall (2011), which he both wrote and directed, received an Amanda Prize for best manuscript. On stage, he has directed Harold Pinter’s Ashes to Ashes (National Theatre 2005) and Mark Ravenhill’s The Product (Our Theatre 2008). (Source: Store norske leksikon, snl.no)

The Fritt Ord Tribute
The Freedom of Expression Foundation Tribute is awarded by Fritt Ord’s Board to recognise invaluable activities in the service of free speech, often in connection with current events. The Fritt Ord Foundation’s Board also awards the Freedom of Expression Foundation Prize.

• The press release featuring the grounds cited by Fritt Ord’s Board can be read here:
• Grete Brochmann’s speech
• The speech given by Sara Johnsen and Pål Sletaune