Reconstructing Utøya – Oslo première and discussion with youth politicians and cast members

Link to the Facebook event.
Link to the film’s website

Polarfox film production, Oslo Documentary Cinema and Fritt Ord invite the public to a preview screening of the documentary film ‘Reconstructing Utøya’ and a meeting with film-makers, cast members and Norwegian youth politicians.

This is the first film about Utøya to focus on what life is like for the survivors of the terrorist act. At this preview screening, we will address both what it was like to make this film and the consequences Utøya has had on Norwegian politics.

DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FILM AND Q&A:

Director Carl Javér and Producer Fredrik Lange will be present at the screening to talk about how Reconstructing Utøya came into being and why they wanted to make this film. Norwegian Co-producer John Arvid Berger will also talk about this.

Utøya survivor Torje Hanssen, who is in the film, will be at the screening and take part in the discussion.

Discussion with youth politicians:

How will Norwegian politicians manage the legacy of Utøya?

Featuring Labour Party Youth Secretary General Renate Tårnes, Deputy Chair of the Progress Party’s Youth Bjørn Emil Nesset, leader of Red Youth Tobias Drevland Lund and the county secretary for Akershus County’s Young Conservatives Håkon Snortheim.

The discussion will be moderated by Journalist Ingerid Salvesen.

ABOUT THE FILM:
“Reconstructing Utøya” is a film about survival, and about living with traumatic memories from the most comprehensive, brutal Fascist terrorist act that has been perpetrated in Europe in the post World War II era. Utøya survivors Rakel, Mohammed, Jenny and Torje recount their stories in an empty, black-walled film studio.

Along with a film team and 12 other young people, and without props other than white tape to mark the floor, they reconstruct the day that changed their lives – the day when the political elite of tomorrow fell victim to a Fascist crusade against an open, democratic and multi-cultural society, 22 July 2011. First, a bomb exploded at the Government Complex and then there was a mass shooting of young people who belonged to the Labour Party Youth. During the course of 72 minutes, 69 individuals were murdered on Utøya – most of them adolescents. 52 of them were shot in the head. In this documentary film, four of the survivors return to the place of these memories because they are convinced that doing so is important – for themselves, for us, for the present and for the future.

Director Carl Javér and Producer Fredrik Lange.

REVIEW:
The only film on Utøya that you need. (…) The way in which these four, still young people, tell about what happened to them on 22 July seven years ago is unemotional, clear and painfully touching. It feels even more genuine because the surroundings are so Spartan (…) Reconstructing Utøya should not be missed.
- Tor Martin Bøe in VG

Reconstructing Utøya is close, courageous and warm – if you can only bear to see one film about Utøya, I would strongly recommend waiting for this one.
- Ellen Land, Ny Tid

Raw, unadorned and authentic. It projects an understanding of 22 July that I can identify with. It manages to tell dramatic, heart-rending stories with warmth and love, making it a film that everyone ought to see.
- Stian Kogler, survivor of Utøya