Even with the breadth of releases that I’ve gotten so far on
this blog, today is going to mark not only a first in terms of reviewing but
also a personal first. Today's subject marks the first Norwegian film I have ever watched
(that I’m aware of), not just the first that I’ve reviewed. Something I’m
learning quickly from the prevalence of Indian cinema at my local is that, like
a lot of other things, I rely on what I watch when it comes to understanding
other cultures.
Some are easier to grasp than others: The American monopoly
means that there are a lot of facets of the U.S. that get shown on screen, the
occasional British releases have given a better insight into my country’s sovereign
nation, and even the increasingly-rare Aussie productions provide a snapshot of
my home outside of my suburban domicile. Beyond that, I’m pretty in the dark
and no less so than when it comes to Norway. I mean, my extent of the country’s
societal trappings comes from Where To Invade Next, and while I would make a
joke about how Michael Moore isn’t exactly the most objective viewpoint to
adhere to, I’m still trying to comprehend the workings of their prison system
as shown in that film.
Basically, if this review sounds like an ill-informed
foreigner trying to understand a given culture, it’s only because it is.
