Production Finished For ‘The Battle Of Narvik’

Norweigan War-movie ‘The Battle of Narvik’ has ended its principal shooting with the final scene finished on April 12^th. 

For some time, the Norweigan team of Nordisk Film had put the film on break due to the global pandemic, but managed to shoot some indoor scenes shortly later in Oslo. At some point, during the winter scenes, it was a shortage of snow in Norway. This was a problem as the film is about a winter war, according to a press release.

Close collaboration with the municipal chief in Narvik has been very important to us, says producer Live Bonnevie. – When you move a device of this size from a red zone to a green zone, you have to step so carefully and here we have received invaluable help both before and during the recording. We were also completely dependent on all our partners standing behind the effort that has been to start production for the third time, and they did.

Some local people helped with the production as well and the producers seem satisfied with the result despite some difficulty managing the production line due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

– It is a great relief to have reached the end of the filming and we are very pleased with the film material we take with us to the final work on the film. We would like to warmly thank everyone who has participated as extras and not least all the local helpers who have really stood up to help us get the film to port under unusual circumstances. Without you, we would never have been able to complete this work, says producer Aage Aaberge, who is now focusing on the finishing work, where all traces of 2021 will be replaced by color from 1940.

Plot about the film

April 1940. The dawning war in Europe seems distant to the Norwegians, but the eyes of the world are already on Narvik who ships out the iron ore Hitler depends on to keep the German war machinery going. On the night of April 9, Norway’s neutrality is violated and German soldiers go ashore. The city commander surrenders Narvik without a fight, but not everyone is willing to lay down their arms. A company of 200 Norwegian soldiers bluffs out of the city and takes up the fight. Among the soldiers, we find the young corporal Gunnar Tofte, who gets his baptism of fire in the battle against the professional, German alpine hunters in the mountains. In Narvik, the Royal Hotel, where his wife Ingrid Tofte works as a maid and interpreter, will be the Germans’ new headquarters. From the trench, it is easy to know who is a friend and who is an enemy. From the civilian point of view, the picture is more complicated.  

In the roles: Carl Martin Eggesbø, Kristine Hartgen, Stig Henrik Hoff, Kari Bremnes, Emil Johnsen, Mathilde Cuhra, Henrik Mestad, Torfinn Nag, Holger Handtke, Christoph Bach, Billy Campbell and others.  Nordisk Film has prior to this feature produced  Kon-Tiki, 12^th Man, and The Tunnel. The film is directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg

The Battle for Narvik will premiere on December 25, 2021.