Olavskino: SIRI HUSTVEDT – DANSEN RUNDT SELVET

Siri Hustvedt – Dancing Around the Self is a documentary about Siri Hustvedt, featuring her husband, Paul Auster.

Young, curious, and full of ambition, Siri Hustvedt left her Norwegian-American family and home in Minnesota in 1978 to immerse herself in the vibrant energy of New York City. In search of the protagonist for her first novel, she embarked on a journey that would not only make her a writer, but one of the most important voices in contemporary American literature.

The film looks far beyond Hustvedt’s personal story, exploring the determined creativity of the artists with whom she feels a kinship and from whom she draws inspiration. At the same time, it tells the story of her husband Paul Auster and the love shared by the legendary literary couple from Brooklyn. As the two reflect on identity and the power of words, life’s harsh realities intrude when Paul becomes seriously ill.

Siri Hustvedt – Dancing Around the Self is a powerful portrait of an extraordinary artist who speaks openly about her happiest moments, her fears, and her rich body of work.

Directed by Sabine Lidl, the documentary premiered in the Panorama section of the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival before screening at CPH:DOX. It went on to win the award for Best Documentary at the Deutscher Filmpreis.

Olavskino is a collaboration between Olavsfest, Kosmorama, and Trondheim Kino.