Program series: Documentary

At a public primary school on the outskirts of Paris, the teachers do their best to create an educational environment for the children. We see everything from first graders who find the first day of school scary, to older students who debate with their teacher. Despite the simple description, Elementary offers an emotionally engaging and philosophically exciting film experience.

After chronicling the Apartheid, Ernest Cole lived and died in exile far away from his home in South Africa. Now director Raoul Peck shines a light on his extraordinary story.

In the 1950s, Ernest Cole worked as a photographer in his home country of South Africa, gradually becoming a vocal critic of the apartheid system. This ultimately forced him to flee in the 1960s, ending up in New York with a suitcase full of negatives.

At a folk high school north of the Arctic Circle, we meet three students, each facing their own challenges as they stand on the threshold of adulthood. The students have come from all over the world, seeking new impulses and to experience Norway’s nature.

For 31 years, Swedish journalists documented Israel’s rise and the Palestinian struggle for freedom. This forms the backdrop of Göran Olsson’s epic documentary, which dives into archival footage to showcase everything from everyday life to major international conflicts.

Kix is a raw and energetic documentary that combines handheld skate-video aesthetics with gritty social realism. Filmmakers David and Bálint become both friends and witnesses to Sanyi's life and upbringing. The film follows Sanyi, a young boy from Budapest, over the course of 12 years. Alongside friends who share his reckless behavior, they vandalize property and show little respect for others—breaking doors, destroying the belongings of the homeless, and more.

Mariken Halle mixes documentary with fiction in a delightful depiction of the time we are living in. Morgendagens Helter (Tomorrow’s Heroes) follows college professor Margaret during the pandemic. Passionate about plant life and nature, she longs to reconnect with both the natural world and her colleagues in a time dominated by digital interactions and social distancing.

When Russia invades Ukraine, primary school teacher Pasha’s life changes forever.

Pavel "Pasha" Talankin works at a primary school in Karabash and is tasked with video-documenting school events. As Russia invades Ukraine, he secretly begins documenting how the curriculum shifts to consist entirely of propaganda and recruitment for the Russian military.

Kosmorama is proud to present Pet Farm as part of this year’s documentary program, with an exclusive Trondheim premiere alongside directors Martin and Finn Walther.

In 2017, Joakim Nilsen from Oppdal made national headlines when it was revealed that he was breeding and selling foxes as pets. The Walther brothers’ Pet Farm gives the audience a unique insight into both the man behind the headlines and his special bond with the wild animals he believes can become household pets.

Leni Riefenstahl (1902–2003) is one of the most renowned directors who worked for the Nazis. Her lasting fame stems from the cinematographic boldness and innovation in her propaganda documentaries, such as Triumph des Willens (about the Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg, 1934) and Olympia (about the 1936 Berlin Olympics). Her films have had a lasting influence on cinema, but she is also known as a symbol of how art can be used for political purposes.

Songs of Slow Burning Earth is an intimate audiovisual diary about a country at war, about love for one’s homeland, and about anxieties for the future. It is also a powerful depiction of how humans adapt to the most horrific living conditions. Through eyewitness accounts, the audience gains deep insight into what it’s like to live in constant conflict.

China has 30 million more men than women, meaning that many single men have little hope of finding a partner. Competing against virtual men in dating-oriented video games makes the search for love even harder. In The Dating Game, we follow dating coach Hao as he does his best to address the growing problem with his intensive dating courses.

In The Day Iceland Stood Still, we gain insight into what happened on October 24, 1975. On that day, 90 percent of Icelandic women put down their work to demand equality—bringing the entire country to a standstill.

Director Maciej Drygas lets history speak for itself in Trains.

The film explores the role of railways in history and society, with a particular focus on Europe from the early 1900s to the post-war era. Trains is composed entirely of archival footage, showcasing how trains have played a central role in political movements and human destinies.