Vibeke Løkkeberg with Norwegian premiere at Kosmorama.
One of Norway's most successful film directors, Vibeke Løkkeberg, turns 80 in 2025. To mark the occasion, she will attend the festival and bring two of her films, The Revelation (1977) and Tears of Gaza (2010). In addition, Kosmorama is thrilled to announce the Norwegian premiere of the documentary The Long Road to the Director’s Chair.
The Film's background
The year is 1973. At the age of 28, Vibeke Løkkeberg participated in the first international women’s film seminar at Arsenal Cinema in Berlin. With a camera crew in tow, she documented this historic event, which brought together female filmmakers from around the world. This took place at a time when the feminist film movement was in its infancy. Through interviews with women entering the film and TV industries, Løkkeberg uncovered their ambitions, challenges, and dreams while shedding light on the structural issues they faced in a male-dominated field.
Despite the valuable material collected, the project was shelved when NRK refused to broadcast it, and the film was packed away and forgotten. In 2019, the film reels were accidentally rediscovered in the archives of the National Library, much to Løkkeberg’s delight. The discovery revealed that the material was more than just a collection of interviews—it was a treasure trove of authentic stories that formed the foundation of a powerful narrative about women’s rights, equality, and creativity.
Together with producer Anders Tangen, the documentary The Long Road to the Director’s Chair has been given a new life. Its theme remains unchanged—and just as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. The film will have its world premiere at the Berlinale, which will also be filmed. The final version of the film, including these new scenes, will be shown at Kosmorama on Saturday, March 22.
“This is a rare opportunity for a new generation to discuss gender equality with those who lived through a time when gender parity barely existed,” says Anders Tangen.
