Let the River Flow

Ester (Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen) is moving to Alta to begin work as a teacher. The Alta conflict has begun, and protesters against the building of the dam have gathered in Stilla outside of Alta. Ester is drawn into the conflict and slowly realizes that it’s about more than the nature that surrounds her. Her identity as Sámi, daughter, teacher, and friend is being challenged. The issue becomes a question of self-respect, and we follow the drama with civil disobedience, hunger strikes, and local conflicts. Ester’s Sámi identity is met with resistance in the town and amongst her colleagues, but also within the family — and in herself.

With this film, director Ole Giæver gets to the heart of what was at stake during the Alta conflict. This is the story of how the Sámi people have been treated in Norway, and how they have fought for their rights. The fight for the river was a small but important piece of a larger conflict. This is a gripping and moving portrayal of the indigenous people's struggle for survival.

NOTE: The film is in Sami and Norwegian, with Norwegian subtitles.