The Insomnia Festival and TIFF develop talents through silent film

Image of the duo nonne.

The Insomnia Festival and the Tromsø International Film Festival are collaborating to organize the silent film concerts NOTHING BUT TIME / Live: Kinsella & Elfrida and THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI / Live: nonne during this year's Silent Film Days. Northern Norwegian musicians who are part of Insomnia's talent program, Cloud Exit, will perform newly composed music live to the silent films.

Music talents from the north

Cloud Exit is supported by Talent Norway and SNN Samfunnsløftet, and it provides new Northern Norwegian music talents with the opportunity to experiment and develop their skills in electronic music. 

The talents for 2022 were nonne, an artist duo consisting of Gustav Eidsvik and Erlend Skotnes, the artist Elfrida aka Grete-Johanne Torvholm, and the artist Kinsella aka Bjørk-Guinevere Kinsella Eide. Live performances with guidance from a mentor are part of the program, and in this context, they will play self-composed music for two silent films during the Silent Film Days from April 19-22, 2023.

Musician Gaute Barlindhaug was involved in starting Cloud Exit and is now a mentor for the artists in the project.

"The idea behind Cloud Exit was to create an arena for electronic music so that it could be presented in front of an actual audience. We want to take the artists out of the digital 'cloud' and into reality," says Gaute Barlindhaug.

Psychedelic rock for German horror

The artist duo, nonne, plays psychedelic rock with repetitive riffs and danceable rhytms. They released their debut EP "Frem og Tilbake" in 2022 and received great reviews. Since then, they have been touring regularly. Using drum machines, synthesizers, and high guitars, the band has brought together fans of both rock and electronic music. On April 22nd, nonne will play self-composed music for an audience at Verdensteatret for the silent film THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI, a German horror film from 1920 about sleepwalkers and murder in a small town. 

When asked how it has been to create music for THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI, Erlend Skotnes from the band says: "It is different from when we create our own music. The film sets the guidelines and is constantly on our minds when we compose."

Music for diverse everyday life

At the same time, Elfrida and Kinsella have teamed up to create music for the "city symphony" NOTHING BUT TIME, a fascinating hybrid of fiction and documentary about the diverse everyday life in 1920s Paris. 

Both Kinsella and Elfrida are talented musicians with a broad range. Kinsella is known for her beautiful and exciting soundscape that blends elements from her diverse musical background. Elfrida is a songwriter, music producer, technician and composer, creating a musical universe that fluctuates on the border of pop, strongly influenced by the electronic landscape. Together, they provide the audience with a unique experience on April 21st, during the Silent Film Days.

Buy tickets for the silent film concerts: 

Nothing but time / live: Kinsella & Elfrida

The Cabinet of Dr.Caligaris / live: nonne

Read more about Cloud Exit on the website of the Insomnia festival.