TIFF Essentials at Barents Spektakel

This year’s Barents Spektakel is in a philosophical way dealing with the consequences of Covid-19. We are slowly changing our lifestyle, getting used to elbow-greetings and Zoom-parties. At the same time we are forced to reflect upon what is essential in our lives – is it health, friendship, nature or culture?

Tromsø International Film Festival was held as an online event in January 2021. We learned that digital festivals are okay, but the really essential thing for us is to meet our audience in the cinemas and share the film experiences in person. We are therefore happy to present an «essential» TIFF-program for the Kirkenes audience at the Aurora Cinema.

TIFF Essentials is a collaboration between Tromsø International Film Festival, Barents Spektakel and Aurora Kino. We are presenting the following films:

GUNDA is a beautiful and timely reminder of how valuable life is for all living beings. This film about the pig Gunda is a peaceful experience about the essential good life on a farm. The film is directed by Viktor Kossakovsky (Russia), and the beautiful cinematography is made the director in collaboration with Egil Haaskjold Larsen from Kirkenes.

Thursday 18 February at 20.00/8pm at Aurora Kino Kirkenes - Buy tickets for GUNDA here!

In TIFFs program FILMS FROM THE NORTH: LOCKDOWN three filmmakers have documented the ongoing global pandemic, as seen from their point of view in the north.

RELATIVE RISK is directed by Inge Wegge from Lofoten. He explores how the consepts of health, responsibility and risk in encounters with people skiing, hiking and climbing in nature. How do they deal with risk after the government advised against going on mountain hikes in order to minimize the risk of precious resources spent on rescue operations.

In EALÁT we follow filmmaker Elle Márjá Eira’s family in different seasons with their reindeer herd. EALÁT is a story about living and surviving in Sámi reindeer husbandry in strange times.

Filmmaker Carl Christian Lein Størmer followed a group of individuals during the first six weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown in Tromsø. His film EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE OKAY? depicts how these persons try to grasp, interpret and cope with their existence being turned upside down.

Friday 19 February at 20.00/8pm at Aurora Kino Kirkenes - Buy tickets for FFN - LOCKDOWN here!

TIFF is proud to present a sneak premiere of the Norwegian film GRITT directed by Itonje Søimer Guttormsen. We follow the artist Gritt’s tireless attempts to fit in and at the same time maintain an alternative voice. Through tragicomic situations and poetic considerations, the film reveals the narrow confines of society, art and cultural life.

Saturday 20 February at 20.00/8pm at Aurora Kino Kirkenes - Buy tickets for GRITT here!

NINJABABY was TIFF’s opening film, and we are happy to present a sneak premiere of this sharp comedy, contrasting the trivial questions of adolescence with the ruthless realities of adulthood.

Sunday 21 February at 16.00/4pm at Aurora Kino Kirkenes - Buy tickets for NINJABABY here!

SOUND OF METAL is a gripping drama about the drummer Ruben who suddenly loses his hearing. A deeply humanistic film which through fantastic soundscapes gives you new perspectives on the value of hearing, or the absence of it.

21 February at 18.30/6.30pm at Aurora Kino Kirkenes - Buy tickets for SOUND OF METAL here!

GOODBYE SOVIET UNION is a heartwarming comedy from the last days of the Soviet Union. The story is told through the boy Johannes, who’s eccentric family is Ingran Finnish, a Finnish speaking minority in Estonia. It’s a colourful film about being part of the Soviet Union, but at the same time longing for the freedom, and the candies of the West.

21 February at 21.15/9.15pm at Aurora Kino Kirkenes - Buy tickets for GOODBYE SOVIET UNION here!

Lockdown in Russia

TIFFs participation during Barents Spektakel also includes Murmansk!

The film festival has a long tradition of screening a selection of films from our Films from the North program in Russia. During Barents Spektakel our Lockdown program will also have its Russian premiere in Murmansk on 18 February at the Center of Contemporary Art «21 A” in Murmansk.

In addition the films will be available through VOD in all of Russia during the festival period of 18 - 21 February. Tickets for the digital screening can be found here!