Two Powerful Sámi Projects at Silent Film Days 2025

Confronting Hamsun and Racism Against the Sámi

The silent film project MARKENS GRØDE / Live: Nordic Silent Film Orchestra is a collaboration with The Hamsun Center and their exhibition "The Controversial Hamsun". The project premiered during Hamsundagene in August. The film was made in 1921, shortly after Hamsun was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for the novel by the same name.

As the first feature film ever shot on location in Northern Norway, Markens Grøde showcases breathtaking landscapes from Rana and Røvassdalen. However, beneath its stunning visuals lies a darker undercurrent—prejudice and racism towards the Sámi characters.

 - It is an iconic work in Norwegian film history and an incredibly exciting project. The film is fraught with conflicts, as Hamsun’s portrayal of the Sámi has been criticized for its racist depictions, both in the novel and the film, says TIFF Festival Director Lisa Hoen.

Accompanied by a newly composed Sámi musical score, the film is now presented in a new light.

 - This project explores many aspects through its music—can our perception of the characters be altered? It also raises questions about the main character, Isak: does he truly arrive in an 'untouched' landscape to settle, or was the Sámi population already there? Watching this film with new Sámi music offers much to reflect on, creating striking contrasts, says Hoen.

The music is composed by Svein Schultz, a musician and composer who has worked closely with Mari Boine for years. The ensemble features:

Lávre Johan Eira (joik and vocals)
Ronja-Katrin Larsen (vocals)
Ole Jørn Myklebust (trumpet and co-composer)
Aleksander Kostopoulos (drums)
Stein Austrud (keys)
Kristian S. Olstad (guitar)
David Solheim (sound technician)

 - The audience can expect high-quality music and a beautiful soundscape. Schultz also composed the music for Kautokeino-opprøret, which opened TIFF in 2007, so there is much to look forward to, Hoen adds.

Two Powerful Sámi Projects

As part of the Truth and Reconciliation Process, it is essential to revisit historical material and examine how Sámi people have been depicted in film over time. At Silent Film Days in Tromsø, the festival travels back 100 years to the 1920s, presenting Markens Grøde, based on Hamsun’s famous novel, alongside the Swedish By Sledge and Reindeer in Inka Länta’s Winterland, a hybrid film blending staged and documentary scenes.

 - Through new Sámi music, we explore whether it is possible to change the narrative and portrayal of the Sámi. Can this even be done? We don’t know, but we do know that music profoundly influences film—shaping emotions, guiding empathy for characters, and altering perceptions of good and evil. This is an experiment that audiences can experience in two of our screenings during Silent Film Days in April, says Hoen.

BY SLEDGE AND REINDEER IN INKA LÄNTA'S WINTERLAND / Live: Dálveeatnamat Ensemble premiered to a sold-out audience and standing ovation at TIFF in January. Now on tour, Tromsø audiences will have another chance to experience this gem in April.

The film contains some documentary elements, but much of it is a staged narrative depicting daily Sámi life, reindeer herding, and the Jokkmokk market.

 - The film offers a unique glimpse into life in Northern Sweden a hundred years ago, but it also invites critical reflection—how much of this is the director’s vision of the Sámi? To what extent was Inka Länta, who collaborated with director Erik Bergström, involved in shaping the story? Our Barents ensemble, featuring Lávre Johan Eira and Hildá Länsman, has composed an incredible score blending Sámi traditional music with modern electronica and joik, Hoen concludes.

Tickets for both performances are now on sale! The full Silent Film Days 2025 program will be released on Friday, March 21st.

Read more and buy tickets at → verdensteatret.no/silentfilmdays