See the epic and time-shifting biopic of one of the world’s most significant modern painters, Henrik M. Dahlsbakken’s Munch (Norway, 2023)! Misunderstood by his peers, rejected by the art establishment, wracked with grief over the loss of his younger sister and tortured by addiction, the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch remains today one of the most relevant and revered artists worldwide. In this intimate and nuanced portrait of the artist across four significant chapters — played by four actors, Alfred Ekker Strande (Ida Takes Charge), Mattis Herman Nyquist (Headhunters), Ola G. Furuseth (Made in Oslo) and Anne Krigsvoll (Lilyhammer) — we see Munch at ages 21, 30, 45, and 80, across early heartbreak and the beginnings of his career to middle-aged battles with alcoholism and mental illness, to his final years in Nazi-occupied Norway, each informing one another through alternating vignettes. A final chapter takes place in modern-day Berlin, bringing a contemporary edge to the story of a legendary artist.
Alfred Ekker Strand as Young Munch
Mattis Herman Nyquis as Munch in Berlin
Ola G. Furuseth as Munch in Copenhagen
Anne Krigsvoll as Old Munch
Anders Baasmo Christiansen as Rolf Stenersen
Lisa Carlehed as August Strindberg
Jesper Christensen as Dr. Jacobsen
Henrik M. Dahlsbakken (1989) has distinguished himself as one of Norway's most productive and eclectic filmmakers in recent years and has been described by film critics as Norway's most exciting director.
Since 2015, he has written and directed several feature films, including the action thriller CAVE and the drama comedy GOING WEST. The thriller AN AFFAIR with Andrea Bræin Hovig and Tarjei Sandvik Moe in the leading roles had its premiere in October 2018 and became a success in Norwegian cinemas. At the same time, around 100 000 people watched the comedy ANOTHER HAPPY CHRISTMAS during the pandemic in November 2020, directed by Dahlsbakken and written by Erlend Loe.
Dahlsbakken has previously achieved great success with his short films THANKS FOR DANCING and THE DEVIL'S BALLROOM, which both received several awards at festivals worldwide and was qualified for the Best Short Film Award at the Academy Awards.
His feature film debut RETURNING HOME was shortlisted as Norway's Oscar candidate in 2015 and won the main prize at Nordic Film Days in Lübeck. The crime drama LATE SUMMER (2016) received the Film Critique Award in Norway for best artistry achievement, in addition to Amanda and Kanonpris nominations in 2017. Dahlsbakken has recently launched the horror comedy PROJECT Z in Norwegian cinemas to great reviews.
I've worked on this project since July 2018. After a long and thorough research, I selected four specific periods from Munch's life, which I wanted to focus on. Then I chose an actor and a writer for each part, and worked together with them for nearly two years before going into production. To me these specific events and situations collectively provide a rich and varied insight into Munch's life; his life choices, relationships and artistic work, as well as how these constantly changed and influenced each other throughout his life. I have worked hard to find out how the various parts should work together in a seamless way, without losing the viewer along the way. The various parts both contrast and mirror each other, also on an audiovisual level, being heavily inspired by Munch's body of work. I see the film's structure as an exhibition, which gets more and more meaningful the longer you stay.
Sedona International Film Festival
Closing Night Film
Sedona, AZ
February 16-23, 2023
Sonoma Int'l Film Festival
Sonoma, CA
March 22-24, 2023
USA Film Festival
Dallas, TX
April 19-23, 2023
QUAD CINEMA
New York, NY
Opens June 16, 2023
Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art
Fort Worth, TX
June 16-18, 2023
Clark Institute
Berkshires, NY
June 18, 2023
Laemmle Royal
Los Angeles, CA
Opens June 29, 2023
Mary D. Fisher Theatre
Sedona, AZ
June 23-29, 2023
Dairy Arts Center
Boulder, CO
July 5-9, 2023
© 2023 Juno Films Inc.