OJT
Stella Polaris (which means the North star) is a poetic film, made with an artistic mind, which is only rewarding if your not looking for an action film. Even the gutting and slicing of fish is the showed in a poetic and even romantic slow motion scenes. Slow motion is used to a big extent here, which ads to the poem this is. Each filmed picture could be on the wall, as it is artistically made, but hard to engage in except is you're looking for art.For some this will give a beautiful though harsh eastern European look or feel, and the opening is then also filmed in Russia, with a lot of Russian cars, before it moves to a poor fisher village in Northern Norway, which director Jensen knows well. We're introduced to the production of dry fish. Everything is peaceful, until the Germans arrive in the start of the 2nd world war. Then we follow the memories of this.Anne Krigsvoll carries the film on her shoulders, and Jensen shows his love for the Nortern environment. Still this is not a postcard movie. This is almost a black and white postcard in colors. A film with few words spoken, but with sounds of water and birds screaming.An invasion seen through the eyes of a child. The burning down of their fisher village when the Germans went on further North. Grim, though beautiful. Poetic though everyday. Difficult to like if you're not a fan of art. The unnecessary killing of the girl's cat doesn't help, nor does the gutting of sheep and fish. Or child rape, or stringing up kids in trees! Many will hate the film for this.Not my cup of tea in any way. This is back to when Norwegian film were made not to entertain, but be serious art. Sad, bleak and artsyfartsy. Don't watch if you tend to get depressed. Watch if you love arts in filmmaking, and want you thoughts to wander off which watching a slow beautifully filmed movie.
aurore.berger
Stella Polaris is a poem about Finnmark. Knut Erik Jensen chooses to show silent people leading their lives in this part of Norway. The faces are transparent screens, where every feeling and every historic fact is projected. The war, the loss of roots, and the evolution of the way of working have changed the inhabitants' lives. The years go by; the "industrial death" (since the Shoah) is still a threat. The mechanical acts (fishing...) lead to a near execution. What is the issue?A new world, where coldness will always be associated to an eternal light, under Stella Polaris.This story is more a piece of Poetry, than a simple film.And it is really beautiful.
