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Mind of Modernism 10

Mind of Modernism

by Paul Tunge
Wednesday 15.12.21

An eye-opening, meditative journey into the world of modernist Norwegian architecture from director Paul Tunge.

About the film

Modernist architecture can be divisive. Where some see conceptual elegance and archetypal forms incarnated in brutal concrete, others see gray gloom. In recent years, director Paul Tunge and photographers Egil Håskjold Larsen and Patrick Säfström have been documenting Norwegian modernist architecture. The project has culminated in the atmospheric and contemplative Mind of Modernism. With this feature length documentary, Tunge frames these buildings in a way that makes the visions of the architects more accessible, thus providing a new perspective on this controversial style.

With the help of an atmospheric soundscape composed by Kim Hiorthøy and weightless, contemplative camera runs by Tunge and photographers Egil Håskjold Larsen and Patrik Säfström, a new framework is created around these buildings that makes it easier to understand the architects' visions. The result is an important documentation of Norwegian architectural history that directly intervenes in today's debate about architecture and urban planning.

About the filmmaker

Paul Tunge (b. 1984) has written, directed and filmed three documentaries and four feature films: Kano (2011), Demning (2015), Fountain of Youth (2017) and You (2019). His films have been selected for several prestigious film festivals, such as New Horizons, Mostra Sao Paulo, Gothenburg Film Festival, Filmfest Hamburg and Film Fest Ghent, and has also been selected for the Autumn Exhibition.

About the introductory short film

Marthasykkel

Marthasykkeltiurbil (2021, 5 min) is a black and white silent film accompanied by a four-handed composition for church organ. One morning, Martha bikes to work from the cabin she lives in. As she cycles down the steep slopes towards town, a cabin tourist drives past her on the narrow gravel road. A capercaillie gets startled and flies into her front wheel.

Visual artist Lars Monrad Vaage works mainly with painting, drawing and film. A recurring motive in his works is the defiance of the seemingly invincible forces we are limited by.

See also