Ann Holmgren
b. 1975 Tønsberg, Norway —
With a background in photography and two novels to her name, Tønsberg-based Ann Holmgren is a natural storyteller, passionate about exploring diverse points of view. In the subdued Edith & Aljosja (2015), the cultural differences between the star-crossed title characters are echoed in their physical and metaphorical separation by a river, while her 2017 short film Vulkan (Volcano) tells the story of Edith, a young woman setting out to speak with residents of her hometown of Kiruna, Sweden, in search of answers to pressing questions about how we make sense and meaning of our lives. Shot almost entirely in stunning black and white, the dialogue—framed by the monochromatic chiaroscuro scenes of the city, its inhabitants and the looming mining project beyond— is based off of conversations Holmgren conducted during the production process. “I usually create [as a way] to find out more regarding something that I’m really curious about,” she notes. “I had all these meetings and there were so many people opening up and sharing their worldview. The space that we created during those conversations, maybe that was the movie.”
Originally from Östersund, Sweden, Holmgren currently works as a writer on a Norwegian television series and also produces a Sámi-language children’s program. Her most recent documentary film Nuit (2019) premiered at the Göteborg Film Festival earlier this year and centres on an elderly blind woman excluded from society. The film places viewers in the position to confront initial prejudices about the protagonist as layers of her story gradually unfold throughout the piece. “It’s all about different perspectives and how our different views separate us from each other,” says Holmgren, “but also a way of trying to reach each other despite these differences.” – Emily Henderson