U: JULY 22

Norway, 2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
Andrea Berntzen, Aleksander Holmen, Brede Fristad, Elli Rhiannon Muller Osbourne. Cambridge for a start,
Directed by Erik Poppe.

For Norwegians, July 22, 2011 was a sombre day. It was the day that terrorist Anders Breivik exploded a bomb outside government offices in Oslo and then went on a rampage on the island of Utoye where many young people had gathered for a summer camp and shot 79 of them and wounded many others.

Breivikk was an extreme rightwing fanatic and made outlandish declarations during his trial. It is important for this film that he is never named and is never seen – and, in prison, he has no possibility of praising himself for being at the centre of the film.

The film is based on the events of the day, many of the stories told. However, the director, Erik Poppe, says at the end that the film is a work of fiction but based on true stories, one of many possible interpretations.

The device used is a handheld camera and the story told in a single take, using real-time to capture again the atmosphere and events of the 72 minutes of the pursuit of the students.

The film opens with newsreel footage of the explosion in Oslo causing concern on the island with parents ringing children and checking on safety. The camera then focuses on one character, Kaia, and follows her through the next 72 minutes. We see her impatient with her younger sister who is out for a good time and is very careless, rubbishing the tent. Kaia then joins a number of friends. Soon they begin to hear gunshots and are puzzled.

From then on, the camera follows Kaia, huddling with the group, taking cover, bewildered, trying to use the mobile phone, concerned about her sister and crawling to the tent but finding the sister absent as well as her leaving her mobile phone in the tent. Kaia also encounters another little boy who is terrified and she encourages him to run towards the water (with some pathos when he is later discovered dead and she blames herself).

Kaia eventually moves towards the water where a number of taken refuge. All throughout the film one hears shots, screams, glimpses people running in all directions. At the water’s edge, Kaia takes refuge with the young man whom she had earlier encountered, has conversations with him about her ambitions to be a politician, sings a song from the choir to which she belongs. As the danger gets closer, she is siezed to make a move and his shot down.

Ironically, her companion is rescued by a boat – and the audience sees on the boat, Kaia sister looking after those who have been wounded.

It is important for a nation to come to terms with such a disastrous day and the number of people dead, especially their being so young. This film is very respectful to the survivors and their stories, enabling audiences to remember and to understand.

Erik Poppe has directed fine films like Troubled Waters and The King’s Decision.

This film received a commendation from the Ecumenical Jury at the 2018 Berlin Film Festival.

1. The impact of the recreation of the events? A gruelling experience for the audience? Sharing the gruelling experience of the victims? The impression of the attack on the students? The detail?

2. Public opinion about the terrorist attack, judgement on the perpetrator? The extreme right? Age 34? His attitudes, the explosion, killing the young adults? His going to court, his prison sentence? His not being mentioned by name in the film?

3. Terrorism, the 21st century, 2011? Expectations of Muslim jihadists? The shock of this kind of terror in Norway?

4. The director’s comment, creating a fiction, based on stories, not a documentary, but just one interpretation?

5. The timespan of the film, coinciding with the events, 72 minutes of attack? The range of moods, action?

6. The opening aerial shots of Oslo, the details of the explosion?

7. The island, the train, forest, cliffs, the sea?

8. The one focus, a microcosm explaining the events for understanding of the rest? The subjective focus, the handheld camera and its effect, following Kaia, her running, being quiet, in the sea?

9. The young people hearing the shots, the mystery? Not sure where they came from, the different places, getting closer? The group running, the girl needing to be carried and her complaints? The comment that it was the police, whether many, or one? The young people phoning the police, giving the report? The coming of the media helicopters? The final boat to the rescue?

10. Kaia, her talking to camera, talking to others, the phone calls to her mother, her argument with Emily, Emily being offhand, wanting to have fun, the rubbish in and around the tent, her being the younger, moods, wanting to have fun and swim, saying the Kaia was more perfect? Who searching for her, the phone left in the tent?

11. Group, chatting together, the prospects of the barbecue? Issa and the Muslim background? Petter and his discussion points? Magnus, genial, wanting to pick up girls? Christine and her fear? The shots, the beginning to run, hiding together, the decision whether to go or stay?

12. Kaia the search for Emily, running, crawling? The encounter with the young boy, his yellow coat, his fears, waiting for his brother? Her finding him later, dead, blaming herself, the yellow jacket? Emily not in the tent?

13. Her decision to go to the water, encountering the girl who had been shot, a shoulder injury, giving her her coat? The talk, trying to keep her alive, remembering her parents, wanting her mother? Her death?

14. The water, the cliffs, the various groups hiding, finding Magnus? The talking, her ambitions to be a parliamentarian, his being a loser? Choir, persuading her to sing? Searching for the girl who called out? The shots, finding the young boy dead, Magnus and Kaia, her being shot?
15. Magnus, running, getting to the boat, the group in the boat, the irony of Emily on the boat?

16. Information about the attack, its effect on Norwegian consciousness? World consciousness?