Cinema of Norway

For such a conceptually minimalist movie made with a shoe-string budget, Thale is surprising captivating. Most of the Norwegian films that make its way to Western audiences, like Dead Snow and Troll Hunter, have a distinct feel to them, and this movie no exception. It contains the same kitschy humor and mythological elements that make similar films successful.

Upon my arrival to Sundance, there were three films that I was destined to see - Dead Snow, a Norwegian film about an army of Nazi zombies, was one of them. After waiting in line for over three hours in below freezing temperatures, I was turned away in my first bid to see the film. Thankfully, my second wait wasn't nearly as long nor as disappointing as an usher showed me to my seat where my preconceived beliefs of a great film and iconic plot line were rendered true.