Rape (Voldtekt)

Description

On a winter morning in a suburb of Oslo, a woman is attacked in the snow. Shortly thereafter, a second attempted rape follows. The police investigations focus on a man whose route to work passes the crime scene: the young street worker Anders, taciturn, uneducated, with no alibi. With documentary precision, Anja Breien's feature film debut narrates through interrogations and the court trial the story of a man who becomes increasingly ensnared in the machinery of the Norwegian justice system. (lf) «Anja Breien's approach as a feminist filmmaker to the court proceedings of a rape initially surprises: the victims are only significant in the process for their testimonies. The aftermath of the assaults themselves disappears from view. In this absence lies Breien's critique. Her direction points beyond the narrative framework to the underlying structures of the Norwegian justice system. By foregrounding the rigid processes of the court proceedings at the expense of the individuals, the film reveals a system in which the institution takes precedence over the bodies it is supposed to protect.» (Stéphane Charrière, Splitscreen Review, 6.5.2026) Contributors and additional information: Director: Anja Breien Screenplay: Per Blom, Anja Breien Cinematography: Halvor Næss Editing: Christian Hartkopp Cast: Svein Sturla Hungnes (Anders), Anne Marie Ottersen (Wilhelmine Hansen), Liv Thorsen (Rita), Per Carlson (Prosecutor)