Bent Hamer

Bent Hamer was educated in Film Theory and Literature at the University of Stockholm, in addition to studying film production at the Stockholm Film School. Writing, directing and producing, Hamer is known and respected as one of Norway's leading film directors, and one of the nation's true film auteurs.

He started his career as a filmmaker writing and directing a series of short films, which he also used to develop his own, very distinct style of portraying the people and doings of everyday in a stylized and somewhat distant, yet still very warm and caring fashion.

He made his debut with Longitude Latitude in 1989, followed by Happy Hour and Sunday Dinner in 1991, Stone in 1992, and Just for the Hell of It! and Applause in 1994.

In 1994 Hamer also founded his own production company BulBul Film AS, which he has since produced all of his own feature films through, including his feature film debut; the critically acclaimed Eggs (1995) - which premiered as part of the Director's Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival. Among several other accolades, Eggs won the FIPRESCI award at the Toronto International Film Festival, the St. Anna Award at the Moscow International Film Festival, and the Norwegian National Film Award Amanda for Best Film and Best Actor.

Also his second film, Water Easy Reach (1998), was hailed by critics, and was nominated for the Crystal Star for Best European Feature at the Brussels International Film Festival in 1999.

In 2002 Hamer premiered his third feature film - and arguably his principal work so far - the muted comedy-drama Kitchen Stories, at the Tromsø International Film Festival (TIFF), yet again to critical acclaim. The film was screened at 40 international film festivals, and has won numerous awards, including the FIPRESCI-award at TIFF, the Golden Swan for Best Director at Copenhagen International Film Festival, the International Jury Award for Best Director at the São Paulo International Film Festival, The Norwegian National Film Award Amanda for Best Film, and a nomination for the European Film Award.

Hamer then seized the opportunity to direct Factotum, an adaptation of Charles Bukowski's novel of the same title, working in the United States, before returning to Norway, making another one of his trademark down-played comedic dramas: O'Horten (2007).

Norsk Filminstitutt