Films from Voice

2020

Films by: Ali Choudri, Jonathan Kleven, Sawera Mansoor, Marte Kilde Mosnes, Joyce Ann Motil, Kumaran Nathan, Håvard Z. Pettersen
Collaborators: Artist Ane Hjort Guttu and filmmaker Brwa Vahabpour, KHIO/DIKU, Interkulturelt Museum, and Nitja senter for samtidskunst.

These films are in Norwegian.

Please tell us about yourself?

18-year-old Norwegian-Pakistani boy, born and raised in the district of Søndre Nordstrand. I have three older brothers and a mum and dad who have supported me all my life. I am in the last year at secondary school and am specialising in the sciences. I’m very fond of film and photography and have a genuine interest in acting. In my free time I’m often with friends, training, acting and playing football. I'm quite social and love being with people. I’m active in several forums and organizations and work a lot with charity work, in addition to spending a lot of my time at school and with family.

The film workshop you participated in, presented the following statement: 'Your own lived experience could be a great starting point for narrative filmmaking’. What do you think about this?

All the films I made on the film course are very personal. I think it is an incredibly good starting point to work from personal experiences and experiences into the films you make. Because it is from lived experience, the story is much more personal and can hit the audience in a more intimate way. The characters in the movie "Fikseboll" are my father and my niece. They have a good relationship and I wanted to have a natural conversation between the two of them. The film is very personal, and I’m happy with how it brings out the bond they share, across generations.

What was the inspiration behind your film?

The inspiration behind "Fikseboll" came in part from the film course. We were given a theme to make a film about, and I recieved ‘family’. To start with I focused on bringing out the bond I have with friends, my brothers, and others I also consider as a family. After making several drafts of the film, and receiving feedback from the others on the course, I realized that I should make a film about my own family. My niece and father have very unique personalities so I wanted to film them.

What is it like working with film, and what has it allowed you to do?

It has been incredibly exciting to work with film, especially behind the camera. Before the course, I had done some acting and been in front of the camera, but it was incredibly cool to get an insight into how film is actually created. Both Ane and Brwa are incredibly good "teachers" and the whole gang on the course was fantastic. It was very different from teachers in school, they guided us, but they let us express our opinions in our own way. The whole gang was different, people had different opinions, different visions, different points of view and that was what made things so good. Working with film has given me a slightly different view of the world. In a way I now have ‘a camera eye’ - where I experience things in everyday life that I think would work incredibly well on camera. Working with film has developed my creativity and the course itself has contributed to me gaining a greater understanding and passion for film and photography.

Please tell us about yourself?

Hey! My name is Joyce, I'm a 19-year old girl who's born and raised in Norway. But I'm also proud to say that my parents were born in the Philippines, and I have a Filipino background.

The film workshop you participated in, presented the following statement: 'Your own lived experience could be a great starting point for narrative filmmaking’. What do you think about this?

I think a lot of great movies are made from ones own experiences. It's much easier, and in my opinion, more authentic to make a movie that represents a part of oneself.
—Of course that's not always the case, but I'm personally a big fan of being able to see what's going on in other people’s lives. I think it's a way of opening people’s eyes for experiences they might not understand otherwise.

What was the inspiration behind your film?

As a second generation immigrant, I've experienced a fair share of microaggressions in my life. This was a part of my inspiration for the film but more importantly, I wanted to highlight the subtle microaggressions that can happen, even in a country such as Norway, where it's quite common for people to compare Norway with other countries and point out how much "better" we have it than them. This may be true, but it's very easy to ignore that we still do have problems we need to work on. I wanted to highlight that no country is ever perfect, and we still have people who experience racism, microaggressions and discrimination, and it's not something that should be "brushed-under-the-rug".

What is it like working with film, and what has it allowed you to do?

I won't lie and say it was super easy. Even though I do have an interest in film and filmmaking, I don't have a lot of experience and it's not something I've explored very much. Technically, it was a little difficult, and in general, it's always difficult to not nitpick and criticize one’s own work. I'm pleased with my idea, and I liked being able to share something I'm passionate about to people. I still have an interest in film, and I can see myself picking it up again, even if it's just for a hobby, or a mini-project for myself.

Please tell us about yourself?

I'm Kumaran, 19 years old from Stovner. I am someone who loves movies and boxing. There is not much to me other than that - I am very interested in boxing and film. I’m a gentle person and love meeting new people. 

The film workshop you participated in, presented the following statement: 'Your own lived experience could be a great starting point for narrative filmmaking’. What do you think about this?  

I think it’s true; taking yourself as a starting point can be something good. For example, with my film Hands, I wanted to convey something personal, but which also hits others - I think this worked out well.

What was the inspiration behind your film?  

I took myself as a starting point and wanted to make a strong film, but also show that I have learned a lot at the film workshop, I think it is important to spread the message about mental health, and that men can also have it that way.

What is it like working with film, and what has it allowed you to do?

It's a lot of fun, you meet a lot of new people and they are usually friendly. It's an exciting thing to do because there’s a lot that’s new. You learn about yourself and new ways of communicating your own knowledge to others. I feel it has helped me mentally and made me a more open person.

Please tell us about yourself?

I’m Jonathan. I’m an 18-year-old boy from Oslo who’s really into film, music, video games and art in general. I’d say I’m an introverted person, but I really like spending quality time with others, especially if we’re doing something fun and/or creatively fulfilling. (Like photography/photoshoots, for example.) I think film has had a special place in my heart forever, but I remember vividly the first time I saw Peter Jackson’s The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. I think I was 7 or 8 years old when I first saw it, but I can’t quite remember. I do remember really being sucked into that world though, and I wanted to know how they made everything, and that’s how I discovered filmmaking. Ever since then, I’ve been in a mostly constant loop of creating and consuming film and other types of art.

The film workshop you participated in, presented the following statement: 'Your own lived experience could be a great starting point for narrative filmmaking’. What do you think about this?

Your own lived experience is yours to understand, and by making a filmic experience that accurately reflects your chosen lived experience, you will understand yourself better, and your respective work of art will also come off as more truthful for the audience (if there is one.) There are a couple of experiences that I’ve had where I didn’t fully understand how they affected me, whether good or bad, until I tried converting these experiences into films. Through that process of breaking down the experience into what it means to you, and how to portray that meaning in a frame, you could learn a lot about yourself, which I think is a very good thing.

What was the inspiration behind your film?

I honestly don’t remember much about the inspiration behind this film. I was in a very different position in my life back when it was made, and I think the film reflects that. I was in a position where the future looked uncertain and ominous, but there was also a tiny speck of hope in my mind. I can only guess what my thoughts were back then, but I think I wanted to visualize that fear of my uncertain future through the boundaries of our given task, which was to film someone performing a “work-task” with no music or cuts. Whether or not I did a good job of portraying that fear is up to the viewer, but personally, I’m happy with the results.

What is it like working with film, and what has it allowed you to do?

Working with film is honestly the most fun thing I know of. Sure, it comes with a lot of stress and deadlines and things that could go wrong but that’s nothing compared to the sheer joy it brings me when it works out. Working with film has allowed me to get to know myself better, like previously mentioned, but it has also allowed me to get to know other amazing people as well. Being surrounded by likeminded people who share my passion for filmmaking, art and other nerdy stuff might be one of the best aspects of working with film to me. Film has ultimately allowed me to understand myself better, understand others better, and meet amazing new people, and for that I’m eternally grateful.

Please tell us about yourself?

My name is Håvard Zackarias Pettersen, I’m an 18-year-old cis-boy, and I am the creator behind the short film Bjørnen (Eng.: The Bear). I’m a physics-and-maths enthusiast, as well as a cinematography enthusiast. When we introduced ourselves on the first day of the workshop, I introduced myself as “that nerd that sits in the back of the cinema and sighs “it’s completely scientifically inaccurate that Batman could ever survive a fall like that…””, and I’d like to think that the statement still holds true. Whilst my main interest is STEM, I have over the years found a love for cinematography and self-expression via videography, and I hope to get to do something more with this hobby one day. Maybe write/star in a feature-length documentary/movie?

The film workshop you participated in, presented the following statement: 'Your own lived experience could be a great starting point for narrative filmmaking’. What do you think about this?

In my opinion, your own lived experience is essential for a movie to work. If you’re not taking from your own experience with something, you cannot convey your message in a genuine way. For example, the theme of my film is fear for nuclear accidents. I wanted to convey how truly frightened I am of a nuclear war by accident, and I wanted to evoke that same fear in the audience as well. I’m not entirely sure if I achieved my goal, only the audience could tell, but I know for sure that I could never have made the audience feel that fear if I didn’t feel it in the first place. If you’re not making art about something close to you, that would be pandering, and I personally would hesitate to call it art.

What was the inspiration behind your film?

For inspiration, I would have to give a big shout-out to science educator Kyle Hill @Sci_Phile who introduced me to this topic in the first place and told me the story about the bear in my film. I saw his video on the topic and felt that, while it did convey a lot of facts about how accidental nuclear wars could happen, it fell short in conveying the fear that I felt when I heard of it all. Other sources of inspiration most likely came from my subconsciousness. For example, whilst I was editing the camera-talking-part of my film, I noticed that the style of the video was very similar to Tom Scott’s (@tomscott) type of video; I had subconsciously been thinking of his content whilst recording, so the tone and style was very similar.

What is it like working with film, and what has it allowed you to do?

Working with film is so much fun! It gives you a great opportunity to be limitlessly creative, and while everything might not end up exactly the way you wanted it in the end, it is always incredibly fulfilling and giving. To me, the best part about working with film, especially if you do it all by yourself, is the pride and creative fulfilment you get at the end of a long editing-session. When you’re your own director, and you know your own budget, and you understand what it is you want and how to get there, seeing all the puzzle pieces come together in the edit is always incredibly rewarding.

Please tell us about yourself?

My name is Marte Kilde Mosnes, I am 18 years old and I am in my last year at Media and Communication at Elvebakken School. Through my studies I have become very involved in the media, especially film, and I spend large parts of my everyday life on projects relating to this. Otherwise, I am very happy to be around people who give me energy and make me happy. And would much rather spend money on experiences such as climbing parks, concerts or travel than, for example, new clothes.

The film workshop you participated in, presented the following statement: 'Your own lived experience could be a great starting point for narrative filmmaking'. What do you think about this?

I think this is very good to think about when making a film. Before making a movie, one should think about why exactly should I make this movie, am I the right person? This question makes is easier to make an authentic film that engages you. So, this statement could well be something everyone should think about before making a film. It's also a great way to find inspiration. Instead of starting with from a blank sheet, start with it filled with your own experiences. You can then fill another sheet with your inspirations.  

What was the inspiration behind your film?  

I was inspired by learning about freedom of expression at school. I also wanted to avoid making an informative film "everyone" has seen before. Everyone knows to some extent what freedom of expression is, but not many people think that it is more than a subject concept we learn about at school. I wanted to look more at what people think about it. Is it as important to us as it should be, or is it something many of us forget to take advantage of?  

What is it like working with film, and what has it allowed you to do?

For me, working with film is absolutely fantastic. It is very creative and involves a lot of trial and error. Instead of learning by listening to teacher, you learn by being on location and solving the problems that arise. It can give the feeling of mastery, and it is very nice that you can be proud of and show off what you make. Film has given me many opportunities, I have participated in festivals, gotten to know lots of new people, participated in productions, made money through assignments, and had the opportunity to try myself as an actor.

Please tell us about yourself?

My name is Sawera Mansoor, I turned 18 years old this year, and I’k attending my last year of Videregående skole at Valle Hovin vgs. I participated in this filmkurs trough a friend who introduced it to me, and we applied together, and surprisingly got in together and were 2 of the “students” in a class of 8.

The film workshop you participated in, presented the following statement: 'Your own lived experience could be a great starting point for narrative filmmaking’. What do you think about this?

I think it’s a good statement that can inspire. Before the filmkurs I was skeptical about attending the course, and participating. It seemed intimidating, and almost like you had to have tons of experience to attend. But after a while I realised that you don’t necessarily have to be a expert when it comes to film, to be able to create a movie about something you’re passionate about.

What was the inspiration behind your film?

Ane and Brwa gave each of us a topic that they thought we were passionate about, and gave us the task to make a movie about that specific topic. Originally my idea was to go and interview random people on my school, or in the street, and just get different views on feminism. I asked a couple of people at my school, and realised that I may be biased going into this project, and tried to remain natural instead. After some feedback on the first movie, people said it would be nice to go into more depth with some of the people I interviewed. I decided on Abina and Artin, cause it seemed like they had to different viewpoints and opinions and wanted to see if they could find something they agreed on, as well as trying to challenge the viewer to see things from others perspective.

What is it like working with film, and what has it allowed you to do?

I never really worked with film before this course, and always thought just a selected group of people could work with film. But now I realize that its for everyone. Working with film is obviously fun and creative, but I’d also say it’s challenging and interesting based on what you want the final product to be. You also realise that things don’t always turn out the way you want it to, and the ideas you had in mind will change a lot during your work process. I think it’s allowed me to think more outside the box, and see things from other perspectives. It has also allowed me to be more creative, and possibly dare to try and make movies about unfamiliar territory, and new things that are unfamiliar, as well as trying to approach the things you do know from a different angle.