AmDocs 2019 – Albatross
(Time will never come back). A young director is documenting the last month of his grandfather’s daily life. The grandmother takes care of the grandfather in an affectionate and humorous way. The film deals with two major subjects: love and death.
Interview with Director/Producer/Editor Sverre Kvamme
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Time will never come back. But with a camera, I can film moments of time. I capture them, save them and eternalize them for the future.
At some point, I realized that my grandfather's physical condition was so fragile that he would soon die. This meant there wasn’t much time left for witnessing the love between him and my grandma. They have had a long-lasting and special relationship which I wanted to eternalize and show to the world.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Most people have or have had grandparents and draw lines between their own life and the film. I think if you watch the film you’ll see yourself in it to some degree, and maybe you’ll even get a new perspective on the relationship you have with your grandparents.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film deals with two of life's biggest themes: love and death.
My grandmother takes care of my grandfather in an affectionate way. We hear the story of how they got together and get to observe the love between them in their everyday life. I also think that the metaperspective, which shows that it’s me, their grandson, who is telling their story, makes my love for them visible and adds another layer to the film.
I knew early on that I wanted the death of my grandfather to be a part of the film. I didn’t want the film to be a portrait of their love without dramaturgy. His death felt incredibly sad when it happened. At the same time, I was quite prepared for it and thought of it as a natural process of life. His funeral was more positive than I had expected, it was more focus on the memories and the life he had lived rather than the cessation of it. I think this is how the death-theme is dealt with in the film as well.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I started the project by staying with my grandparents for a week while filming parts of their daily life. During my stay, I filmed some really interesting scenes but didn’t really have a story around it. I then started staying with them regularly and gathered more material. Towards the end of the production, I focused on capturing the missing parts to create a full story.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film has won seven awards at different festivals around the world. People seem to like it. Some people cry when they see the film. This is the best feedback. Then words aren’t really necessary. Some people start telling me about their own grandparents after seeing the film, it makes me happy to see that it makes people reflect on their own lives and surroundings.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Tears are always surprising. I haven’t experienced any critical feedback so far. I think that people are not so open to giving critical feedback, especially to young directors. And I think that since this is a very personal film, people are scared of hurting my feelings. It surprises me that I’ve never heard anyone criticizing the slow pace of the film though.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
A wider outreach, and giving the ones who are interested in an insight into the process and my vision behind the film.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Everyone’s welcome on board, especially buyers and distributors who want to give the film a broader audience. The film has lived a long festival life, now I think it would be well served on for example a VoD-platform.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want people to open their eyes for the elderly, see the value of a long-lived life and show them care and respect.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How should we treat the elderly?
Why is this film called Albatross?
A lot of people ask me about the title of the film. As my grandmother mentions in the voiceover in the opening sequence of the film: she was a glider pilot. After the second world war my grandfather worked as an officer in the brigade group in Germany, my grandmother had tagged along and flew sailplanes there as a hobby. When she came back to Norway she took the certificate and became the first Norwegian female glider pilot. My grandmother has always had a fascination for the albatrosses and used to joke about becoming one in the afterlife. This is because the albatross has a lot in common with gliders. It can sail long distances on rising wind and it’s one of the few birds which need to take a run when taking off. And the albatrosses’ dynamic soaring has actually been a source of inspiration for several aircraft designers.
Even though my grandmother loved taking care of my grandfather, I could see that the work of it sometimes exhausted her. Here one could also make a link to the title, as the word albatross is often used as a metaphor for a constant burden. Nevertheless, like my grandmother, the albatrosses like to dance. They use this as a ritual and a form of communication when they’re looking for a mate. And when they do find a mate, as the albatrosses are one of the few monogamous animals, their bond usually lasts their entire life.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently working on a bigger documentary project about psychological health amongst youth with the working title Nightcrawlers (Norwegian title: Nattebarn).
Interview: April 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Albatross
(Time will never come back). A young director is documenting the last month of his grandfather’s daily life. The grandmother takes care of the grandfather in an affectionate and humorous way. The film deals with two major subjects: love and death.
Length: 26:00
Director: Sverre Kvamme
Producer: Sverre Kvamme
Writer: Sverre Kvamme
About the writer, director and producer:
SVERRE KVAMME (b.1994) grew up in a small village in Western Norway. With his personal approach to filmmaking, he has in his works moved between big topics like gender, childhood, sorrow and death.
Key cast: Ester (Grandma), Ragnar (Grandpa)
Looking for: buyers, distributors, journalists, film festival directors
Other: Vimeo
Made in association with: Nordland Art and Film School
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Vimeo