In liberal Norway, the announcement of a first rural Pride Parade triggers anti-LGBTQ forces.

Interview with Writers/Directors/Producers Julie Lillesæter and Julia Dahr

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

When we heard that the first Norwegian Rural Pride Parade was going to take place in Volda, where a local religious leader was lashing out at the celebration of queer love, we knew there was a story to be told. Norway is one of Europe’s most liberal countries, and nowadays it is unusual to see anti-LGBTQ sentiments in the public discourse. We wanted to explore where these viewpoints come from and highlight how this affects those members of the queer community who call rural areas their home.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

When Pride Came To Town sheds light on the ongoing battle for queer rights, while at the same time being an unexpected and positive portrayal of how attitudes in rural areas might not be as conservative as some might think.

In the film, we meet 52-year old Bjørn-Tore, who fled to the big city in order to escape the everyday homophobia he experienced in his rural hometown. When the very same village is hosting Norway's first rural Pride, Bjørn-Tore is filled with mixed emotions about returning to take part in the parade. Tension rise as a local church group organizes an anti-LGBTQ rally, just weeks before Pride.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Many years ago Bjørn-Tore had the courage to leave his hometown. Now, he must find the courage to return. This is a story about finding the boldness to be who you are and parade it to the world. In short, a story about having the courage to be proud.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The film offers a new look at the countryside, presenting a very different point of views which all co-exists in the small town of Volda. Audience reactions from both Norway and abroad tells us that the film both surprises and sparks curiosity.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

We want as many as possible to see the film and be inspired to take action against prejudice and homophobia, or even, question their own prejudice.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We welcome distributors and festivals to contact us. The film is currently making the rounds at film festivals in the US. As of now, the film has had a wide release only in Norway, so we are hoping to meet potential distributors for an international release.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

We hope it creates awareness around queer rights – not just in urban areas, but also in the countryside – and inspire courage to be who you are no matter where you are.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Stories about LGBTQ people fleeing to the cities in order to be accepted can be found in all parts of the world. It is, unfortunately, a well-known narrative. We hope this film can begin a conversation about how the people back home might be ready to welcome the ones who left, and how events like Rural Pride might be a catalyst to this reunion.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Differ Media is producing and developing a number of projects. Our goal is to create stories for change, and that means the job is only half-done when our films have been released. We are continuously working on the impact campaign for Thank You For The Rain and for our other documentaries The Dry Valley (about how the Roma people see Scandinavia) and Illegal Activists (a short about the biggest civil disobedience action in Norway in 30 years).

As we speak, our short documentary about climate change and food production is in the edit. The film follows a drought struck Norwegian farmer as he travels to Malawi to learn how farmers have adapted to the changing climate. This is in many ways a continuation of our work with Thank You For The Rain. Furthermore, we recently released the documentary web series Mission Impact, about three young people fighting for a better and more sustainable future.

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

When Pride Came To Town

In liberal Norway, the announcement of a first rural Pride Parade triggers anti-LGBTQ forces.

Length: 17:00

Director: Julie Lunde Lillesæter, Julia Dahr

Producer: Julie Lunde Lillesæter, Julia Dahr

Writer: Julie Lunde Lillesæter, Julia Dahr

About the writer, director and producer:

JULIE LUNDE LILLESÆTER is a Norwegian filmmaker. She has directed, produced and shot a number of documentaries, both shorts and features, and was awarded 2018 Video Journalist of the Year by the Norwegian Press Photographers Association.

JULIA DAHR is a multi-award-winning documentary director. Her feature documentary Thank You For The Rain has been sold to more than 50 countries. Dahr is among the 30 filmmakers under 30 listed by Forbes as "driving and defining the word of media".

Facebook: Differ Media

Twitter: @DifferMedia

Instagram: @differmedia

Hashtags used: #bygdehomo

Website: differmedia.com

Other: IMDb

Made in association with: Aftenposten

Funders: Aftenposten, Bergesenstiftelsen, FoFoGoFo and Viken Filmsenter.

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Atlanta Film Festival/USA - April 11th; The Norwegian Documentary Film Festival/Norway - April 20th; North x North Film Festival/USA - May 5th; Nordic Docs/Norway - May 8th