Mountain (Fjellet)
Dir.: Ole Giæver (Norway / 2011 / Col. / 73′)
Nora & Solveig, a young lesbian couple go on a hike through snow-covered, starkly beautiful mountain to rediscover their love and rebuild their relationship. As the two women in bright orange parkas trek up the ragged blue cliffs with wind and snow blowing into their faces, many harsh truths tumble out.
Two years ago, their five-year old son Vetle died on a mountain hike and Nora, the biological mother, has never been able to get over the loss, blaming Solveig for her carelessness in letting Vetle out of her sight as he wandered beyond the edge. She says bitterly, “He wasn’t really yours”, to which Solveig says tearfully, “Vetle was ‘our’ son”. Now Solveig is pregnant and is upset that Nora hasn’t even touched her belly.
Tender and touching, this first film by Norwegian director Ole Giæver, contrasts still shots of the forbidding mountain scenery with extreme hand-held close-ups of the women’s faces and elicits utterly authentic performances from the two leads. The sparse, soft, sonorous music underlines the unsaid grief and unspoken strains in their relationship.
The film is a bit slow and stretched, but if you are one of those movie buffs who like to soak it in, then you will be rewarded with an utterly enchanting experience. Just carry a shawl and coffee along, because the airconditioning in the theater alongwith the cold blue mountains could be a bit more chilling than you would like!
Monday Oct 17th 3.30pm at Screen 1, Cinemax Versova
Wednesday Oct 19th 5.30pm at Screen 1 Cinemax Sion
