Kitchen Stories

aka: Salmer fra kjøkkenet
Norway / Sweden 2003, 95 minutes
Dir. Bent Hamer
In Norwegian, Swedish with English subtitles
Rating: [PG]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Comedy, Drama

Topics: Period 1950s.

Feat. Tomas Norstrom, Joachim Calmeyer, Reine Brynolfsson, Bjorn Floberg

Aroview: A slyly humourous offering from Scandanavia, examining the efforts of the (real-life) Swedish Home Research Institute to improve lives of Norwegian bachelors during the growth of 'kitchen science' in the 1950s.

Sent across the border to observe the kitchen behaviour of an elderly farmer (Calmeyer), scientist Norstrom calmly tries to maintain his objectivity but finds himself falling into friendship with the cranky individual. Intrinsicly deadpan, this will appeal to those with an appreciation of northern dry humour, with its arctic moods and streamlined decor lending a beautiful visual counterpoint.

NZ International Film Festival 2004