The long read · Norwegian cinema
The Resilience of Norwegian Cinema and Its Global Stars
Norwegian cinema has never been louder than it is now. Joachim Trier’s Oslo films win prizes at Cannes, Norwegian directors work in Hollywood, and the country’s fjords and glaciers have played everything from the ice planet Hoth to Kashmir. Here is the story, and where to watch in Oslo.
Updated October 2026
From Kon-Tiki to the Oslo trilogy
Norway’s first great international success was a documentary: Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki, filmed on his raft voyage across the Pacific, won the Oscar in 1951. Arne Skouen’s Nine Lives (1957) was nominated for the Oscar, and Nils Gaup’s The Pathfinder (1987), told in the Sámi language, was nominated too.
Since the 1990s Norwegian cinema has grown in confidence. Erik Skjoldbjærg’s Insomnia was remade by Christopher Nolan, and Joachim Trier’s three Oslo films, Reprise, Oslo, August 31st and The Worst Person in the World, made the capital a star. His Sentimental Value won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2025.
Must-watch films
To understand Norwegian cinema, start with these.
- Kon-Tiki (1950): Thor Heyerdahl’s Oscar-winning record of his raft voyage.
- The Pathfinder (Ofelaš, 1987): Nils Gaup’s Arctic adventure, told in the Sámi language.
- Insomnia (1997): Erik Skjoldbjærg’s thriller under the midnight sun.
- Oslo, August 31st (2011): Joachim Trier’s day in the life of a young man coming home.
- The Worst Person in the World (2021): Trier’s funny, moving portrait of a young woman in Oslo; Renate Reinsve won best actress at Cannes.
- Sentimental Value (2025): Trier’s family drama, with Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård, winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes.
The stars
Norway’s stars have shone from Hollywood’s golden age to today.
- Sonja Henie (1912–1969): the Olympic figure-skating champion who became a Hollywood star.
- Liv Ullmann: Ingmar Bergman’s great leading lady, twice nominated for the Oscar.
- Renate Reinsve: best actress at Cannes for The Worst Person in the World.
- Anders Danielsen Lie and Aksel Hennie: from Trier’s Oslo films to international hits such as The Martian.
- Morten Tyldum: the director of The Imitation Game, nominated for the Oscar.
Where to watch in Oslo
In Oslo, Cinemateket, the Norwegian Film Institute’s cinema in the city centre, shows Norwegian and world classics. Our page Oslo on film tells the story of the city on screen, from Trier’s films to the latest releases.
Our advice: see a Trier film at Cinemateket, then walk the streets where it was shot.
Hidden on the silver screen: international productions filmed in Norway
Norway’s mountains, fjords and modern architecture are a favourite of Hollywood.
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Finse: the snowfields by the Hardangerjøkulen glacier became the ice planet Hoth.
- Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018), Preikestolen: the Pulpit Rock above the Lysefjord stood in for Kashmir.
- Tenet (2020), Oslo: Christopher Nolan filmed on the marble roof of the Oslo Opera House.
- No Time to Die (2021), the Atlantic Road: James Bond’s car chase along the famous coastal road.
Norwegians in Hollywood
Norwegian directors are now in demand around the world. Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg followed their Oscar-nominated Kon-Tiki (2012) with a Pirates of the Caribbean film, and Morten Tyldum made The Imitation Game with Benedict Cumberbatch.
Questions and answers
Which Norwegian film won the Oscar?
Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki won the Oscar for best documentary in 1951.
What is Joachim Trier’s Oslo trilogy?
Reprise (2006), Oslo, August 31st (2011) and The Worst Person in the World (2021), three films about young lives in the capital.
Join the conversation
Which Norwegian film or star do you love most? Share your favourite scenes and the films we should add.
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Sources: the Norwegian Film Institute, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Festival de Cannes, checked on 6 November 2026. The trailers are from NEON’s official channel.