Erling Borgen Films

Wednesday 3rd December is your chance to see the films that generated the headlines in Norway- from Telenor and Bangladesh, to the country's involvement in the arms trade.

The films will run almost back to back, with no introduction or Q&A, but don't miss Erling Borgen's presentation during the opening of the festival, outlining his thoughts on human rights and the role of documentary film (1730 same day).

The films:

Et lite stykke Norge. 55mins
The film that NRK did not want to show, but which was later shown twice on TV2. It reveals Norway as a war nation and as a weapon producer. The film has become one of the most discussed documentary films in Norway.
Directed by Erling Borgen. Produced by INNSIKT

De Fattiges Plass. 25mins
This film portrays how poor indian workers have quarried the granite that was laid in Stavanger's Millenium Square. It generated much attention when it was screened on TV2 in 2007, and lead to Stavanger kommune's registration as a member of the Initiative for Ethical Trade.
Directed by Erling Borgen. Produced by INNSIKT

I Skyggen av Statoil 55mins
Is there a limit for what kind of country Norwegian state-owned companies should invest in? Statoil operates in several thoroughly corrupt countries, and in places where regimes brutally oppress their own people.
Directed by Erling Borgen. Produced by INNSIKT

Diktatorgjeld 45mins
Showing how major banks around the world have been ready and willing to lend money to the brutal dictators of South Africa, the Philipines, and Argentina. When the dictators are toppeled they leave enormous debts behind them, debts that the poor must pay.
This film has been screened in 70 countries, but never before in Norway.
A collaboration between Borgen Production AS and Kirkens Nødhjelp. Directed by Erling Borgen

Kringsatt av fiender 45mins
Supported by the military dictatorship in Brazil, the Norwegian king's brother-in-law Erling Lorentzen built Aracruz Celulose into a leading global corporation. The company is today surrounded by poor communities who are demanding the return of their land and who are protesting against the enormous eucalyptus plantations that have been planted.
The film is one of a trio in the series 'Flip the Coin' made in collaboration with the Danish director Tom Heinemann. Directed by Erling Borgen. Produced by Borgen Production AS & Heinemann Media

Et tårn av løfter 56mins
The documetnary film that showed how Telenor has produced telecommunication towers in Bangladesh with the help of children and workers exploited in an extreme manner. The film generated much attention in Norway and has lead to a major 'clean-up' by Telenor.
The film is part of the 'Flip the Coin' series. Directed by: Tom Heinemann. Produced by Borgen Production AS & Heinemann Media.

About Erling Borgen:
Erling Borgen has directed and produced 85 documentary films. He worked in NRK for more than 20 years and was their correspondant in Latin-America and in Asia. Since 1999 he has run his own production company, and through this he has produced 37 films to date. All of these are about human rights or arts and culture.

Borgen has travelled and worked in over 100 countries, and has made over 5000 current affairs reports. He has written seven books and two plays. He has been awarded many prizes, both in Norway and internationally. In 2006 the film 'Ambassadøren' won the award for best human rights documentary at a film festival in Paris.

In 2006 Erling Borgen was awarded the Human Rights prize Fangenes Testamente as an acknowledgment of his work in peace and society. In September 2007 he received a prize awarded in memory of Erik Bye, because, according to the jury, he 'has, over a long period of time, displayed a fearless and passionate involvement in trying to influence how societies develop in a positive manner'.