Vibeke Løkkeberg’s Berlinale Forum Opener ‘The Long Road to the Director’s Chair’ Expands Into Four-Part Series (EXCLUSIVE)

by

Vibeke Løkkeberg’s documentary “The Long Road to the Director’s Chair,” which examines the tough journey towards gender equality in movie-making, is being developed into a multi-episode TV show. This transformation was revealed by Anders Tangen of Viafilm prior to the film’s global debut at this year’s Berlinale Forum, before its official premiere.

First released in November 1973, this documentary explores the inaugural International Women’s Film Seminar that took place at Berlin’s Arsenal Cinema. By conducting interviews with female filmmakers from various parts of the world, Løkkeberg portrays the aspirations, hurdles, and tenacity of women within the cinematic industry. This movie brings to light the ongoing fight for gender equality, emphasizing issues that still persist fifty years later.

Back in 2019, I stumbled upon some forgotten footage at Norway’s National Library – it had been tucked away for almost five decades after being overlooked by the male-dominated management of NRK. To my surprise, this discovery sparked a sense of excitement within me as it revealed a wealth of interviews that would become the cornerstone of an inspiring story about women’s rights, creativity, and equality.

In his new project, Tangen boasts an impressive background, having contributed to successful television shows such as “Lillyhammer” and “Norsemen” in the past. As per the producer’s statement, a substantial amount of footage, approximately 3.5 hours, was filmed, but just 70 minutes made it into the final movie.

He clarifies that the format of a film sets specific rules concerning its story structure. This implies there’s plenty of untapped content available for a multipart TV series, consisting of 30-minute episodes featuring various dialects. This way, we can delve deeper into various themes and shed more light on other subjects.

In the upcoming series, we’ll not only replay the original footage but also add fresh content that was filmed at this year’s Berlin festival. Tangen’s team is conducting interviews with several women from the film, discussing the advancements or setbacks in the cinema industry over the past five decades. Prominent figures like German filmmakers Helke Sander and Claudia von Alemann, who were key players at the 1973 seminar, as well as U.S. filmmaker Ariel Maria Dougherty and German producer Christiane Schäfer, are anticipated to participate in the screening of this feature.

Moreover, Løkkeberg, aged 80, is set to attend an event called “The 26% Ceiling for Female Filmmakers in Europe,” organized by FERA. During this conference, she will address the persistent gender disparity within the film industry. This discussion will transpire at the Nordic Embassy on Valentine’s Day, with a Q&A session following the world premiere screening.

The movie will be shown at Berlinale on both February 14th and 15th. Both Løkkeberg and Tangen will be accessible for interviews in Berlin during that time.

Read More

2025-02-14 11:18