This is a Norwegian film directed by Arne Skouen, one of the most renowned Norwegian directors.
We meet Oddmund (Toralv Maurstad), a man who during WWII served as a guide for twelve refugees trying to reach Sweden. The year was 1944.
When we now meet him, fifteen years later, he is back where it all happened in a cabin far north in the Norwegian mountains. Why?
When trying to help the refugees he ordered them to stay and wait for his love, Ragnhild (Henny Moan). This made them lose a lot of time and time was something they didn't have.
When she, two days later, arrived she didn't have the strenght to continue when they decided to move on. The storm increased and when Oddmunds rival Tormod (Alf Malland) came to help Ragnhild, Oddmund sent the refugees ahead before him, leading to their death.
Now he has returned, driven by his bad conscience, trying to relive the events and finding peace of mind, if possible.
We are being cast back and forth between now and then and gradually we get to see why things ended the way they did.
Is actually Oddmund fully responsible for what has happened or do they all (Oddmund, Ragnhild and Tormod) share the responsibility for the tragedy.
It's a film where one can feel the ice cold winter under the skin, also shaping the feelings of the different characters.
On the same time we know that many Norwegians made heroic efforts to help people who tried to escape the Nazi 'Wahnsinn'. Sometimes it worked out well, sometimes it didn't.
In this case the question is if purely personal feelings of jealousy was responsible for the death of these refugees. Judge for yourselves.
We meet Oddmund (Toralv Maurstad), a man who during WWII served as a guide for twelve refugees trying to reach Sweden. The year was 1944.
When we now meet him, fifteen years later, he is back where it all happened in a cabin far north in the Norwegian mountains. Why?
When trying to help the refugees he ordered them to stay and wait for his love, Ragnhild (Henny Moan). This made them lose a lot of time and time was something they didn't have.
When she, two days later, arrived she didn't have the strenght to continue when they decided to move on. The storm increased and when Oddmunds rival Tormod (Alf Malland) came to help Ragnhild, Oddmund sent the refugees ahead before him, leading to their death.
Now he has returned, driven by his bad conscience, trying to relive the events and finding peace of mind, if possible.
We are being cast back and forth between now and then and gradually we get to see why things ended the way they did.
Is actually Oddmund fully responsible for what has happened or do they all (Oddmund, Ragnhild and Tormod) share the responsibility for the tragedy.
It's a film where one can feel the ice cold winter under the skin, also shaping the feelings of the different characters.
On the same time we know that many Norwegians made heroic efforts to help people who tried to escape the Nazi 'Wahnsinn'. Sometimes it worked out well, sometimes it didn't.
In this case the question is if purely personal feelings of jealousy was responsible for the death of these refugees. Judge for yourselves.
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