Berlinale Forum opener The Long Road to the Director’s Chair gets TV series follow-up
Vibeke Løkkeberg’s groundbreaking poetic documentary The Long Road to the Director’s Chair is to become a multi-part TV series announced producer Anders Tangen of Viafilm today. The film opens this year’s Berlinale Forum where it is presented as a world premiere.
The Long Road to the Director’s Chair takes us back to Berlin, November 1973, drawingon compelling material shot by Vibeke Løkkeberg during the inaugural International Women’s Film Seminar at the Arsenal Cinema. Via interviews with female filmmakers from around the globe, the film takes us on an inspiring journey of ambition, courage and the relentless pursuit of equality. It confronts us with past battles - battles that remain largely unresolved to this day.
The footage remained untouched for nearly 50 years as the predominantly male management of state-owned broadcaster NRK declined to air the material. In 2019, the film reels were rediscovered in the archives of the National Library of Norway. This unexpected find reignited Løkkeberg’s artistic vision, proving that the raw material was more than a collection of interviews: it was a treasure trove of authentic stories, forming the foundation for a powerful narrative film about women’s rights, equality and creativity.
The film takes us on an inspiring journey of ambition, courage and the relentless pursuit of equality. It confronts us with past battles - battles that remain largely unresolved to this day.
Anders Tangen, one of Scandinavia’s most prolific producers, known for series such as Lillyhammer and Norsemen, reveals that there is close to 3.5 hours of archival footage, of which only 70 minutes were used for the film. “A film’s format imposes certain laws with regards to dramatic structure,” he notes. “It means we still sit on a gold mine of material that we can use for a multi-part series of 30-minute episodes with different accents, allowing us to dig deeper and shine light on other topics.”
Tangen brings a camera crew to the Berlinale to shoot new material to support the historic footage, such as interviews with some of the women Løkkeberg originally encountered; to reflect on the past 50 years and to discover what their views are on contemporary events. Interviewees who are expected to attend the premiere screening include German filmmakers Helke Sander and Claudia von Alemann, who were the driving forces behind the 1973 seminar; Women Make Movies co-founder and US filmmaker Ariel Maria Dougherty; plus German producer Christiane Schäfer.
The crew will also follow the 80-year-old Løkkeberg when she participates in a FERA-
organised conference held at the Nordic Embassy entitled ‘The 26% ceiling for female
filmmakers in Europe’, and during the Q&A following the world premiere screening.
Download the EPK (English) here
PDF 103 MB
About the director:
Born in 1945 in Bergen (Norway), Vibeke Løkkeberg is renowned for her groundbreaking
and often controversial films such as Løperjenten (The Story of Camilla, 1981)
and Hud (Skin, 1986), in which she refined her uncompromising vision and storytelling
prowess. In addition to her work in film, Løkkeberg is also a prolific novelist. In 2005, she
was appointed Cavalieri by the Italian President and in 2015, she received the Honorary
Amanda Award for her contributions to Norwegian cinema.
About the producer:
The Long Road to the Director’s Chair is produced by Anders Tangen, one of
Scandinavia’s most prolific producers with a career spanning more than 30 years of
national and international successes in both film and TV.
A pioneer in producing content for the international streaming market, he has shown
time and time again that he possesses an infallible instinct for what audiences like.
Tangen previously produced massive hits like Lillyhammer, Home for Christmas,
Magnus, One Night, Norsemen, Easy Peasy and the third season of what probably has
been Scandinavia’s biggest hit series of the last few years - Exit.
Screenings:
• 14 February, 18:30, Arsenal 1 (Potsdamer Str. 2, 10785 Berlin) - World Premiere
• 15 February, 12:00, Kino Betonhalle@Silent Green (Gerichtstr. 35,13347 Berlin)
Conference:
Vibeke Løkkeberg will participate in a 35-minute moderated conversation to reflect 50
years of gender imbalance, following a short excerpt from the film. This is part of “The
26% glass ceiling for female filmmakers in Europe: Taking stock and charting the future
for improved gender parity” conference, organised by FERA in association with EFAD.
The conference will take place on 14 February (10:00-14:00) at the Felleshus Auditorium
(Rauchstr. 1, 10787 Berlin). Vibeke and Tonje’s conversation is currently scheduled
around for 12:00. To confirm your attendance, click here.
Screener link and interviews
A screener link for review/interview purposes is available on request
(christian@hypepark.be). Both the director and the producer will be in Berlin to attend
the World Premiere and are available for interviews and photo shoots.
Christian De Schutter
