When his mother, who has sheltered him his entire 40 years, dies, Elling, a sensitive, would-be poet, is sent to live in a state institution. There he meets Kjell Bjarne, a gentle giant and female-obsessed virgin in his 40s. After two years, the men are released and provided with a state-funded apartment and stipend with the hope they will be able to live on their own.
Initially, the simple act of going around the corner for groceries is a challenge. Through a friendship born of desperate dependence, the skittish Elling and the boisterous, would-be lover of women, Kjell Bjarne, discover they can not only survive on the outside, they can thrive. But as their courage grows, the two find oddball ways to cope with society, striking up the most peculiar friendships in the most unlikely places.
Elling is a Norwegian film directed by Petter Næss. Shot mostly in and around the Norwegian capital Oslo, the film, which was released in 2001, is primarily based on Ingvar Ambjørnsen’s novel Brødre i blodet (“Blood brothers”, 1996), one of a series of four featuring the Elling character – the others are Utsikt til paradiset (“A view of paradise”, 1993), Fugledansen (“The bird dance”, 1995), and Elsk meg i morgen (“Love me tomorrow”, 1999). The film was followed by an original prequel not based on any of the novels, Mors Elling (2003), and a sequel, Elsk meg i morgen (2005) based on the fourth and last book in the series.
Elling has been released in several languages and has received one Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Thes film is also nominated for Best Actor (Per Christian Ellefsen) on Amanda Awards in Norway.
Elling (2002)
Directed by: Petter Næss
Starring: Per Christian Ellefsen, Sven Nordin, Per Christensen, Hilde Olausson, Marit Pia Jacobsen, Jørgen Langhelle, Eli Anne Linnestad, Cecilie A. Mosli
Screenplay by: Ingvar Ambjørnsen, Axel Hellstenius
Production Design by: Jan Sundberg
Cinematography by: Svein Krøvel
Film Editing by: Inge-Lise Langfeldt
Costume Design by: Aslaug Konradsdottir
Art Direction by: Harald Egede-Nissen
Makeup Department: Cecilie Greve
Special Effects by: Bente Santi Helle
Music by: Lars Lillo-Stenberg, Lars Lillo-Stenberg
MPAA Rating: R for language and some sexual content.
Distributed by: First Look International
Release Date: April 19, 2002
Visits: 74
