Part of the aim was to provide a genuinely accessible platform for students and members of the public to view these brilliant films – Dr Thomas Morcom
As part of the university’s landmark UCL200 celebrations, the Department of Scandinavian Studies at University College London is hosting New Nordic Voices: A Contemporary Film Festival. Taking place across a full weekend at the UCL East Community Cinema, this free, public festival showcases fourteen recent feature films and shorts spanning the rich breadth of Nordic languages—from Danish, Finnish, and Norwegian to Greenlandic, Sámi, and Faroese.
Ahead of the festival, Nordic Watchlist caught up with Dr Thomas Morcom – Programme Director for BA Comparative Literature, Associate Lecturer in Old Norse Literature and Language, and SELCS-CMII Deputy Departmental Tutor—to discuss bringing modern Nordic cinema to London, the recurring themes shaping this new generation of filmmakers, and closing out the weekend with a special UK Premiere.
Nordic Watchlist: The festival is hosted as part of the UCL200 celebrations. What does bringing contemporary Nordic storytelling to an academic and public audience in London signify for the department?
Dr Thomas Morcom: UCL has been a centre of Scandinavian Studies since the 19th century and is now one of only two UK organisations where Scandinavian or Nordic Studies can be taken as a degree programme. The festival is partly a component of the wider celebration of UCL’s 200th anniversary, therefore, but also a showcase of the School of European Languages and Society’s research and teaching experience in Nordic Studies and as a hub for the appreciation of Nordic culture in London. Each film will be introduced by an academic specialising in its respective language and culture, highlighting this wide-ranging expertise.
Nordic Watchlist: What distinct threads or emerging styles do you feel define this current generation of Nordic filmmakers compared to classic Nordic cinema?
Dr Thomas Morcom: While putting together the programme, it has been fascinating to see some of the themes that have emerged that I wouldn’t have initially expected! One of the most striking has been claustrophobia or captivity which runs across many of the films including the Greenlandic prison documentary Walls, the Danish film Sons, which is also set in a prison, and the pressure-cooker interview at the centre of the Norwegian Armand. The complex nature of Nordic identities, and the sacrifices required to attain and retain it, also resurfaces repeatedly, particularly in the Skolt-Sámi Je’vida and the Swedish Opponent. Finally, the natural world of the North is also a commonality, particularly amongst the Sámi short films and the Faroes The Last Paradise on Earth.
Nordic Watchlist: All screenings are free to the public. What was the philosophy behind making this a completely free, open event, and how do you hope local film enthusiasts interact with the UCL community over the weekend
Dr Thomas Morcom: One of the main motivators for organising the festival was that Nordic arthouse films are often only given limited screenings in the UK and to provide an accessible venue for them to be screened in their original languages with English subtitles.
Part of the aim was to provide a genuinely accessible platform for students and members of the public to view these brilliant films and making tickets free was a core part of that initiative. We’re extremely grateful to the support of not only UCL but the Nordic embassies in London, the Viking Society for Northern Research, the Anglo-Norse Society, and the Anglo-Finnish Society.
Nordic Watchlist: You’re hosting the UK Premiere of The Last Paradise on Earth. What drew you to this title to close out the festival, and what can audiences expect?
Dr Thomas Morcom: Closing with The Last Paradise on Earth felt an absolute must once I’d seen it. Sakaris Stórá’s second feature is the first Faroese film ever to take the Nordic Council Film Prize and is artistically notable for a host of reasons, but not least the stunning backdrop Suðuroy provides throughout the film. The film has a quiet, meditative beauty to it, while producing a genuinely original reflection on island life.
We’re also hugely lucky to have Sakaris joining us for a Q&A following the film to give us further insights into its production. It’s a gem of modern Nordic cinema and a must-see for any London-based cinephiles!
New Nordic Voices takes place at UCL East Community Cinema. Free tickets are available to reserve via Eventbrite link which you can find HERE
