User:Monajhoel

MONA J. HOEL

Award winning director, screenwriter, producer from Norway. Owner of production company Freedom From Fear films in Oslo. Born in Askim, a small village south-east of Oslo, in 1960. After high-school she travelled to Australia, documenting the trip, and decided to go study photography and visual storytelling at ICP, International Center of Photography, in New York. Produced her first two independent short films, "Lucianans morning" and "Nora´s secret" in New York. "Nora´s secret" was chosen for the women film program at the Gothenburg International Filmfestival in 1985. 1986 she entered the film directing studies at the Dramatic Institute in Stockholm. During the first six months her class with three fellow directing students had to attend the acting school studies, to challenge their understanding of the acting craft. Ingmar Bergman was one of the mentors during their first year of directors training and stated his deep love and respect for the vulnerable and brave actors, raising the awareness to how they make themselves spokeswomen/men for our directors voices. Very valuable knowledge. In 1989 Mona J. Hoel won the main price at the Munich International Filmfestival, with her graduation film "The House", featuring Mona Malm, Loa Falkman and Jane Friedmann.

She went on to making the documentary "The beauty or the beast" that won the Leipzig International Filmfestival, The Oberhausen International Filmfestival and the Terje Vegen price at the Grimstad International Filmfestival in 1992.

In 1996 she made a music film with the Sami world musician Mari Boine, "Come with me to the sacred mountain". The film attended the Panorama section at the Berlin International Filmfestival 1996.

Her first feature film "At ease " from 1995, featured Bjørn Sundquist, Fisken Armand, Frøydis Armand, Anne Karin Huseby and Sessa Sidselrud in the leading parts.

In 2000 she made "Cabin fever/ Når nettene blir lange" featuring Zbigniew Zamachowski, Svein Scharffenberg, Gørild Mauseth, Bjarte Hjelmeland, Benedikte Lindbeck, GeirKvarme, Turid Gunnes, Jerzy Novak and Wiesława Mazurkiewicz was released in Norwegian cinemas, 2000, and received the Dogma-certficate, being the 19th dogma film, following the ten rules that paved the way to bring modern low budget stories back to the Cinema- after a period in the cinema market, dominated by mainstream, expensive historic and action productions. "Cabin fever/ Når nettene blir lange" was nominated the Crystal Globe in Karlovy Vary International Filmfestival, 2000. It was screened as Case Study, at the Toronto International Filmfestival, 2000. It won the "Natt og Dag" price, for best Norwegian film 2000, won the Amanda for best male actor Svein Scharffenberg, and best female award to Kari Simonsen. It competed in the Moscow International filmfestival but was very poorly distributed by Europa film in Norway and didn't travel the world cinemas even though Screen International predicted it to become a box-office after the Crystal Globe nomination.

"Chlorox, ammonia and coffee" was released in Norwegian cinemas in 2004, featuring Fares Fares, Kjersti Holmen, Eva Bergh, Dennis Storhøi, Svein Scharffenberg, Benedikte Lindbeck, Terje Strømdahl, Even Stormoen, Per Lillo Stenberg, Jannik Bonnevie, Nils Vogt, Nicole Madeleine Aurdahl. It was screened at the prestigious New Film, New Directors filmfestival at the MOMA, New York, 2005won the main price in Mannheim Heidelberg International Filmfestival 2005.

At the moment Mona J. Hoel is in post production with her new feature film "Night". She has produced two short films for Sami director Sara Margrethe Oskal, "Aurora keeps an eye on you", and "The daughter of the sun" that is just about to released. "Aurora keeps an eye on you" have participated in several prestigious filmfestivals, TIFF, Tromsø International filmfestival, 2015, Tampere International Filmfestival 2015, ImagineNative, Toronto 2015, Gothenburg International Filmfestival, 2016.

The documentary "The real time music tale" is in final edit, and will be released for television by March 2018. The film features the Norwegian Wind ensemble, coached by conductor Geir Lysne, as they prepare for touring Germany with their real time music project, together with the pianist Michael Wollny.