Kitchen Stories

2003 1h 35m NO

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 130

DramaComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Swedish efficiency researchers come to Norway for a study of Norwegian men, to optimize their use of their kitchen. Folke Nilsson (Tomas Norström) is assigned to study the habits of Isak Bjørvik (Joachim Calmeyer). By the rules of the research institute, Folke has to sit on an umpire's chair in Isak's kitchen and observe him from there, but never talk to him. Isak stops using his kitchen and observes Folke through a hole in the ceiling instead. However, the two lonely men slowly overcome the initial post-war Norwegian-Swede distrust and become friends.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Joachim Calmeyer
Isak Bjørvik
Tomas Norström
Folke Nilsson
Bjørn Floberg
Grant
Reine Brynolfsson
Malmberg
Sverre Anker Ousdal
Dr. Jack Zac. Benjaminsen
Gard B. Eidsvold
Bakkemann
Lennart Jähkel
Green
Leif Andrée
Dr. Ljungberg

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Bent Hamer
Writers: Jörgen Bergmark, Bent Hamer
Languages: Norwegian, Swedish
Countries: Norway, Sweden

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Norwegian, Swedish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Norway, Sweden.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Bent Hamer, shot by Philip Øgaard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hans Mathisen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Pål Gengenbach shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Joachim Calmeyer and Tomas Norström and Bjørn Floberg carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Bent Hamer directs. Philip Øgaard behind the camera. Hans Mathisen scores. Pål Gengenbach cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Norway, Sweden. Dialogue in Norwegian, Swedish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 23 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Norwegian, Swedish.
3International production across 2 countries: Norway, Sweden.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Bent Hamer, shot by Philip Øgaard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Hans Mathisen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Pål Gengenbach shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Joachim Calmeyer and Tomas Norström and Bjørn Floberg carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0323872 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 14 themes, including "research", "friendship", "bachelor", "cooking".