This patriotic epic broke domestic box office records in Norway last year. Classical cinema in the best sense of the term, Eric Poppe's perfectly realized period piece looks at a seminal moment in modern Norwegian history: the three days in April 1940 when King Haakon VII faced the momentous decision about whether or not to cooperate with the invading German army. Threatening to abdicate if the government chose cooperation, he advocated all-out resistance, placing himself and his family in great danger, and guaranteeing his place in the annals of Norwegian history.
Poppe’s experience as a documentary maker shows in the way he shoots both the action scenes and the tense, intimate moments when decisions that will affect thousands of lives are being made. He captures a story for the ages with clarity and impressive attention to detail. The King’s Choice was Norway’s official submission to the Academy Awards.
Director’s Biography
Erik Poppe: Erik Poppe is the only director to have won the Norwegian Film Critics' Award for Best Feature three times. He started his career as a war photographer before moving on to cinematography and directing documentaries. His filmography includes Hawaii, Oslo ('05), Troubled Water ('08) and 1000 Times Good Night ('13).
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