An in-depth exclusive interview with director HENRIK MARTIN DAHLSBAKKEN discussing the Norwegian naval thriller THE ARCTIC CONVOY.
SYNOPSIS: In 1942, the leader of a convoy carrying vital military supplies to a Norwegian outpost decides to proceed through treacherous, enemy-infested waters despite the recall of their military escort. Fighting for their lives against German air and naval forces, the 35 civilian merchant ships brave brutal Arctic seas to bring much-needed support to soldiers on the front lines.
In this landmark 80th year since D-Day, light has shone a bit more brightly on history and the heroes who helped defeat Hitler and the “axis of evil” in World War II, thanks not only to the current socio-political climate, but in large part to the multiple ceremonies in the United States and Europe honoring those fallen and those still with us, not to mention multiple film and television events such as “Masters of the Air” that have been released this year. One of those films is THE ARTIC CONVOY.
When one thinks of WWII, one typically thinks of the D-Day Allied ground invasion of Normandy and other beach landings. Thanks to epics like “Masters of the Air” they may also now be reminded of the superior air power brought by the United States and Great Britain. But there’s another equally important element to the success of the war effort. Convoys; convoys that brought much-needed supplies across the oceans and seas to both the Western and Eastern fronts. These were not military convoys. They were civilian convoys of merchant ships with a military escort. Norway was one of the biggest contributors to the effort in the Arctic as ships would depart from Iceland and head to Murmansk in Russia The convoys ran from 1941 through the end of the war and proved successful. However, an incident in July 1942 with convoy PQ17 suffered the worst losses of any convoy as only 11 of the 35 merchant ships in the convoy succeeded in running the gauntlet of German bombers and U-boats after losing their military escort and being told to “scatter” based on what was thought to be good intel. This was the only time in 78 convoys that this occurred.
Directed by HENRIK MARTIN DAHLSBAKKEN with script by Christian Siebenher, Lars Gudmestad, and Harald Rosenlow, with Henrik calling on insights from his grandfather’s wartime experiences, THE ARTIC CONVOY is inspired by the story of the PQ17 convoy. Showcasing the humanity of this story versus the usual glamourized action of war, Henrik focuses on the individual and interpersonal relationships of this civilian crew, beautifully portrayed by Anders Baasmo, Tobias Santelmann, Heidi Ellingsen, Adam Lundgren, Jan Ranes, Kristian Repstus and Tord Kinge. Told with a triggering conflict between Captain Skar and his first mate Mork and how that affects the entire crew and breaking the narrative into days, we are immersed in time and place, feeling not only the danger of the Barents Sea and the uncertainty of attack, but the human loss of being away from family, making “friends” with strangers on the ship, loneliness, and even pride. Consulting diaries and personal accounts from people who experienced the Arctic convoys during World War II allowed Henrik to gain insights into the human experiences and perspectives of those who lived through this historical event, crucial for authentically portraying the characters and their emotional journeys in the film.
The visual tonal bandwidth is superb – and palpable – thanks to a cold color palette of the grey waters, the white white ice, and grey foggy skies, all lensed to perfection by cinematographer Oskar Dahlsbakken, Henrik’s brother. The visual tonal bandwidth matches the emotional tone and mood of the story and the performances. A standout is the seamless meld of CGI and live-action with the deck and bridge of the ship built on land and having access to a Swedish coal ship for lensing on the water. Visual Effects artisan Lars Erik Hansen and his team do an excellent job of creating a convincing reality.
Adding to the film’s tone is the work of sound designer Christian Schaanning and his team. So defining and realistic, we hear the chilling nuanced sound of ice breaking as the ship moves slowly through it with as much gravitas as a bullet ricochet on the deck, the metal crank of a below-deck 88mm gun as it is moved into position aimed up towards the sky, or even the lapping of icy waters against the ship as sailors try to push mines out of their way.
But it is truly the humanity within this film that stands out and soars, right down to a little box turtle and a dog. Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken gives a voice to those oft-overlooked in the telling of WWII history.
In this exclusive interview, Henrik and I discuss every aspect of the film, including but not limited to:
- exploring humanity and the effects of being at sea during WWII
- the civilian perspective
- challenges of casting, including female crew members, particularly Heidi Ellingsen as Ragnhild, Captain Skar’s second in command and radio operator; presenting a diverse and realistic representation of the time period (Norway had many females on the convoy crews)
- chemistry of the actors and working together as an ensemble
- visual approach for a historical drama
- challenges of creating a period drama including finding the right location
- combining practical and CGI elements
- creating a visually striking film with a documentation-style approach with a combination of real locations and studio work
- sound design and sonic shades of gray to create a gritty, cold atmosphere; importance of silence in creating tension and atmosphere
- editing; challenges due to tight deadlines and the need for extensive CGI work
- research process; importance of personal experiences and humanizing individuals
- working with actors to capture the human aspect of the story in a contained film setting
- importance of paying tribute to the sailors who were part of the Arctic convoys and telling the story of Norway’s involvement in the convoys
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 07/23/2024
THE ARCTIC CONVOY is in theatres and On Demand on July 26, 2024.
