On Friday, Nov. 20 the Nordic community of Minneapolis lifted the cinematic curtains to unveil some of the best films from the region. It showcased films from Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Greenland that chronicled Nordic culture, people, and politics throughout the weekend. In between screenings, presenters gave synopses and introduced the audience to the background milieu of the particular film. Taking place in the Parkway Theater, the atmosphere buzzed with foreign chatter, Cognac, and Swedish buns.

The premiere was entitled Prostitution Behind the Veil, in which an Iranian woman who fled to Sweden goes back to report on the lives of oppressed women who have no other way of sustaining themselves. Drugs, little children, and condoms scatter the house of two women who struggle to preserve their health and happiness.

The bitter documentary was followed by more cheerful Nordic shorts to conclude the Friday evening on a brighter note. These buoyant shorts were illuminated with friendship and love, focusing in on the varied nature of relationships people tend to have. In The Lake, two women search for a lost artifact in a slow-moving rowboat. As they keep fishing, young lads take their bait and wind up on board, until it gets too crowded. Then one of the ladies jumps into the lake to take her own chance of finding a love boat.

Mr. Mustache, another favorite, is a lovely narrative depicting the quirks of men with facial hair and its importance in their everyday lives. In Little Man, we meet a boy who studies and composes a journal that documents the art of seduction, only to be outsmarted by his female counterpart.
An evening at the Nordic Film Festival left guests feeling appreciative and elated. The heartwarming ambience, however, was counterbalanced by the chilly auditorium. Leaving high expectations for next year, I hope to see Nordic Lights return in 2010. .