Petter Næss
Director
Petter Næss was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1960, and has a background as a writer, director and actor for the theatre, staging close to 30 productions. In 1997 he was appointed director of Oslo Nye Teater (Oslo New Theatre) and he quickly made his mark promoting contemporary Norwegian plays and focusing on works for young audiences. At the theatre he realized the first staging of Elling, based upon Ingvar Ambjørnsen’s popular book “Brødre i blodet” (Brothers in Blood). The show was a huge success and gained rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
In 1999 Petter made his debut as a feature film director, with the dark comedy Absolutt Blåmandag (Absolute Hangover). Both leads won Amanda Awards for best actor and actress. Hugely successful stage play Elling was then turned into a feature film, and when Petter’s movie debuted in 2001, the result was the one of the biggest blockbusters in Norwegian cinema history (almost 25% of the country saw the film ). Elling became an instant favourite, a modern classic with Norwegian movie-goers. It was also the fourth Norwegian film in history to be nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards.
Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey bought the rights to re-make Elling for American theatres, and the Norwegian original became a cult hit with audiences around the globe. With Elling the “feel-good film” had finally come to Norway.
In 2003, Petter signed a deal with 20th Century Fox to direct 3 movies. Before he began production on the first of these (Mozart & the Whale with Josh Hartnett), he proved he also had a rare talent for youth-films with his critically-praised, adolescent-drama Bare Bea(Just Bea, 2004). With three critical and commercial successes in a row, Petter Næss is clearly one of the greatest Norwegian filmmakers of his generation.
FILMOGRAPHY
- Maskeblomstfamilien (2010)
- Tatt av kvinnen / Gone with the Woman (2007)
- Hoppet / Leaps and Bounds (2007)
- Elsk meg i morgen (2005)
- Mozart and the Whale (2005)
- Bare Bea / Just Bea (2004)
- Elling / Me, My Friend and I (2001)
- Absolutt blåmandag / Absolute Hangover (1999)
