Bjarne –
– do you have any suggestions for what this film should be about?
You shouldn't make it about me.
Sure I should, and this is just the beginning.
I don't want to do this at all.
I've never liked being photographed.
I don't want to be the centre of attention!
Why not?
I've never liked it.
Here's Bjarne!
This is my neighbour Bjarne.
Wait! Wait!
He's 70 years old –
– lives by himself in Oldedalen, which is far away –
– unless you move there –
– like I have.
This is me seven years ago.
Tired of my life in Poland.
The monotony.
Meeting the same people over and over.
Is it possible to thrive in a place with a population of only 100?
It could be like an anthropological study.
Fuck!
I thought Bjarne had an interesting personality –
– so I started filming him.
I can't sit long!
Just for a minute!
Fuckin' hell!
I wanted to make a diary, of sorts, on typical Norwegian activities on a farm.
It's …?
"…takk din store Gud!"
–It's "Ja, vi elsker" (National anthem). –Yes.
Should we be standing?
Maybe we should, Bjarne.
And look towards the flag.
–You have to look serious as well? –Yes, you have to look serious.
–No smiling either? –No.
–One minute of silence? –One minute of silence and hands behind your back.
–You can sing! –No.
I can't. You probably can.
–Well, enough of that. –I agree.
–Are you full? –Yes.
I filmed Bjarne every time something significant happened–
– that had to do with the season.
I had my own idea of how things work on a farm.
But where do you keep it?
I don't know.
Do you have it somewhere?
I don't have anything here.
I use the machine for this.
–You use a machine? –Yes, I don't use an axe.
Oh! But I want you to use an axe!
–I don't have … –You do, Bjarne.
I have to get the chopping block, then.
Damn fool!
Damn woman!
Goddamn woman!
Go!
Bjarne, can you talk about how we met?
On the road. Do you remember?
The first time I saw you I was at Olden Camping —
— and suddenly this girl appeared on a bicycle —
— with no hands on the handlebars.
She came racing down the hill!
She was rolling a cigarette at the same time.
And then she smoked it?
She lit it without touching the handlebars. Riding the bike.
Rolled the cigarette, lit it. And then there was —
— smoke, exhaust behind her.
I don't think I ever could have pulled that off:
Rolling a cigarette while riding a bicycle.
But Bjarne likes a good story.
So do I.
Did you think I was a bit strange?
No, I didn't think you were strange.
I thought you were …
I figured that you definitely weren't Norwegian —
— that you had to be from some other country.
While doing a film on Bjarne, I did a photo project—
— on identity and what it feels like to be an alien on a new planet.
—Do the berries show on film? —They're nice.
They're small, you know.
—But are they sweet? —No, they are sour.
Bjarne has never left his dog —
— his sheep or Oldedalen.
Can you hear me?
—Bjarne? —There was a bad connection.
Ok.
The connection is lost.
Ok.
—Do you think they understand things? —Yes.
Bjarne has been around sheep his whole life —
— but I'm a Polish city girl with no clue about these inhabitants of the farm.
I soon discovered that Bjarneis a bit like a sheep:
If I come too close —
— he may just run off.
So what is friendship, then?
When you can trust each other, I guess —
— keep your word, and don't talk behind each other's backs.
One day this … And then the next day something else …
—I have to go! —Where are you going?
I'm going home now.
Do you like winter, Bjarne?
No.
Summer is best.
Why is summer best?
Ask …
Ask someone else.
And not me.
I asked Bjarne the simplest questions I could think of.
And still I failed.
Every time.
Are you looking forward to spring? What do you think of spring?
Well, what should I …
Ask me something easier.
—Easier? —Yes.
What are your thoughts on the future?
You've asked me that so many times, I've stopped thinking about it.
—Is there something you look forward to? —No.
—I never look forward to anything. —What are you looking forward to this year?
I'm not looking forward to anything.
If you're not done in ten seconds, I'm gone!
—You're gone? —Yes.
After an endless series of questions I thought:
Where is this project going?
I kept on filming Bjarne.
I filmed him as often as I could.
Then, one day, there was a funeral in Oldedalen.
I started asking Bjarne questions again.
Bjarne, what are your thoughts on life?
I don't believe in life after death.
—After death? —Life after death?
What happens when we die?
Don't we turn to dust?
You think so? That's it?
Don't we turn to dust? What do we turn into?
Angels.
So we can have coffee in heaven.
Well … Let's hope so.
Do you believe that?
I've never studied it.
I've never really pondered it.
I don't think about that stuff.
—You don't think about death? —No.
That you're going to die one day? I think about it —
— and I'm much younger.
I think about it a lot.
No, you shouldn't think about that stuff.
Why not? I think it's important.
No, it's not important. You have to forget about all that.
—Everyone's going to die one day. —Yes, but …
I think about the things I want to do before I die.
What you want to do before you die, well …
You do what you're supposed to do, I guess.
What are you going to do before you die?
I've worked my whole life. What else should I do?
Huh? What else should I do?
Don't you have one of those dreams?
One thing to do before you die?
No! No.
(Most things you worry about never actually happen.)
One day I asked Bjarne to show me pictures of when he was my age.
But as it turned out, there weren't that many pictures.
I ran off!
—Where did you run off to? —I ran away from photographers.
I don't like pictures.
Why not?
The gods will have to answer that.
I'm totally against it …
These days people have become crazy about photos.
—That's you? —Yes.
How old are you in this picture?
We were around nineteen, I guess.
Is this the only picture of yourself you've got?
Yes, I've never taken pictures of myself.
—I've burned all the photos. —Why?
Maybe you have another one.
No, that was all I could find.
What was your childhood like, Bjarne?
Can't remember it.
I don't want to remember my childhood.
Why not?
Skip those questions.
You'll have to skip that kind of questions.
I don't want to answer such intimate questions.
I don't want to.
So what is friendship, Bjarne?
What is friendship …
—Are we friends? —Sure, aren't we?
—I hope so. —Yeah, I think so.
I hope we are.
I pictured we could do like this.
—Do like this? —Yes.
Cozy.
With a nice view.
Be careful!
I soon discovered that Bjarne and I were somewhat similar —
— like two fish out of water, who are both playful —
— and using that as a way of dealing with the realities of life.
So, here's Bjarne Sunde …
Yes, this is Bjarne Sunde, lying here.
One more time. I need one of those dramatic openings.
Bjarne, Bjarne! Let me have the bed now.
—You're gonna lie in it? —Yes.
And film yourself?
You have to come visit.
Yes, I'll come visit … I hope they don't come in right now.
—Come visit, Bjarne! —Yes, I'm coming to visit.
—Oh! Hi, Bjarne! —Hi!
—I'm not feeling good! —Yes, you're ill!
—You've got a fever as well! —Yes, and they gave me penicillin —
— intravenously!
Very bad dinners! I get very bad dinners.
I don't like them.
Did you get fish?
—Potato dumplings! —Potato dumplings?!
But it's actually pretty cozy here …
I wouldn't mind staying a while in hospital.
—Sure, for a short period … —Do you have Internet access?
You have to … Bjarne, come here!
And now … Stand here.
And then you escape! Out the door!
What do we sing in Norway?
"Happy Birthday"
That sounded great!
We have to light it.
Wow!
Bjarne, think of …! Wishes …
You have to wish something!
Bjarne, you have to smile!
—A lot of power inside that thing. —And what's it called?
—I don't know. —"Kiss my ass".
It's called "Kiss my ass".
—Very good! —Very good.
Really good.
I thought about leaving Oldedalen many times.
And I don't know why one year turned into seven.
But Oldedalen felt safe. And far from the real world.
Or maybe it wasthe real world.
I got to know many people there.
But Oldedalen also felt more and more empty.
Sometimes I fantasize that the trees —
— outside my window are people —
— watching over me —
— 'cause I'm so lonely here.
I so often get so depressed here —
— I think I have to leave this place —
— to stay alive.
I decided to show Bjarne the video.
Do you have moments like that?
No, not like that.
—That make you cry? —No.
What's it like for you? What do you do?
I have animals that need care. So I make sure they're alright.
Talk to them a little … That might sound strange, but that's what I do.
—You don't have anyone to talk to? —No.
Well, I don't want to think about these things.
Sometimes I wondered how much Bjarne thought about the bad things in life.
They happen. Whether you want them to or not.
Well, we have to raise the flag —
— for Oddvin's funeral.
Oddvin is Bjarne's brother.
About time we raise the flag. At half mast.
—Can you make a short speech? —No, I cannot.
We just came in from Olden, and —
— received the coffin from the funeral agency —
— so they could get everything ready —
— with the flowers and all that.
Will you get a little teary, maybe?
Well —
— we'll see.
—Should I bring some napkins? —Yes, bring me some napkins.
—I have a couple of nice ones with deer on them. —With deer on them? Sure.
What are your thoughts today, Bjarne?
It's just the passing of time. The ravages of time.
Some come … Most people go.
—But it's going to be a nice day. —Well, yes, a nice, sad day.
I tried preparing Bjarne for the fact that —
— sooner or later I was going to leave Oldedalen.
Have you got a raincoat?
Yes.
But we had become such good friends, and I felt a certain responsibility for Bjarne.
I wanted to show Bjarne, who told me he didn't have any memories —
— or pictures —
— that we could create memories together.
I tried to prepare him for going on a journey —
— and wanted to show him my planet, where I am from.
Which is why I sat him down in a boat and asked him: "Where should we go, Bjarne?"
I don't have any other place to be.
I don't like it anywhere else.
Bjarne! If I move —
Can you promise me you'll come visit?
No, visit … I can't promise that.
The big city scares me. You know that.
I couldn't imagine leaving Bjarne, but staying didn't make me happy either.
—Hello! —Hello, Bjarne!
—Are you there? —Yes, I'm here.
Bjarne, I'm calling about an important matter.
Let's see. I have to find …
It's about the trip to London.
Well, no, don't …
—It's decided, Bjarne. —No, that's not possible. You know that!
—Of course it's possible! —No, there's no way!
I can't take that risk. I just had this flu.
Bjarne, you just have to take it easy.
Just take it easy. Everything is taken care of.
No, I'm not taking the … There's no way …
I'm afraid to!
Bjarne made up countless excuses why he shouldn't go to London:
That his throat had gotten really sore.
That there was nobody that could watch the sheep and Tassen.
That at this exact moment he had to shear the sheep
That he doesn't have travel insurance.
That he's going to get ill in London.
Listen, Bjarne!
You're not going to get ill on the bus.
You'll bring your dirty jokes.
Look out the window …
You're in very good hands.
Yes, but I'm skeptical about travelling!
But, Bjarne, everything's taken care of.
I'm too afraid …
At six o'clock in the morning, the day Bjarne is supposed to travel —
— I get a phone call.
Bjarne's favourite sheep is very ill.
It's a total crisis.
Bjarne says he cannot leave.
Bjarne has just got his first passport and his first international plane ticket.
I try everything I can think of to get Bjarne some help in the barn —
— someone else to take over —
— so that Bjarne can get on the plane.
What is the farthest you've ever travelled?
Not very far.
Just to Oslo.
Can't say I liked it more than I like it here.
Incredible.
Well?
I don't have words.
No! Goddamn!
What do you remember from when we first met?
You'll just have to put something together. I have no …
—Don't you remember anything, Bjarne? —No, very little.
Don't you remember when we had ice cream on the veranda?
Well, of course I remember that.
What else do you remember?
Had ice cream on the veranda … I remember that of course, but …
I can't put those things into words.
It's useless.
—I can't bear it … —Bjarne! Sit!
Bjarne! You can't leave now!
I've told you so many times:
This filming … I hate it more than anything!
You can write whatever you want. I don't …
—I have to get up … —No, Bjarne!
—I can't sit here any longer! —Sit! Sit!
I can't sit here! I'm going to get sick.
Yes, but just a moment! Just a moment! OK, another question …
Another question, well …
How would you describe me?
I would describe you as …
Well, completely unnatural in my world when it comes to girls …
Indescribable …
Indescribable!
High up!
Big ups and downs!
You've spread a lot of joy here at Yri.
Never in a bad mood.
"Dear Lillian"
"Greetings from London."
You have to write your name on it!
Yes, but are we just going to write "Greetings from London"?
What else should it say, then?
You can write about things you've seen.
To hell with it! I'm not gonna bother.
"I've seen a tiger."
What is it?
I just think it's a very nice postcard.
"Hi, Svein!"
—"London is nice" —Yes!
"London is nice"
What else?
"Looking forward to seeing you again" or?
No, that won't work.
"Will be back soon."
Bjarne, um …
Do you have any dreams?
No …
No, fuck this! Can't you stop?!
Um …
Why do you live alone, Bjarne?
There's nobody who wants me. Nobody wanted to live with me.
—That's nonsense. —No, that's not nonsense.
—Bjarne, did you have a girlfriend? —No.
I'm done!
—Bjarne, but … —I'm done! I'm done answering!
I filmed this before going to London.
I was hoping for some heavy snowfall.
My plan was this: We would walk and sort of disappear into the white.
It could have been a nice ending for the film —
— because it's a bit poetic.
You would just think: What will happen to us? And where are we going?
But it didn't snow at all that day!
We have to sit together in the boat! We have to travel together!
—Are you leaving me behind? —Huh?
—Are you leaving me behind? —No, I'm not going to leave you behind.
I gave up interviewing Bjarne about the big things in life —
— here in the boat at Yrineset —
— and jumped aboard instead.
—Where should we go, Bjarne? —We're going to …
—Where should we go? —You choose!
Well, I guess we'll just go to …
Yrineset!
That close?!
I asked Bjarne to dream up any destination —
— and yet —
— of all places on Earth —
— he chose to travel to Yrineset —
— where he already is.
—OK, Bjarne! —West! North!
Tassen! Come on, we're leaving!
—Are you ready? —I'm ready!
Bjarne!