How did you react when you won your award at the Festival de Cannes?

My immediate reaction was a flight-response. I had not planned a speech and was mostly focusing on how to handle the situation on stage. Luckily the whole crew joined me up, that helped a lot. There is something very strange about this competitive, sports like part of the filmindustry that I don’t really enjoy. Later on, when I was safely located far away from other people, I was very moved and humbled that the members of the jury (that I admire a lot) resonated with the film and found it worthy of honouring. That revelation generated a momentary feeling of intense euphoria, that I guess I will spend my life trying to regain.

What has your award brought you?

The award gave me a belief in my approach and intuition. It was a proof that the methods we had developed during school could work. It also gave me the sense that my personal view on certain things, could interest and resonate with others. I used to be extremely apologetic about my work. I was worried that my intentions were misread, and perceived as wrong or “evil”. Or just irrelevant and boring. I am still doubting a lot, but now I know that doubt is not dangerous. That it is an important part of my approach.

What are your best memories of Cannes?

Watching the premiere of “Fallen Leaves” by Kaurismäki. Such a beautiful and simple film. One of the scenes made the whole room laugh because he was making fun of moviegoers. That was nice. I got the sense that I was a part of an era I thought was over. There was something very comforting about realising that Kaurismäki is still here making his films and smoking his cigarettes.

I also really enjoyed skinny-dipping at the croisette with my crew the night after the award ceremony.

Do you have new projects?

I am currently working on my debut feature with the working title “Cute”. It’s about the grotesqueness and tenderness in the human fascination for the “cute”. It follows a woman struggling with shopping and hoarding addiction, that poses “child-like” on a camgirl site to make ends meet. I am making it together with my collaborators from filmschool.

I am also in early development of a second feature. It’s a European roadmovie about two people traveling in opposite directions – One of them is trying to escape pain, the other one desperately struggles to escape boredom.

I also have a short documentary that I shot a year ago, on CPH:Dox in march. The project is actually an elaboration on a character that makes a small appearance in “Norwegian Offspring”.