Jo Strømgren

Сорокалетний Андреас при загадочных обстоятельствах попадает в странный город — абсолютная идиллия, опрятные улицы, благополучные жители. Его принимают на работу в офис большой компании — сотрудники благожелательны, условия работы безупречны. Андреас даже заводит себе жену и пытается наладить семейный быт. Но Андреасу не по себе. Что-то не так. Люди вокруг лишены эмоций, существуют, как роботы, по какому-то заведенному порядку, но жизнью это назвать нельзя. Во время прогулки Андреас вдруг видит нанизанный на железные прутья ограды труп своего коллеги, выбросившегося из окна офиса. Что послужило причиной самоубийства?..

Strømgren, a dancer and choreographer, and Hodne, a stage director, send a theatre group on tour into a corner of the then Soviet Union, where Vassa, the leader, is increasingly despairing over fruitless ambitions and audiences lack of interest. Destination Moscow is a lopsided view of the last decade of the Soviet Union, as seen through the eyes of an incorrigible idealist from the provinces. He dreams of conquering the glamorous stage of the Pushkin Theatre in Moscow. Art, love, hope and dreams become heavy burdens to bear when society is literally falling apart. Smuggling sugar puts some bread on the table.

Two neighbours. A lonely pianist on one side of the wall. A couple with domestic problems on the other. They can hear each other. THE NEIGHBOUR is a film about man and woman, about single people, about the chance to start over again, about chances that are long gone. It is also a film about how music affects us, and how we affect music. The film features dancers Line Tørmoen and Dimitri Jourde – two top level creative performers. It also features Leif Ove Andsnes – a pianist that should need no introduction to anyone interested in classical music. As one of the most accomplished musicians of the world he is constantly playing worldwide with solo recitals or accompanied by the most distinguished orchestras. His part in this project differs radically from his regular performances by the fact that his music interpretation is submitted motivations as a theatrical character. The location of the film was Jo Strømgren’s private flat in Oslo during a period in August 2009.