Far North (2007)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Asif Kapadia

Writers:

Asif Kapadia (screenplay)
Sara Maitland (story)
(more)

Release Date:

26 December 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A soldier's unexpected arrival affects two women's simple existence. |

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Mother Daughter Conflict | Dead Dog | Sex Scene | Deceit

Cast

Michelle Yeoh	...	Saiva
Michelle Krusiec	...	Anja
Sean Bean	...	Loki
Gary Pillai	...	Ivar
Bjarne Østerud	...	Shaman (as Bjarne Osterud)
Sven Henriksen	...	Ivar's father
Neeru Agarwal	...	Ivar's mother
Per Egil Aske	...	Andrei
Håkan Niva	...	Slim
Espen Prestbakmo	...	Baldy
Jan Olav Dahl	...	Soldier
Tommy Silkavuopio	...	Soldier with Boat #1
Mark van de Weg	...	Soldier with Boat #2
Daniel Wilton	...	Background Player
Thor Alexander Gundersen	...	Background Player
Apidej Prinkan	...	Background Player
Zola Ravna	...	Background Player
Hai Pai Wei	...	Background Player
Vidar Kolstad	...	Background Player
Sunisa Enoksen	...	Background Player
Sitthnon Kiwan	...	Background Player
Roumei Li	...	Background Player
Robert Jacobsen	...	Background Player
Sirinapha Thongdaeng	...	Background Player
Ravina Sarre	...	Background Player
Piyot Chot On	...	Background Player
Richard Ingebrightsen	...	Background Player
Peter Lukkari	...	Background Player
Narissa Roman	...	Background Player
Ole Johan Jonsson Eira	...	Background Player
Nannan Yang	...	Background Player
Kristi Utsi	...	Background Player
Lena Sletten Dolmseth	...	Background Player
Kim Nicolaisen	...	Background Player
Kenneth Enoksen	...	Background Player
Karl Arvid Roman	...	Background Player
Johannes Sjoblom	...	Background Player
Frederik Lennert	...	Background Player
Elizabeth Pan	...	Background Player
Eline Enoksen	...	Background Player
Biera Lässe Gabnó	...	Background Player
Arnulf Enoksen	...	Background Player
Anne Lea Somby	...	Background Player
Anna Sofie Ravna	...	Background Player
Anita Enoksen	...	Background Player
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sophie Wu	...	Young Saiva (uncredited)

Directed by
Asif Kapadia

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Asif Kapadia		screenplay
Sara Maitland		story "True North"
Tim Miller		screenplay

Produced by
Petter J. Borgli	....	co-producer
Bertrand Faivre	....	producer
Vincent Gadelle	....	co-producer
Mark Hubbard	....	line producer: pre-production
Gina Marsh	....	line producer
Emma Murphy	....	associate producer
Hengameh Panahi	....	executive producer
Duncan Reid	....	executive producer
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
Peter Touche	....	executive producer
Christophe Vidal	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dario Marianelli

Cinematography by
Roman Osin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ewa J. Lind

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Ben Scott

Art Direction by
Victoria Harwood

Costume Design by
Ben Scott

Makeup Department
Stuart Bray	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Kirstin Chalmers	....	hair designer
Kirstin Chalmers	....	makeup designer
Stuart Conran	....	prosthetic sculptor
Kristie Matthiae	....	additional hair stylist
Kristie Matthiae	....	additional makeup artist
Laura McIntosh	....	hair stylist
Hege Nordnes	....	additional makeup artist: Svalbard
Sharon O'Brien	....	additional hair stylist
Sharon O'Brien	....	additional makeup artist
Kristyan Mallett	....	prosthetics technician (uncredited)
Laura McIntosh	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Paula Jalfon	....	physical production manager: Ingenious Film Partners
Emma Murphy	....	post-production supervisor
Gerardine O'Flynn	....	production manager: Film4
Jason Roberts	....	production supervisor
Reuben Sletten	....	unit manager: Norway

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Hopkins	....	third assistant director
Jack Ravenscroft	....	first assistant director
Harriet Worth	....	second assistant director
Hsinyi Liu	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Torunn Anfinsen	....	assistant art director
Ole Johan Eira	....	construction: reindeer fencing
Arwel Evans	....	property master: Svalbard
Matt Foster	....	stand-by props
Leigh Gilbert	....	construction manager
Bard Elling Jacobsen	....	drapesman
Odd Kanstad	....	prop maker: dog sledges
Reinert Kiil	....	assistant props
Lars Tomas Labba	....	prop maker
Nick Milner	....	stand-by props (as Nic Milner)
James Newell	....	painter
Daniel Oskal	....	construction: reindeer fencing
Nils Ole Oskal	....	construction: reindeer fencing
André H. Skavskogen	....	construction: reindeer fencing
Paul Wiltshire	....	painter

Sound Department
Stuart Bagshaw	....	foley mixer
Stuart Bagshaw	....	foley recordist
Howard Bargroff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thom Berryman	....	recording assistant
Joanne Dunphy	....	additional boom operator: UK
Richard Finney	....	sound maintenance engineer
Stephen Griffiths	....	sound designer
Stephen Griffiths	....	sound
Melissa Lake	....	foley artist
James Perry	....	adr recordist
Luke Robinson	....	sound transfer engineer
Andy Shelley	....	sound recordist
Andy Shelley	....	sound
Andy Shelley	....	supervising sound editor
Barnaby Smyth	....	foley supervisor
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Chris Sturmer	....	sound consultant: Dolby
David Turner	....	sound technical coordinator (as Dave Turner)

Special Effects by
Dan Erik Heggelund	....	stand-by special effects
Pål Morten Hverven	....	special effects: Norway
Waldo Mason	....	prosthetics designer
Chris Reynolds	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Dan Bentham	....	visual effects producer: Pepper Post
Matthew Bristowe	....	digital film producer: The Moving Picture Company
Richard Cradick	....	compositing artist: Pepper Post
Simon Giblin	....	compositing artist: Pepper Post
Philip Greenlow	....	film recording
Jay Mark Johnson	....	film recording (as Jay Johnson)
Toby Langley	....	film recording
Begoña Lopez	....	digital film producer: The Moving Picture Company
Dolores McGinley	....	compositing artist: Pepper Post
Scott Patton	....	film recording
Adrian Williams	....	film recording
Owen Williams	....	film recording

Stunts
Madelene Ericsson	....	stuntwoman
Steve Griffin	....	stunt coordinator: UK
Kristoffer Jørgensen	....	stuntman
Gérard Lesage	....	stunt coordinator (as Gerard Lesage)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sam Barnes	....	additional focus puller
Chris Belcourt	....	rigger
Julian Bucknall	....	additional focus puller (as Julian Bucknell)
Roberto W. Contreras D.	....	camera operator (as Roberto Contreras)
Tim Critchell	....	additional grip
Charles Curran	....	additional focus puller (as Charlie Curran)
Simon Edwards	....	assistant jimmy jib operator
Viktor Enoksen	....	video assist technician
James Foster	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Andy Gardner	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Max Glickman	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Leigh Gold	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Darren Grosch	....	best boy: UK
Rodrigo Gutierrez	....	camera operator
Klaus Harnisch	....	gaffer
Odd Haugsnes	....	video assist technician (as Odd Helge Haugsnes)
James Hunt	....	electrician: UK
Toby Jacobs	....	additional still photographer
Rupert Lloyd-Parry	....	key grip (as Rupert Lloyd Parry)
Ivan Meagher	....	focus puller
Knut K. Pedersen	....	Steadicam operator (as Knut Pedersen)
Simon Priestman	....	jimmy jib operator
Michael Redmond	....	additional rigger: UK
Paul Rowe	....	electrician: UK
Axel Söderlund	....	electrician
Patrick Touffexis	....	best boy
Axel Ulrich	....	focus puller
Bengt Wallin	....	generator operator
Nick Wall	....	chief cameraman: Making of
Nick Wall	....	still photographer
Hugo Bachelet	....	additional camera assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Celine Engebrigtsen	....	casting: Norway (as Celine Ingebrigtsen)
Mia Jensen	....	casting: Norway
Anna-Karina Moen	....	casting: Norway
Leeba Zakharov	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Margrethe Johnsen	....	costume assistant
Charlotte Law	....	assistant costume designer
Jane Law	....	principal costume cutter
Chrissie Maddison	....	wardrobe supervisor
Luke Pascoe	....	principal costume cutter (as Luke Pasco)
Eve Rutherford	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Richard Etchells	....	on-line editor
Steve Garrett	....	film scanner: Technicolor Creative Services
Jon Hammond	....	assembly editor
Max Horton	....	colorist
James Leonard	....	on-line editor (as Jamie Leonard)
Sze-Wun Li	....	assistant editor
John Mann	....	film scanner: Technicolor Creative Services
Roland C. Phillips	....	post-production runner (as Roland Phillips)
Dave Rees	....	film grader (as Dave Reese)
Caroline Rowlands	....	on-line editor
Ben Setterfield	....	film scanner: Technicolor Creative Services
Pat Wintersgill	....	on-line editor (as Patrick Wintersgill)
Andrew Walton	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Olga FitzRoy	....	music score recordist
Peter Fuchs	....	score mixer
Dario Marianelli	....	conductor
Dario Marianelli	....	orchestrator
Melanie Pappenheim	....	musician: solo singer
Maggie Rodford	....	music coordinator: Air-Edel
Hilary Skewes	....	musician contractor: Buick Productions
Nick Taylor	....	music score recordist

Transportation Department
Marit Garfjell	....	driver

Other crew
Benhamin Acker	....	production runner
Steinar Aksnes	....	logistics and location coordinator
Svien Anderson	....	representative: FilmCamp
Tim Block	....	adr loop group
Nicolas Boucher	....	production runner
Valentina Brazzini	....	production assistant
Alison Brister	....	legal and business affairs: Ingenious Fiklm Partners
Neil Calder	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Jo Cameron Brown	....	dialogue coach
Ted Cawrey	....	legal advisor: UK, Olswang
Karolina Cerna	....	assistant accountant
Irene Chawko	....	script supervisor
Delphine Clot	....	representative: Dreamachine
Thomas Cruikshank	....	production runner
Matt Curtis	....	title designer
Matthieu de Braconier	....	representative: The Bureau
Gary Deneault	....	consultant: cold weather
Harry Dixon	....	business affairs executive: Film4
Erling Falch	....	assistant production coordinator
Soledad Gatti-Pascual	....	representative: The Bureau (as Sol Gatti-Pascual)
Andreas Granaas	....	accounts assistant
Rory Gregory	....	mountain guide
Brian Hall	....	glacier action coordinator
Jim S. Hansen	....	assistant: Mr. Kapadia (as Jim Hansen)
Nion Hazell	....	production coordinator
Bjørn Tore Heggelund	....	catering assistant
Odd Heggelund	....	catering assistant
Rigmor Heim	....	paramedic
Stig Henningsen	....	farm skipper
Audun Hjerland	....	logistics and location assistant
Stephen Hole	....	accounting: Ingenious Film Partners
Jackie Hurt	....	legal advisor: UK, Olswang
Kjetil Jensberg	....	representative: FilmCamp
Steve Joberns	....	auditor: UK, AGN Shipleys
Tracey Josephs	....	head of production: Film4
Ingrid Kärstad	....	logistics and location assistant
Yuri Klimov	....	adr loop group
Dimitris Kourtzakis	....	floor runner
Lars Thomas Labba	....	instructor: boot camp
Elin M. Lein	....	production runner
Anders Lexne	....	armorer: Norway
Geneviéve Lhote	....	representative: Dreamachine
Leonid Luneev	....	adr loop group
Oleg Mirochnikov	....	adr loop group
Paul Moores	....	mountain guide
Elise Aasen Myhren	....	logistics and location assistant
Håkan Niva	....	logistics and location assistant
Clive Noakes	....	lab liaison: Deluxe Laboratories
Bjorn Anders Nymoen	....	logistics and location assistant
Kate Ogborn	....	representative: The Bureau
Markus Olofsgärd	....	production runner
Marina Olsen	....	production runner
Anders Oskal	....	reindeer wrangler
Ole Mathis Oskal	....	reindeer wrangler
Tore Oskal	....	instructor: boot camp
Lasse Østervold	....	logistics and location assistant
John O'Sullivan	....	insurance broker: Media Insurance Brokers
Vincenzo Patruno	....	caterer: Norway
Linda Pedersen	....	catering assistant
Svend Erik Petersen	....	logistics and location assistant (as Svenn Erik Petersen)
Sylvain Petit	....	catering assistant
Espen Prestbakmo	....	honky handler
Sophie Quiédeville	....	representative: Le Bureau
James Reekie	....	production accountant (as Jim Reekie)
Elizabeth Røer	....	logistics and location assistant
Slav Shumov	....	adr loop group
Simon Smith	....	production runner
Sue Bruce Smith	....	head of commercial development: Film4 (as Sue Bruce-Smith)
Juliette Sol	....	representative: Le Bureau
Leif Anders Somby	....	reindeer wrangler
Gordon Spragg	....	representative: Dreamachine
Etienne Steiger	....	production runner
Alf Egil Strand	....	catering assistant
Lisa Strøm	....	logistics and location assistant
Laurent Touze	....	caterer: Svalbard
Dan Travers	....	diving coordinator
Mark van de Weg	....	logistics and location assistant
Lesley Wise	....	legal and business affairs: Ingenious Film Partners
Kaiser Clark	....	assistant to cast (uncredited)
Espen Prestbakmo	....	dog handler (uncredited)

Thanks
Kaiser Clark	....	thanks (as Kaiser Clarke)
Akira Leh Kapadia	....	dedicatee
Amit Kumar	....	thanks
Jean Todt	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Bureau, The
• Celluloid Dreams
• Cofinova (in association with)
• Film4
• Ingenious Film Partners
• Le Bureau (in co-production with)
• Natixis Coficiné (in co-production with)
• PJB Picture Company (in co-production with)
• Soficinéma (in association with)

Distributors

• Barbar Film (2007) (Turkey) (all media)
• EuroVideo (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment
• Le Petit Bureau (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Russian Report (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• All Effects (special effects: UK)
• Moving Picture Company, The (digital film mastering)
• Pepper Post Production (visual effects) (as Pepper Post)

Other Companies

• AGN Shipleys  auditors: UK
• ARRI  lighting equipment
• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recorded and mixed at (as Air Studios Lyndhurst Hall)
• Air-Edel Recording Studios  music recorded and mixed at
• Arion Facilities  dailies telecine transfers
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Buick Productions  musician contractor
• DeLuxe Laboratories  film laboratory
• Dynamic International  freight
• Film Finances Services Ltd.  completion bond (as Film Finances)
• Film4  funding
• Filmgardenhb Och  lighting equipment
• Jason Roberts Productions  production services: Svalbard
• Kjell Øveraas  logistical support
• Kodak  film stock
• London Editing Machines Ltd.  Avid provided by
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance
• Media Travel International  travel agent
• Natixis Coficiné  lending bank
• Olswang  legal advisors: UK
• Panavision Alga Techno  lenses and cameras
• Panavision UK  lenses and cameras (as Panavision)
• Reel Food  catering: Twickenham
• Technicolor Creative Services  film scanning
• Tur-Kameratene  location services
• Via Travel Finsnes  travel agent
• Videosonics Cinema Sound  sound re-recorded at (as Videosonics)
• Wested Leather  principal costume maker

Also Known As:

True North (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:M18 | Ireland:15A | UK:15 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Bureau, The

A Concerto for Trio and Arctic Tundra

FAR NORTH is a bleak, disturbing story about isolation, relationships and revenge. Director Asif Kapadia adapted this minimal dialogue screenplay with Tim Miller based on the story 'True North' by Sara Maitland, and even with the strong trio of actors, have managed to maintain the main character as the vast, natural, incomprehensibly difficult ice seas of the northern cap of the globe. The film is as majestically beautiful as the story is terrifying.

Saiva (Michelle Yeoh) was pronounced evil by a shaman who witnessed her birth: any person who comes near her will fall to harm. Cast out from her tribe, Saiva has survived into adulthood accompanied by the young girl Anja (Michelle Krusiec) she has raised, living a simple existence in tents, dependent on any available food, and always in hiding from a strange pursuing army of soldiers: flashbacks show how Saiva had been physically abused by this strange band of wandering men. When danger approaches, the two women simply move on. Saiva finds an injured and starving soldier Yoki (Sean Bean) who is likewise escaping from the marauding band, and brings him into her tent, nursing him to health, exchanging signs of friendship to a stranger that seems so natural yet so foreign to guarded Saiva. As Yoki recovers, Anja's curiosity about love and men is heightened and soon Anja and Yoki are planning to strike out on their own. When Saiva witnesses the passion between the two people in her life, she reacts as a threatened animal and the horrors that follow echo across the frozen ice of her isolated life.

Michelle Yeoh is astonishingly fine in this difficult role and Krusiec and Bean provide solid ensemble support. Praise must go to Asif Kapadia for his tense direction of this thriller, but kudos are also in order for the extraordinary cinematography by Roman Osin and the appropriately eerie musical score by Dario Marianelli. Much of what happens in this film is shocking to the viewer's senses, but it so in keeping with the animal responses in nature that it says much about our concept of 'civilization'. FAR NORTH is a remarkable achievement. Highly recommended. Grady Harp