Anja Breien facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anja Breien
Anja Breien in 2016 (Ankara, Turkey)
Born	(1940-07-12) 12 July 1940 (age 84) Oslo, Norway
Occupation	Film director and screenwriter
Years active	1967–present

Anja Breien (born 12 July 1940) is a famous Norwegian film director and screenwriter. She is one of the most important people in the Norwegian film world. Anja Breien was also one of the first women to become a well-known writer and director in Norway. Her films, both fiction and documentaries, often look at social and political topics. She especially focuses on women's rights in Norway.

Her Journey in Film

Anja Breien first studied French at the University of Oslo. Then, she went to a French film school called L'Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC). She finished her film studies in 1964.

She started working in movies in 1961. Her first job was as a script supervisor for the film Det Store Varpet. She also helped as an assistant director for Hunger (1966). This film was based on a book by Knut Hamsun.

Anja Breien directed and wrote her first short film, Growing Up, in 1967. After that, she made a short documentary in 1969. It was called 17. May – A Film about Rituals. This film looked at how Norway celebrates its National Day in a funny way. Her first full-length movie was ..., which came out in 1971.

Later, Breien wrote and directed Wives (1975). This movie was very popular and got great reviews across Scandinavia. Wives was made as a "feminist response" to another film called Husbands. This means it showed a different point of view, focusing on women's experiences. The film follows three women in their thirties. They decide to take a day off from their usual home duties to enjoy some freedom. Anja Breien made two more films about these same characters. These were Wives - Ten Years After (1985) and Wives III (1996). They showed the women ten and twenty years later.

In 1981, Breien made Witch Hunt. In this film, she again looked at how society in Norway was often unfair to women in the past. The story is about a woman accused of being a witch in the 1630s. Witch Hunt was shown at the 1981 Venice Film Festival.

Her 1979 film Next of Kin is also known as Heritage. It is a drama about a Norwegian family arguing over what they will inherit. This film was nominated for a big award, the Palme d'Or, at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival. It also won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.

Anja Breien has directed most of the films she has written. One film she wrote but did not direct was Second Sight (1994). It was directed by Ola Solum.

Besides her fiction films, Breien has also made many documentaries. Many of these have been shown around the world. Her short documentary Solvorn (1997) was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival. This film was made using old photographs taken by Breien's grandmother.

Her Unique Film Style

Anja Breien is known for her realistic way of telling stories. This means her films often feel very true to life. She also uses something called the "long take." This is when the camera films a scene for a long time without stopping or cutting to another shot. Her films often have a slow and thoughtful pace. This gives viewers time to think about what they are watching.

Films She Made

Awards She Won

See also

In Spanish: Anja Breien para niños