For the 2007 English stage adaptation of the film, see Elling (play)

Elling (play)

Elling is a 2007 theatre adaptation by Simon Bent of the film of the same name. It was produced at the Bush Theatre, London, and then transferred to the West End at Trafalgar Studios with John Simm, Adrian Bower, Ingrid Lacey, Jonathan Cecil & Keir Charles. The play premiered on Broadway on...

.

Elling is a Norwegian film directed by Petter Næss

Petter Næss

Petter Næss is a Norwegian actor and film director. His first film as a director was the comedy Absolute Hangover in 1999...

. Shot mostly in and around the Norwegian capital Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

, the film, which was released in 2001, is primarily based on Ingvar Ambjørnsen

Ingvar Ambjørnsen

Ingvar Even Ambjørnsen-Haefs is a Norwegian writer. He is best known for his "Elling" tetralogy: Utsikt til paradiset , Fugledansen , Brødre i blodet , and Elsk meg i morgen ....

's novel Brødre i blodet ("Blood brothers", 1996), one of a series of four featuring the Elling character – the others are Utsikt til paradiset ("A view of paradise", 1993), Fugledansen ("The bird dance", 1995), and Elsk meg i morgen ("Love me tomorrow", 1999). The film was followed by an original prequel not based on any of the novels, Mors Elling (2003), and a sequel, Elsk meg i morgen (2005) based on the fourth and last book in the series.

Plot

The movie deals with the main character, Elling, a man in his 40s, and his struggle to function normally in society. He suffers from anxiety, dizziness, and neurotic tendencies, preventing him from living on his own. Elling has lived with his mother for his entire life, and when his mother dies, the authorities take him from the apartment where he has always lived and send him to an institution. His roommate is the simpleminded, sex-obsessed Kjell Bjarne. The Norwegian government pays for the two to move into an apartment in Oslo, where every day is a challenge as they must prove they can get out into the real world and lead relatively normal lives. With the help of social worker Frank and a few new friends, they learn to break free from their respective conditions.

International

Elling has been released in several languages and has also received one Oscar

Academy Awards

An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...

 nomination for Best Foreign Language Film

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...

.

Awards

• Academy Awards
  Academy Awards
  An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
  
  : Best Foreign Language Film
  Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
  The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
  
   — Nominated (2002)
• Amanda Awards (Norway
  Norway
  Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
  
  ): Best Actor (Per Christian Ellefsen) — Nominated (2001)

In addition, the film was nominated and won several other awards all over the world.

Characters

• Elling — (Per Christian Ellefsen)
• Kjell Bjarne — (Sven Nordin
  Sven Nordin
  Sven Audun Nordin is a Norwegian actor. He was hired by Oslo Nye Teater in the autumn of 1981 and had his debut in the play "Vikinger" by Johan Borgen...
  
  )
• Reidun Nordsletten — (Marit Pia Jacobsen)
• Frank Åsli — (Jørgen Langhelle
  Jørgen Langhelle
  Jørgen Langhelle is an Award-winning leading Norwegian actor of stage, screen and television.Langhelle has starred in the two successful Norwegian mini-series Deadline Torp and Torpedo , as well as starring in such movies as Kristin Lavransdatter , Elling , I Am Dina , Tyven, tyven , Ulvesommer ...
  
  )
• Alfons Jørgensen — (Per Christensen
  Per Christensen
  Per Christensen was a Norwegian actor. His film credits include Elling, Hotel Cæsar, The Warrior's Heart and The Passionate Demons.-External links:...
  
  )