In Tysfjord, Norway, indigenous Sámi men, women, and children have suffered abuse that has gone unreported. Beneath the Surface is a riveting feature documentary that brings these experiences to light. Beneath the Surface, directed by Alexander Irvine-Cox, examines decades of incompetence and misery using rediscovered evidence and previously unreleased archive material. To end generations of racial subordination and systemic discrimination against Norway’s Indigenous peoples, the community files a lawsuit against the Norwegian government. Most importantly, Beneath the Surface dares to ask the question: How do you make a population unlearn something when they’ve been raised to believe the opposite?
Beneath the Surface is a co-production between England and Norway by Spring Films and Medieoperatørene with Ingvil Giske as Producer and Cinematography by Tore Vollan. BBC Storyville presents the documentary in collaboration with Norwegian pubcaster NRK. Executive Producers are Fiona Stourton, Andre Singer, Mandy Chang and Lucie Kon. The feature documentary is directed by Watford-native Alexander Irvine-Cox, who’s doing his directorial debut with this co-production.
Beneath the Surface delivers through a powerful message of hope for change, and throughout the entire feature, you yearn for the protagonists of the documentary to get their happy ending. With a sharp stylish cinematic perspective, and leaving very little place for any other voices than those of the abused, Beneath the Surface empowers to change the course of history, and deserves its nomination at the Sheffield DocFest for the Tim Heatherington award. More about the Sheffield DocFest on their website: https://sheffdocfest.com/
