Norsk filminstitutt

Documentary film Punishment
(Straff)


In Halden prison in Norway 250 men are incarcerated, many with long sentences at the upper end of the penalty scale: Murder, major drug cases, violence. Once a year, a few of them participate in something unique: Living as monks for three weeks, in a ward of the prison made into a monastery. What happens when the men voluntarily submit themselves to stricter rules than the prison imposes on them? 

Production and distribution

Production Year:
2023
Production country:
Norway
Release date (national):
2024-01-19
Release date (international):
2024-01-19
Production company:
Medieoperatørene AS
Financing company:
Norwegian Film Institute
Viken Filmsenter
Stiftelsen Dam
Fond for lyd og bilde
Bergesenstiftelsen
Norsk kulturråd
Producer:
Ingvil Giske
Film consultant:
Eirin Gjørv
Helle Hansen
Cecilie Stranger-Thorsen

Director

  • Øystein Mamen

    Director and screenwriter Øystein Mamen is best known as an award-winning cinematographer. He was the DOP of Dag Johan Haugerud’s Beware of Children that premiered at Venice Film Festival 2019, and was the winner of both the Dragon Award Best Nordic Film and the Audience Dragon Award Best Nordic Film at Gothenburg film Festival 2020. He has also filmed Kim Hiorthøi’s The Rules of Everything and several of Margreth Olin’s documentaries, such as The Self Portrait. Mamen has also worked as a cinematographer on four of Ole Gievær’s films, including the award-winning Out of Nature. Punishment will be Mamen’s directorial debut, and he has also shot the film. 

    Øystein Mamen

Festivals

2024:
TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2024:
Slamdance Film Festival

Crew

Director:
Øystein Mamen
Cinematographer:
Øystein Mamen
Editor:
Hilde Bjørnstad
Sound Design:
Tormod Ringnes
Stig Holte

Technical information

Format:
DCP 4k
Colour:
Svarthvit
Length in min's:
100'
Language:
Norwegian
Subtitles:
English

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