Filmmaker Recreates Father's Murder Trauma

Filmmaker Lene Berg is nearing completion of her new hybrid film, "The Horsemen of the Apocalypse." This deeply personal project revisits Berg's traumatic childhood experience in 1975 when her father, film director Arnljot Berg, was arrested in Paris for his wife's murder. He died by suicide eight years later in 1982.

The film, which combines documentary, staged, and fictional elements, is currently in its editing phase. Berg plans to present the film at the Venice Gap-Financing Market to secure funding for its finalization. The production is a multi-national effort, co-produced by companies from Norway, Sweden, and Germany.

"The Horsemen of the Apocalypse" delves into themes of childhood trauma, family dynamics, guilt, memory, and the nature of storytelling. Berg herself is featured in the film, with actress Ane Dahl Torp portraying her alter ego, and Olav Waastad plays her father. The film does not offer a conventional narrative closure, aiming instead to provoke thought and lingering questions.

Berg has explored her father's story in other art forms, including an exhibition and a novel, "From Father." The film stands as a separate but thematically linked work. She describes her father as both charismatic and horrible, and the film attempts to capture this complexity.

Utilizing authentic elements such as her father's voice and archival footage from his own films, the movie navigates between documentary and fiction. Berg is also depicted as a reluctant director within the film itself, a metaphor for her own process. The title, "The Horsemen of the Apocalypse," is derived from her father's writings, referring to destructive forces but also potentially representing clarity and hope.

Berg is seeking approximately 130,000 euros ($151,000) to complete the film. She hopes that audiences will engage with the film's complex emotions and continue to discuss its themes long after viewing.