Journey to the Christmas Star (1976)

Interesting facts

• Based on: Reisen til Julestjernen

Reisen til julestjernen is a 1976 Norwegian fairy-tale adventure film directed by Ola Solum and starring Hanne Krogh, Knut Risan, and Bente Børsum. The film was the solo feature-film directing début by Ola Solum. It is regularly broadcast by NRK every Christmas Eve.

Production and reception

The film is based on Sverre Brandt's play with the same title from 1924, and it was the first Norwegian adventure film in feature film format. With a budget of almost NOK three million, at the time of its premiere this was one of the most expensive Norwegian films ever produced.

Reisen til julestjernen was shot in the winter of 1976 at various locations including: Akershus Fortress, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, Norefjell mountain, Savalen lake in Tynset Municipality, Røros Municipality, and Nannestad Municipality. There was no snow that winter, and the film on the verge of being canceled. Truckload after truckload of snow had to be driven to Akershus Fortress.

The film premiered at the Klingenberg cinema in Oslo on December 3, 1976, and Princess Märtha Louise was the guest of honor in the theater. About 75 copies of the film were produced, more than ten times as many as normal for a Norwegian film at the time. Hanne Krogh, who was 19 years old at the time, had her debut in film with the role of Sonja.

The newspapers Aftenposten, Verdens Gang, Dagbladet, and Dagsavisen rated the film four stars.

When the film celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2001, it was relaunched with new sound effects, refreshed colors and contrasts, new opening and closing credits, new digital image effects, and a new stereo mix. On December 11, 2009, it was also released on DVD.

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