Hawaii, Oslo

Synopsis

Love for the advanced.
Five powerful stories about love are weaved into one another and end at a junction in Griinerlekka on the hottest day of the year. A dying man lies on the ground, but those who stand around him are more alive than ever.
For eleven years, Leon has dreamt about turning 25. At the age of fourteen he and Asa made a pact to meet again on this day. For ever. Now he is frightened that she will not come, but maybe even more frightened that she actually will. And when the world seems difficult, Leon flees from reality by running.
The nurse Vidar who sees future events in his sleep flees from his dreams by keeping awake. He is a night watchman at the institution where Leon lives and has dreamt that Leon and Asa never meet.
The people in Hawaii, Oslo cross each other's paths and meet one another - like the streets in a city. Everyone is running from something, searching for something or dreaming of something else on this destined day.
One wants to go to Hawaii, Hawaii.
One wants to go to Hawaii, Oslo.
Everyone is looking for love.
And everything is tied together.

Biography

Director Erik Poppe, born in 1960 in Oslo, Norway. Married. Father of two girls and one rabbit.

Grew up in Norway and Portugal.

Educated as a still photographer in Oslo in 1982.

Worked actively as a pictorial journalist for the news agency REUTERS, and the newspaper Verden Gang in Norway from 1983 until 1987. Covered news, politics and sport worldwide.

Educated as a cinematographer at Dramatiska Institutet in Stockholm. 1987-1991.

Cinematographer on several features. Was awarded with "The Kodak Award" at the Moscow IFF for cinematography on EGGS by Bent Hammer (1994) and as Cinematographer of the Year in Norway in 1995.
Erik Poppe has directed commercials, documentaries, music videos and short films during the period 1991 – 2003.

His debut feature film was SCHPAAA in 1998, the story of a criminal gang of boys aged 12-14 years. The film was picked by the Panorama section of the Berlin IFF 1999. He was the main director of the TV series BRIGADEN for NRK (2001-2002), a drama series about life in a fire station.

Filmography:
2004 – HAWAII, OSLO
2001-2002 – THE BRIGADE, 23-episode TV drama
1998 – BUNCH OF FIVE
1997 – BRATTS, short
1994 – AFTENLANDET, doc.
1991 – DET VAKRE I DET BRUTALE, doc.
1990-2003 – approx. 100 international commercials and 20 music videos