Oslo Dokumentarkino is a live event initiative aiming to stimulate people to meet and join in political and social discussions sparked off by documentary films. We meet on a roughly weekly basis in Parkteatret, Vika Kino and Sound of Mu in Oslo, as well as at adhoc events in other settings and places. Many events include experts from academic, political and lobby organisations in Norway, but all events are open for public involvement.

The detailed screening and debate programme can be found at dokumentarkino.no (Norwegian language, but with many English descriptions of events too). Also see humanfilm.no for all the details of Scandinavia's first Human Rights Film Festival that we arranged in December 2008: Human Rights, Human Wrongs.

See dokumentarkino.no for all past events, many described in English.

Some other Oslo Dokumentarkino events have included -

Small Arms: Big Relevance. Two films and a discussion highlight what is perhaps the biggest threat to peace and security worldwide today: gun trafficking has managed to develop into a horribly complex, horribly destructive and horribly difficult to solve issue. Dealing and Wheeling in Smal Arms and Darwin's Nightmare illustrate that there are all too often double morals and blind eyes involved, helping to perpetuate something that simply should not be going on. Europe and the USA are involved, while Norway’s risk of being complicit is ‘manifest and likely’: loopholes exist in our national laws and deals are made on trust. It is time to see the relevance of this issue for the region we live in and for the regions suffering from floods of guns. Discussion with Nic Marsh (PRIO), Charles Nasibu (journaist from DR Congo) and Sander Franken (director of Dealing and Wehheling).1830, 22nd April 2008, Parkteatret, Oslo

Other recent events include:

Iraq: 5 years since the invasion- the war seen through the camara lens. Oslo Dokumentarkino has selected nine of the best documentaries that sum up the occupation of Iraq and the consequences that have arisen as a result. These films have broken the media filter imposed by embedded journalists and controlled press releases. As a result the documentary as a genre has become an essential source of alternative realities and has therefore generated more discussion and reflection about the war and its long term effects than the main media has the power to achieve. The films being shown are : Hijacking Catastrophe, Shadow Company, Iraq in Fragments, The Ground Truth, Deserter, Dear Camilo, No End in Sight, Ghosts of Abu Graib, Operation Homecoming. They begin screening at 11am and end around midnight. 25th March, Parkteatret, Oslo.

Favela Rising- part of Norad's Film for Breakfast series. Favela Rising follows a few residents of a crime-ridden neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro who used music to change their community radically. These dedicated young men gave children fated to become drug soldiers a place to go and responsible role models they could admire. Introduction by Christian Schøien on whether grass-roots movements or NGO brokered negotiations can result in long-term change in crime and drug dominated societies. 27th February, 08.15, Norad Auditorium, Oslo.

All White in Barking and The Tailor. Two films that look at ordinary people in multicultural European cities. All White in Barking weaves together stories of working-class residents living in a rundown burgh in East London, where fast rising immigration has coincided with a far-right backlash. Although several of the subjects interviewed express obnoxious racist opinions, director Marc Isaacs refrains from demonizing anyone here, and instead crafts a communal portrait infused with compassion. The Tailor is set in a tiny shop somewhere on a Barcelona street. Its surroundings seem of little importance, but the daily life and grumblings of the owner and dissatsified customers give us a funny and artistic gem of a film. Parkteatret, Oslo, February 12th, 19.00

¿Puedo Hablar? (May I Speak). A film about Hugo Chavez and the contrasting national opinions about the political status of Venezuela today. In association with PRIO from where Beate Thoresen and Wenche Haugewill will come to contribute to the discussion: Status Venezuela, January 2008. Beate Thoresen has recently returned from a research trip to Venezuela. before the main film there will be a screening of Another World is Possible (22min) about the World Economic Forum and the World Social Forum. Parkteatret, Oslo, 7pm.

Film til Frokost (Film for Breakfast) with NORAD (The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation). As part of NORAD's Film Club initiative to stimulate discussion through films touching on issues from countries relevant to Norwegian development and aid, a screening of Florence Ayisi and Kim Longinotto's film Sisters-in-Law will take place, with an introduction by Professor Anne Hellum. How can women use law at a grass-roots level to address topics such as of domestic abuse and child protection based on patrichal traditional thinking? 10th January, 8am, at NORAD in Ruseløkkeveien, Oslo

Forbidden Film Week with Oslo Kino. In connection with the major exhibition on Freedom of Expression at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, a week of Forbidden Films is being arranged by Oslo Kino, Oslo Dokumentarkino and the Nobel Peace Center. Oslo Dokumentarkino is particularly repsondible for the screenings and director presentations on Sunday 16th December: Pål Hollender presents his films Buy, Bye Beauty and Pelle Polis.

US vs John Lennon- An uplifting, entertaining and important film about how America reacted to John Lennon's activist lyrics and performances during the Vietnam War. Fantastic archive material reveals Lennon as a witty and passionate man engaged in changing opinions through his music and his public persona with Yoko Ono. Meanwhile the American authorities respond with paranoia and beurocratic reactions. Followed by What The Bleep Do We Know- A unique mixture of science, philosophy and new age thinking about why we are here and what life is al about.

Asylum Seekers and Human Rights- three films and a debate that look at what has been learnt about the case of the Northern Iraqi asylum seekers who came to Norway only to be sent back years later, apparently due to political pressure from the Norwegian government. It caused a major scandel at the time with several top level Norwegians resigning, but to this day the real victims are still suffering as the Iraqis await their final return. 6th December at Vika Kino, Oslo.

The Man Who Would Not Give Up- a Norwegian documentary about a man who would not give up his fight to prevent a building in Oslo being demolished. The film is followed by a live television debate (unrelated to the film) on NRK television as part of their Standpunkt current affairs discussion series. 4th December at Parkteatret.