Rasmus Breistein

'''Rasmus Breistein''' (November 16, 1890 – October 16, 1976) was a Norwegian film director.<ref name="Sundholm">Sundholm, John et al. ''Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema''. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, p. 88.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Norwegian Film Will Be Shown Here Sunday|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4098329/rasmus_breistein_18901976/|newspaper=The Bend Bulletin|date=March 31, 1937|page=1|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 22, 2016 }} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Life== Breistein was born in Åsane in the city of Bergen in Hordaland county, Norway.<ref>[https://snl.no/Rasmus_Breistein ''Store norske leksikon'': Rasmus Breistein.]</ref> He was a farmer's son and learned to play fiddle in his youth, playing for dances at weddings in Western Norway.<ref name="NBL">[https://nbl.snl.no/Rasmus_Breistein ''Norsk biografisk leksikon'': Rasmus Breistein.]</ref> Later in life, in addition to directing films, he also performed on the Hardanger fiddle.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Bridal Party in Hardanger|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4098345/rasmus_breistein_18901976/|newspaper=The Montana Standard|date=February 16, 1929|page=6|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = January 22, 2016 }} {{Open access}}</ref>

When the Norwegian Theater opened in 1913, he started acting at the theater. He became engaged with the new medium of film after seeing Peter Lykke-Seest's productions, and he decided to produce films in a completely different way. His first film was ''Fante-Anne'' (Gypsy Anne, 1920).<ref name="Sundholm"/><ref name="NBL"/> In an interview he stated that "the film was the beginning of something, a Norwegian production with a more national character."<ref>[http://www.stumfilm.no/norsk_filmhistorie_1920_1930_bonde_og_nasjonalromantikken.html Norsk filmhistorie 1920–1930 bonde- og nasjonalromantikken.]</ref> This marked the beginning of the Norwegian heyday of the silent film age.

Breistein is considered the most important Norwegian filmmaker of the silent film era. During the period known as the "national breakthrough" in Norwegian film (1920–1930), he directed five feature films: ''Fante-Anne'' (Gypsy Anne, 1920),<ref>{{IMDb title|0011173|Gypsy Anne}}</ref> ''Felix'' (1921),<ref>{{IMDb title|0012159|Felix}}</ref> ''Jomfru Trofast'' (Miss Faithful, 1921),<ref>{{IMDb title|0012337|Jomfru Trofast}}</ref> ''Brudeferden i Hardanger'' (The Bridal Procession in Hardanger, 1926),<ref>{{IMDb title|0016691|Brudeferden i Hardanger}}</ref> and ''Kristine Valdresdatter'' (1930).<ref>{{IMDb title|0021033|Kristine Valdresdatter}}</ref> With these films, he challenged Swedish films' former position of power and pleased both critics and audiences.

After audio films were invented, Breistein solidified his reputation as a director of the popular films ''Ungen'' (The Child, 1938)<ref>{{IMDb title|0030912|Ungen}}</ref> and ''Trysil-Knut'' (Knut from Trysil, 1942).<ref>{{IMDb title|0035475|Trysil-Knut}}</ref> The documentary films ''Jorden rundt på to timer'' (Around the World in Two Hours, 1949)<ref>{{IMDb title|0228468|Jorden rundt på to timer}}</ref> and ''Tirich Mir til topps'' (To the Top of Tirich Mir, 1952)<ref>{{IMDb title|0228945|Tirich Mir til topps}}</ref> are classics in the history of Norwegian documentary film.

He died in Hollywood,<ref name="NBL"/> and his urn was brought to Norway and placed in Bryn Church in Bærum.<ref name="NBL"/>

==Films directed== *1952: ''Tirich Mir til topps'' (To the Top of Tirich Mir) *1949: ''Jorden rundt på to timer'' (Around the World in Two Hours) *1943: ''Den nye lægen'' (The New Doctor) *1942: ''Trysil-Knut'' (Knut from Trysil) *1941: ''Gullfjellet'' (Gold Mountain) *1939: ''Hu Dagmar'' (Dagmar) *1938: ''Ungen'' (The Child) *1934: ''Liv'' (Life) *1932: ''Skjærgårdsflirt'' (Skerry Flirtation) *1930: ''Kristine Valdresdatter'' *1926: ''Brudeferden i Hardanger'' (The Bridal Procession in Hardanger) *1921: ''Felix'' *1921: ''Jomfru Trofast'' (Miss Faithful) *1920: ''Fante-Anne'' (Gypsy Anne)

== Awards == * 1961: Aamot Statuette

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0106950|Rasmus Breistein}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Breistein, Rasmus}} Category:Norwegian film directors Category:Mass media people from Bergen Category:1890 births Category:1976 deaths