Grand opening of Trollfilm Studio 2023
10th of November 2023 it was finally time for the opening Anita Killi´s life long dream, Trollfilm studio at Dovre. Over the past year, Anita Killi and her father Martin Killi, along with others, have worked around the clock to reach this point. Finally, we stood there, in a fantastic building transformed from a barn for dairy cows into a full-fledged animation studio and creative workshop. In the basement, it has been converted from a dung cellar to a gallery, with wonderfully atmospheric lighting that this weekend housed three great exhibitions curated by Menno De Nooijer and produced by Trollfilm's Artists in Residence Varya Yakovleva, Menno De Nooijer, and Helene Kjeldsen.
There were no less than four days of celebration. It all started on Wednesday with the official opening and birthday celebration for Martin Killi, who turned 90! On Friday, it continued with speeches and presentations hosted by Terje Nilsen as the master of ceremonies. Managing director of the Østnorsk Filmsenter, Maria Kluge, gave a speech on sustainability and green film production to highlight how Trollfilm has worked to create Norway's greenest animation studio. On the guest list were representatives from the Norwegian Film Institute, Viken Filmsenter, and Innlandet County Municipality. Guests enjoyed film screenings, presentations of upcoming projects and exhibitions, as well as pleasant company and delicious food.
On Saturday, the party continued with a day trip to the mountain pastures of Dovrefjell, in beautiful winter weather and good company, with delicious traditional treats by the fireplace in the mountain lodge. In the afternoon, more guests, screenings, speeches, and, not least, a party lasting late into the evening.
Sunday was an open day with film screenings, food, and cake. A calm and good conclusion to a jam-packed weekend.
We hope this studio will be an important addition to the region's film efforts, especially with regard to increasing the proportion of international collaborations. And that will bring many exciting projects and people together in the future.