Screening: A devil with harpoon

Welcome to the screening of the documentary «En Djevel Med Harpun», followed by a conversation with filmmaker Mirko Stopar, Sunday, March 23, at 3:00 PM.

The film tells the story of the legendary whaler Lars Andersen (1891-1967), who is credited with slaughtering over 7,000 whales, the highest number in history.

Nicknamed “Lars the Devil,” he shot whales for money and glory, achieving folk hero status and amassing great wealth through his daring affairs with the harpoon. His outstanding feats as a gunner and expedition manager before World War II remained unparalleled, solidifying his reputation as Norway’s most famous whaler.

However, Andersen’s status suffered a significant blow when he collaborated with German interests during the occupation. Forced into exile, he eventually found refuge in Argentina and was erased from the history books.

Argentinian-Norwegian writer and filmmaker Mirko Stopar (1974) is from Buenos Aires and has lived in Norway since 2001. He has directed several documentaries that have won awards and been shown at cinemas and film festivals around the world.

He explored Andersen’s life in his non-fiction book Lars Faen and further delves into it in this documentary. While presenting Andersen’s story commented by real whalers within the context of the golden age of whaling, the parallels to Norway’s current oil industry are undeniable.

After the screening, we invite you to join a conversation about the film, between Mirko Stopar and mediator, art educator and library student Kama Sofie Slåttøy Jannang from Oslo.

The film is in Norwegian with English subtitles. 78 min (1h. 17 min).

The conversation will be in English.