“For me, the film 1034 is about my worst day. But it is also about a strong friendship, hope, faith, grace and the courage to embrace life anew. Filmmaker Werner Anderson challenged me to enter this darkness, in working on the film. I was seen to relive this day, this time and put it into words. But this time it was with a therapeutic effect. We worked on the project for 8 years. At the beginning I told my story, and Werner listened. Over and over the same stories. The dialogue between us has always been open and built on trust, I know he wants me well. Therefore, he could gradually start to poke, delve deeper into history, lift the heaviest stones.

Further into the darkness, we talked about guilt and hatred, guilt and the unbearable pain. Then I wrote everything down. In chronological order, I describe THAT day. The weather, the clothes, the play, facial expressions, movement, the food, everything. Not to forget, but to be sure to remember. Losing a child is the worst thing a mother can experience. A friend once said that all sorrows have a certain number of tears that must be cried. I will probably never run out of tears, but for me it has been important to be able to tell about this defining experience over and over again. This is how I have had to work through the grief and loss of a son. And also this day 4/4/2005 will be part of my history. The incident has marked me for life.

This is also a film about a strong friendship. Our film conveys hope and underlines the importance of being seen and understood. It points to the social responsibility that rests on us all when life demands the most merciless. This is recognizable to many, educational, thought-provoking and to the point, some of the feedback I received when the film was shown to selected people last summer. This is an important film because it is straight forward and unadorned in its presentation.”

Anitra Kringstad – Erlend’s mother

“I usually tell my students that I want them to be naive enough to think that they can change the world with the films they make. 1034 Life after death is such a film. It gives hope and faith, despite endless despair and pain. It teaches us both something about being a human being but also a fellow human being. I hope the film will have a large audience, because we need it.”

Dag S. Roland – Senior lecturer at the Department of Film and Animation in Volda