HOMAGE
During the production of a samurai epic in honor of her father, a workaholic director begins to realize that completing the film could mean she will never see him again.
Based on my experiences of losing my father to cancer, the short film 'Homage' explores the long process of realizing that someone will pass away, and the difficult balance between pursuing our ambitions and being present with those we love.
MOTIVATON
The film is inspired by my experiences during the production of my previous short film, Cucumber, in Japan. While I was there, my father’s cancer spread to his kidneys. Being in Japan while he suffered at home—the conflict between pursuing my own dreams and the guilt of being so far away—is the emotional core of the film.
The sudden deadline on my remaining time triggered an obsession in me: I had to complete my first feature film before my father passed away. Completely consumed, I escaped from my father’s illness into work, and suddenly had no time to see him. Fortunately, with the help of my friends, I realized what I would miss if I continued. I was able to be present during my father’s final moments, instead of chasing a personal ambition.
But what if I had continued to complete my first film? What if I had been in the middle of production when I got the news of how little time was left? When the cancer spread again, years suddenly became months.
When my father passed away in July last year, I began writing. To confront the grief head-on and create something that could give something back to others, in honor of my father.
The samurai film stems from my love of 1950s and 60s samurai cinema, which began when my father introduced me to Kurosawa’s movies (Ran, Seven Samurai, etc.) during my teenage years, eating burgers when Mom wasn’t home.
Often in these archetypal stories of Vikings and samurai, the theme revolves around the loss of a father, just like in the oldest stories from our Norwegian history. Major inspirations for me were also the mangas Vagabond and Vinland Saga, works dealing with similar themes, which I read when my father first became ill when I was sixteen.
By portraying a father-daughter relationship that mirrors their shared love for samurai films, and my own filming experience in Japan, I present an incredibly personal story, told through epic elements. By having a female lead, I create the necessary distance while also showcasing an incredibly strong female director. Homage is a film about film, the relationship between father and daughter, and how long it takes to understand that you are truly about to lose someone.
VISION
FILMS WITHIN
The samurai film is shot in classic Technicolor tones on 35mm with anamorphic lenses in CinemaScope, inspired by the golden age of Japanese cinema. A bold color palette—strong hues, snow, blood, along with black and white in costume design—creates striking contrasts. The cinematography emphasizes epic wide shots, iconic close-ups of hands on swords, intense gazes, crash zooms, and deep contrasts for a distinctive style. Although we recognize it as a "film within the film," the transition remains seamless enough to keep us immersed in the main story.
The Viking film is also shot on 35mm anamorphic film to mirror the samurai scenes, reflecting Ronja's desire to capture the same sense of wonder that inspired her as a child.
Inspired by films like Lost in Translation and Aftersun, Homage is a film about an inner dilemma—feelings that are difficult to put into words, yet can be expressed visually. The film's pace is calm, and the drama subdued. I want to create a film that gives us time to be with our main character, Ronja, and feel what she experiences. As with my sources of inspiration, the plot is not the main focus; it’s the indescribable feeling that lingers afterward. This is a film that doesn’t explain itself to the audience but slowly unfolds, a story that can only be told through film.
To create a grand experience, both visually and emotionally, I want to leverage genre elements and powerful themes from epic films, giving the audience an easy entry into the films within the film. The Viking and samurai narratives are simple, centered on the loss of a father figure, a familiar theme. This adds broader context to Ronja's personal struggle, making her internal conflict understandable, grand, and engaging.
To achieve this on a relatively low budget, the film is limited to two main locations. In Norway, we film in the vast, snow-covered mountains of Tromsø at sunrise. In Japan, we are at a temple in the north, surrounded by snow-covered valleys at sunset. The snow creates a visual motif that links the films together and reflects Ronja’s emotional distance from her father’s illness.
The acting style remains realistic and grounded, with drama emerging from the cinematic language rather than exaggerated expressiveness. The scenes that are more expressive have a humorous tone, inspired by Japanese and Korean film styles that sometimes verge on the theatrical.
Fight choreography is a key part of the film. The action sequences will be developed in collaboration with a choreographer and the actors, in both Norway and Japan. The two main fight scenes mirror each other to illustrate Ronja’s obsession with fulfilling her father's dream. They are kept short to avoid overshadowing the main story, yet must remain believable to convey the epic scale of the Viking and samurai films.
The film’s visual style is divided into two different aesthetics:
RONJAS PERSPECTIVE
The visual style is characterized by Ronja’s detached relationship with her own emotions, conveyed through a muted color palette of blues, greens, and earth tones, accented by touches of red. The camera remains mostly static or moves slowly, with long takes that either emphasize blocking or stay close to the character to reveal her inner state. Ronja is visually isolated, either through expansive spaces or intimate close-ups, and only surrounded by warm colors only when she enters the ramen restaurant.
The film will be shot digitally with an Arri camera in a 16:9 format, paired with vintage lenses and filters to achieve a soft, classic 'Cooke look.' Camera movements are generally minimal, creating a contemplative, slow-burn style.
SYNOPSIS
Ronja, a driven director in her early thirties, is in the midst of filming an epic samurai movie as a tribute to her father’s legendary Viking film, Jarl, a film she vividly remembers from her childhood days on set. Immersed in the project, Ronja uses it as an escape from the reality of her father’s worsening illness. Her intense focus on finishing the film before he passes leaves her with little time for meaningful conversations or visits home, weighing her down with guilt.
As the production progresses, however, her sister reminds her of how little time they truly have left, rekindling memories of her father’s condition. Ronja’s facade begins to crack. Though she tries to suppress her emotions, she suffers a panic attack and finds refuge in a small ramen shop. There, she meets an elderly cook whose quiet wisdom and humor gradually ease the chaos within her.
The film’s main theme—a samurai sacrificing himself for his son—becomes a painful reminder of her own situation. Despite her wavering focus, she pushes herself to complete the climactic fight scene, only to be struck by yet another panic attack. She reassures the crew, and even lies to her father, pretending everything is fine. Later, she confides in the cook about her father’s illness, but he does not see her ambition to complete the film as noble; instead, he urges her to go home, fearing she will repeat his own mistake of being absent when his daughter needed him. Furious, Ronja storms out of the restaurant.
Back on set, Ronja struggles to direct the samurai’s death scene, feeling the emptiness in her ambition as she confronts her father’s declining health. When she finally speaks with her father, she hears how weak his voice has become, and he tells her that he doesn’t need her to make the film for him.
With newfound clarity, Ronja directs the death scene, but her facade shatters as she realizes she is truly losing her father. She bids farewell to the team, thanks the ramen chef, and heads home to spend the remaining time she has with her father. is directing her first film; A samurai epic, a tribute to her father's legendary Viking film Jarl, which she experienced as a child during its production. Simultaneously, Ronja is fleeing from her father's serious illness by disappearing into her work, without time for long conversations or traveling home.
But during the shoot, memories of her father's condition are brought back, and Ronja's facade begins to crack. Although she tries to push her feelings away, she's struck by a panic attack. Hoping to find peace, she seeks refuge in a small ramen restaurant, where the older cook unknowingly helps her sort through her inner chaos.
The Viking and Samurai film's theme - a father sacrificing his life for his son - becomes a constant reminder of her own situation. Even as her focus wavers, her friendship with the ramen cook grows. Nevertheless, Ronja continues to push herself to complete the crucial battle scene.
When the scene recreates a moment from her father's Viking film, it triggers another panic attack. Ronja convinces the crew that everything is fine, but later confides in the ramen cook about her father's illness. The cook becomes furious and tells her to go home, afraid she'll repeat his mistake - being absent when his own daughter needed him most.
Back on set, Ronja struggles to direct. The samurai's death scene feels hollow, and she leaves the set to seek advice from her father. During their conversation, she notices how weak his voice has become.
As the death scene between the samurai father and son unfolds, Ronja realizes she's about to lose something far more important than a film. Overwhelmed by emotions, she breaks down and understands that no ambition can replace the time with her father in his last days.
Ronja bids farewell to her team, thanks the ramen cook for his wisdom, and travels home.
Homage is an important part of my growth as a director and will challenge me on the path to my first feature film. I am in the script development phase with Yngve Sæther from Motlys (Force Majeure, Oslo, August 31st, Love) working on the film Dypet, inspired by my experiences as a survivor of the terror attack on Utøya in 2011. With Homage, I aim to create a film that presents many of the same challenges: a personal story about grief, a longer narrative, a larger budget – and a film capable of making a strong impression on the audience.
I feel a responsibility to prepare myself to direct Dypet, a project of such significant cultural importance, and with my experience, I know that Homage is something I can master. And an incredibly important step. It is vital to demonstrate my level of skill to producers, investors, and festivals – and, importantly, to those who make this possible. Homage will showcase my voice as a filmmaker and that I have something meaningful to say – something heartfelt and personal that I want to share.
MY JOURNEY AS A DIRECTOR
Producer Kristian Kvam Hansen is the owner of the production company PUSH, with offices in Oslo, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Sydney. He has produced major projects worth millions for companies like Nike, Adidas, Maserati, Vogue, and Gucci, collaborating with talents such as Kanye West, Billie Eilish, Rosalia, and Megan Thee Stallion. His motivation to move into narrative filmmaking led him to this project, in which he has been involved since the early stages.
Co-producer Mina Moteki has produced several feature films in Japan, including the award-winning December, and also produced my previous short film Agurk, which is currently on the festival circuit, with its international premiere at PÖFF in Tallinn. She is currently involved with the film Tiger, directed by Anshul Chauhan.
DOP Julian Jonas Schmitt, a fellow former student from DFFB, also shot my short film You’re My Bruise. He has worked with prominent actors in the German film industry and has extensive experience as a professional DOP on music videos and commercial projects. He is currently showcasing his documentary Grönland at the ALPS Museum in Switzerland.
Production Designer Madeline Kinney won the industry award for Best Production Design at this year’s Grimstad Festival and has worked on projects for brands like Nike, Adidas, and Coca-Cola.
We are ambitious and determined, and we strongly believe that with support, this will be a high-quality film that can drive further growth for Northern Norwegian creatives, foster international collaboration, and promote Norwegian culture abroad.
ABOUT THE TEAM
Homage is a short film that combines grand entertainment with deeply personal themes, operating on a larger international scale than most short films. With filming locations spanning Norway’s snow-covered mountains to Japan’s historic temple sites, and action-packed sequences from both the Viking and samurai worlds, the film creates an epic backdrop for a subtle drama about loss, belonging, and ambition.
With Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones, Force Majeure, The Witcher) in the role of the father, the project gains weight and presence, while the film's multicultural dimension – featuring dialogue in Norwegian, English, and Japanese – enhances its international appeal. The unique blend of action, personal drama, and visual storytelling makes Homage a project with the potential to move and captivate a global audience. At the same time, its 25–30-minute runtime strikes a perfect balance between the festival format and commercial appeal for streaming platforms.
Through Ronja’s story, the film explores how, in facing life’s greatest challenges – such as the loss of a loved one – we can discover a new understanding of what truly matters. Homage is an invitation to confront emotions we often avoid: guilt, grief, and the clash between ambition and the need to be seen. The film aspires to create an experience that is both personal and universal, a narrative that resonates deeply and leaves a lasting impression.