#1 ELSA is an incredible film. For those who have yet to see it, please share more about the story.
Rebecca: Firstly thank you for saying that. We’re very proud of the story and what the actors and departments have achieved in bringing it to the screen.
The story takes place in the twilight of World War Two, in Nazi Occupied Oslo, where private interactions between a Norwegian woman, her Norwegian neighbour and a German Soldier spiral into a public concern.
Nina: The narrative focuses on the often-overlooked female perspective under occupation and in war. However, it reveals the gritty realities, and zooms into grey areas of wartime life for all characters, not just our female protagonist, highlighting Elsa’s sexual identity becoming a national issue, Kristian’s conflict with his German allegiance, and Gunnar’s struggle with emasculation and societal rejection.
The film primarily explores how Norwegian women were labeled ‘tyskertøs’ (German whores) for having romantic relationships with the enemy, while also examining the broader societal context and reasons for post-war scapegoating of vulnerable groups.
#2 The short is based on true events that happened to Norwegian women during the Second World War. How did you first hear about these stories and did you see potential in them for a film straight away?
Nina: I vaguely remember my history teacher mentioning how some women were treated for having relationships with German soldiers during the war, but it wasn’t focused on. The main focus was on major battles and male-dominated history, often overlooking women’s stories as less interesting. My interest in these narratives sparked during my tour with our screenwriter Lizzie Nunnery’s theatre play, ‘Narvik,’ where I played Elsa Dahl, the character inspiring this film. Whilst preparing for my role I had a growing feeling of injustice and empathy for these women, and how they ended up being treated by their countries.
The ‘play Narvik’ does not focus on Elsa however. It follows two British navy soldiers in the Battle of Narvik, with one falling in love with Elsa in Oslo. By the end of the war, Elsa is branded a ‘tyskertøs’ for having a German boyfriend, shattering the British soldier’s dreams of a life with her. The audience’s response showed a desire to learn more about Elsa’s story and life, leading Lizzie and me to develop this film with Rebecca. After announcing it, some people have shared that their family members endured similar treatment. It’s fascinating and heartening to see these once-shamed stories now openly discussed and acknowledged.
#3 How did your collaboration with each other come about?
Rebecca: My bedroom was three steps across from Nina’s during a lot of lockdown – so it was laziness on her part really…We originally met over a decade ago studying in Glasgow. I sat, front row, in a production of ‘Betty Blue Eyes’ where Nina happened to be performing one of the songs directly in front of where I was sitting. She made my whole body freeze – and then sob – and I’ve admired her ever since. Aren’t actors incredible for being able to do that to people? She’s a really diligent, agile and moving actor and I leapt at the chance of getting to work with her. We have become very close friends since, and I very much hope we get the opportunity to build more things together.
Nina: Who knew being lazy could lead to great things…? My story is quite similar. At the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), where Rebecca and I both studied, I admired her from afar. You know those people you just wish you were friends with? She was one of them for me. I first saw her perform in a Chekhov play during a class showing and immediately thought, “Wow, this girl has something really special.” By chance, we ended up living together in London in a wonderful house share with other actors and creatives, where we truly got to know each other (and my secret dream of being her friend came true). During lockdown, Rebecca directed a beautiful film called ‘A Home Truth’ with our mutual close friend Ánne Mággá, right in our house. After witnessing the film’s success and seeing Rebecca’s incredible talent and skill in directing and storytelling, I knew I wanted to collaborate with her.
#4 What was the filming process like?
Rebecca: I am very proud of the curation of our crew. Everyone was carefully selected and all the HODs are peers who I strongly believe in their careers, their sensibilities and their growth potential in the industry.
As a firm believer of Ed Catmull’s philosophy of ‘People over Ideas’ – you can give a good idea to a mediocre team and they’ll screw it up, you can give a mediocre idea to a good team and they’ll either fix it, throw it away or come up with something better.
So when I step forward with a bunch of mediocre ideas – (which was absolutely all the time) – I was surrounded by departments that are not just good at their own technical or creative skill – but are all sensitive storytellers (and good humans) that could transform mediocre ideas into very smart choices. I think the right alchemy, choosing people who have the right values, just oozes through the work, making the process magical.
Our Producer Victoria Fäh who produced the film alongside Nina, and Production Manager Olivia Song set the tone of being attentive to the team and worked incredibly hard as we faced large obstacles; filming a period film on a small budget with Norwegian Cast flying to the UK, child actors, intimacy scenes in public woods and scenes that included armoury in Central London locations. What I admire in those two is that they tackled high pressure with immense calm, good grace and kindness. Which meant everything could flourish to the extent it did. That is true leadership.
Nina: I wholeheartedly echo everything Rebecca has said. Finding an exceptional production team was crucial for me, allowing me to focus solely on acting during the shoot without worrying about child licensing, the MET police, and permits etc. Victoria Fäh, who joined me as a co-producer months before we started filming, truly took the reins, giving me the space to concentrate on my role and leaving behind producing duties. Having produced short films before, I know things often go wrong, and as a producer, you’re always bracing for last-minute obstacles. However, stepping onto the set for this project was an awe-inspiring experience. Everyone was focused and quiet—no chaos, no running around, no shouting. Everything seemed to be going so smoothly that I thought they must be hiding something from me. This made me panic, thinking, “They’re suffering in silence, trying to protect me from all the chaos so I can focus on acting.” But when we wrapped, I said to Victoria, “So spill the beans, what’s the damage?” She simply replied, “Nothing went wrong. It was a great shoot.”
As Rebecca mentioned, this is a testament to the incredible leadership of Victoria as producer, Rebecca as director, and Olivia as production manager. They led the set with such grace and calmness—a wonderful trio of kindness, sensitivity and power—which gave everyone the space to excel in their work. One of the biggest lessons I learned from this shoot is the immense importance of the crew and the people you collaborate with. We had an incredible team who all went above and beyond, delivering their best work on a very small budget with limited time and resources. It is the people who made this film so incredibly special.
#5 The film boasts an impressive cast. How did you bring the cast together?
Nina: Casting was a crucial element for us to perfect. Despite our short film’s limited budget, we set our sights high, choosing to focus on the strength of our script and the quality of our team to attract top talent. We were fortunate to have the expert guidance of casting director Xanthe Spencer-Davidson, whose skill in casting is unparalleled. She presented a list of suggestions for both Kristian’s and Gunnar’s roles, which included both Jonas and Lars. These actors are already prominent figures in the Norwegian film industry and emerging talents internationally as well. So we immediately extended the most enticing offer possible (pleading them), accompanied by a personalised letter from Rebecca expressing her enthusiasm for their participation. Thankfully, both Lars and Jonas were captivated by the script and the film’s theme, and they accepted the roles. But it was Xanthe’s wizardry and expertise as a casting director that secured us such a strong cast and we are eternally grateful.
#6 Tell me about Elsa as a character and what it was like to play her.
Nina: Elsa seeks freedom both internally and externally. She is passionate, impulsive, playful, and brave. As a primary school teacher, she connects deeply with children, sharing their dreams and playful imaginations, though she doesn’t necessarily want her own. She cherishes her sense of childishness and seeks purpose in her actions.
In her early 30s, Elsa feels pressure for being single when most women her age are married with kids already. Despite this, she embodies motherly qualities, caring deeply for others. She definitely has a savior-complex, particularly with Gunnar, her awkward neighbour who betrays her in the end, and Kristian, whose vulnerability and sadness attract her.
Playing Elsa has been a privilege. I first portrayed her in 2015 in Lizzie’s play “Narvik” and again in 2017. Revisiting her for the film, I found Elsa had evolved alongside my own life experiences.
Understanding Elsa’s decision to have a relationship with a Nazi soldier was crucial for me. I read several books about women who fell in love with German soldiers during the war, tried to speak to people who had family members going through the same, discovering that many of these romances were innocent and not politically charged. They were simply two individuals seeking solace from the turbulent war, or simply connecting on a human level.
Norway was occupied for several years, so many civilians adapted to survive in an effort to maintain as normal a life as possible.
Despite being part of the resistance, Elsa ironically ends up having an affair with the enemy. This might seem strange and hypocritical, but it is precisely what makes her character so intriguing to me. I find the moral ambiguity behind her choices complex and human. She yearns to be useful to her country, to have a purpose, and to contribute to a noble cause. Yet, as a woman, she feels unseen by her country. Unimportant.
Why should women’s sexual choices be of anyone’s concern, let alone an entire nation’s concern? There is a thrilling rebelliousness in her, a quality I am still striving to fully uncover. With the development of the feature film, I hope to continue exploring the complexities of Elsa’s mind.
Reconnecting with Elsa has been a profound experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to explore her character once again.
#7 There is lack of WWII stories told from a female perspective. Tell us about the importance of delivering women-centric narratives from this period.
Rebecca: It’s incredibly important. A lightbulb moment for me was reading Svetlana Alexievich’s ‘Unwomanly Face of War’ her book is an account of women’s stories throughout the war in Russia.
Svetlana spoke on how women’s voices were often not listened to or silenced following the war, as they were seen as not as good at recalling the dates and less accurate with recalling the ‘facts’ of the events that occurred.
Collecting women’s stories she observed that women tended to focus on ‘feelings’ over ‘facts’ which could often be feared as being messy, intangible, revealing grey areas.
Isn’t the grey area where we all learn something new about ourselves? When the black and white isn’t quite cutting it?
A useful way to relate this to cinema is that she said in her book ‘there is a concept in optics called ‘light gathering power’ – the greater or lesser ability of a lens to fix the caught image. So then, women’s memory of the war is the most ‘light-gathering’ in terms of strength of feelings.
Testosterone fuelled stories about the courage of the War Sniper leading his country to victory isn’t perhaps as light-gathering.
Myself and Nina have closely observed courageous acts made by women in our own lives that perhaps doesn’t line up with our more public perception of what bravery is (although I think that’s now changing for the better!)
Elsa is a celebration of these quiet and extremely profound moments of courage, that’s more truthful, and what a cinema goer can bond with.
#8 What do you hope audiences can take away from this film?
Rebecca: That loyalty is sometimes an act of betrayal and betrayal is sometimes an act of loyalty.
Nina: I hope the audience gains new historical insights, fosters empathy for those enduring wartime traumas, and feels emotionally moved, sparking conversations about women’s history.
#9 Are there any plans to develop this into a feature?
Rebecca: Yes. Our writer Lizzie Nunnery has written an electric outline, and we’re raring to build it with some of our original team.
#10 What is next for you both?
Rebecca: The feature adaption is definitely in the front of my mind – any excuse to keep building with Nina and I hope we get to build together a lot more in the long run.
This summer I am working as a Script Supervisor on an espionage series in London alongside my mentor Tessa Kimbell who has been a beacon for me in the film industry. I am also currently collaborating with director Lian Meng Rose and Producer Helen Gladders towards developing a major feature film set in Bhutan.
Nina: The feature film is definitely something I’m wanting to gun for moving forward, and I second what Rebecca said. Any excuse to keep building with her will make me very happy. I’ve recently re-discovered my love for writing music and songs, so I’ve been playing around with some ideas involving comedy and music and some singing. Aside from acting I also do a lot of voiceover work and have been recording several videogames and audiobooks, which I will continue with as well as continuing the grind as an actor auditioning and jumping into various projects here and there. I’m lucky enough to have been invited to various Comicons around the world so before our World Premiere of Elsa in Rhode Island I’m flying to Washington DC to attend as a guest and speaker at Otakon which focuses on games. It’s what I love about my job – you never really know where it takes you next and what’s around the corner.