logo
‘Facing War,' Documentary on Former NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg, to Open CPH:DOX

‘Facing War,' Documentary on Former NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg, to Open CPH:DOX

Yahoo06-02-2025

Tommy Gulliksen's documentary 'Facing War,' which depicts Jens Stoltenberg's final year as NATO secretary general, has been selected as the opening film of the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival, a.k.a. CPH:DOX. The festival runs March 19-30.
'Facing War' will also compete for CPH:DOX's main prize, the DOX:AWARD, which recognizes the best documentary. The film will have its world premiere in the concert hall of the Royal Danish Academy of Music on March 19.
More from Variety
Corneliu Porumboiu to Be Special Guest at Visions du Réel: His Films 'Cast an Offbeat, Critical Eye on the Changes to Romanian Society'
True/False Film Fest Unveils 2025 Lineup Including Eight Sundance Docus (EXCLUSIVE)
National Women's Soccer League Sets 2024 Playoffs Docuseries Deal With Prime Video
'In a time when new global political crises are piling up, and the Western world's defense alliance seems to be unraveling, Jens Stoltenberg is regarded as one of the great diplomatic beacons,' the festival commented. Originally, he was set to step down as NATO's secretary general at the end of his term, but with a war in Europe and the prospect of growing divisions among the alliance's member states, the Norwegian top diplomat was persuaded by the then-U.S. president to remain in the position.
'Facing War' offers a look into Stoltenberg's final year as NATO's secretary general. It is a year filled with challenges, as he has promised Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the alliance will stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary. However, fears that the war in Ukraine could spread to the rest of Europe increase tensions among the 32 allied countries, and Stoltenberg must rely on all his diplomatic skills to keep the alliance united.
Fortunately, the Norwegian politician is a master of the delicate art of compromise and understands the importance of a well-timed gesture of support. And when negotiating with figures like Recep Erdoğan and Viktor Orbán, it is the small details that can make all the difference.
'We are delighted to kick off this year's festival with the world premiere of such a highly relevant film, which takes us deep behind the diplomatic negotiations and twists that followed—and continue to follow—in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. At a time when the rules-based world order, established after 1945, is under serious pressure, the importance of diplomacy and stable international alliances that have upheld it is as clear as ever,' Niklas Engstrøm, artistic director of CPH:DOX, said.
''Facing War' offers a rare insight into how these alliances, especially when under threat, require leadership and finesse to maintain the necessary stability in an increasingly unpredictable world.'
The film will also be streamed to a large number of theaters across Denmark as part of the nationwide project DOX:DANMARK.
'Facing War' is directed by Tommy Gulliksen and produced by Dox Division in co-production with NRK, SVT and Think-Film Impact Production. The film is supported by NFI, Oslo Film Fund, Viken Filmsenter, Fritt Ord, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Impact Partners, the Bergesen Foundation, and the Fund for Sound and Image.
Best of Variety
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win?
What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NATO summit statement omits Ukraine's entry bid, $40 billion pledge, Bloomberg reports
NATO summit statement omits Ukraine's entry bid, $40 billion pledge, Bloomberg reports

Yahoo

time40 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

NATO summit statement omits Ukraine's entry bid, $40 billion pledge, Bloomberg reports

A one-page draft of a joint declaration for the upcoming NATO summit omits Ukraine's membership aspirations and last year's pledge of over $40 billion in support, Bloomberg reported on June 11 after reviewing the draft. This news signals that, for the first time since 2022, Russia's war against Ukraine will not be the chief focus of the annual NATO meeting, which is taking place on June 24-25 in The Hague. The unusually brief document recognizes Russia as a threat to NATO but not as an aggressor in Ukraine. It also does not mention China, Bloomberg reported. The communique of the 2024 summit in Washington named Beijing as a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war against Ukraine. Last year's gathering also included a declaration that Ukraine's path to NATO is "irreversible" and promised more than $40 billion in additional military aid. This year, the document will solely focus on defense spending, as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes NATO partners to hike the military expenditure benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP. The final version of the statement can still change, Bloomberg reported. The brevity of the communique and the summit itself, as well as the decreased focus on Ukraine, stems from the effort to avoid conflict between Trump and European allies. In a sharp break from former U.S. President Joe Biden, the Trump administration has not approved any new military aid packages to Ukraine and signaled its intent to reduce assistance for Kyiv in the next year's budget. The U.S. president initially vowed to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow but became increasingly less engaged in the process as the negotiations stalled and Russia only intensified its attacks against Ukraine. According to Bloomberg, NATO allies will pledge to allocate at least 3.5% of GDP to defense needs and 1.5% to protecting infrastructure and civil preparedness by 2032. Member states will also consider counting their contributions to Ukraine as part of the new defense spending targets, the news outlet reported. The summit was preceded by rumors that President Volodymyr Zelensky would not be invited to participate for the first time due to U.S. opposition. Later, the speculations were dispelled after the Dutch media reported that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had invited the Ukrainian leader to attend. Read also: As Russia inches closer to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, new Ukrainian region might soon be at war We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.

Denmark's lawmakers approve bill to allow U.S. military bases on Danish soil as Trump eyes Greenland
Denmark's lawmakers approve bill to allow U.S. military bases on Danish soil as Trump eyes Greenland

Associated Press

timean hour ago

  • Associated Press

Denmark's lawmakers approve bill to allow U.S. military bases on Danish soil as Trump eyes Greenland

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark's Parliament on Wednesday approved a bill to allow the United States to have military bases on Danish soil, a move that comes as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to take control of the kingdom's semi-autonomous territory of Greenland. Critics say the vote ceded Danish sovereignty to the U.S. The legislation widens a previous military agreement, made in 2023 with the Biden administration, where U.S. troops had broad access to Danish airbases in the Scandinavian country. The new parameters follow Trump's coveting of the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island even as the U.S. and Denmark are NATO allies. The legislation now goes to Danish King Frederik X for his signature. Ninety-four lawmakers voted for it, while 11 voted against. Greenland's prime minister previously said U.S. statements about the island have been disrespectful and it 'will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.'

Some German Social Democrats call for diplomatic talks with Russia
Some German Social Democrats call for diplomatic talks with Russia

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Some German Social Democrats call for diplomatic talks with Russia

Prominent figures from Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) have signed a manifesto calling for diplomatic talks with Russia, in what appears to be a stand-off over the defence policy of the coalition government, in which the SPD is the junior partner. The position paper, which has been made available to dpa and has been signed by more than 100 people, laments a "compulsion to increase armament and prepare for a supposedly imminent war." "Military alarm rhetoric and huge armament programmes do not create more security for Germany and Europe, but lead to destabilization and a strengthening of the mutual perception of threat between NATO and Russia," the document states. While it is unclear whether all signatories are members of the SPD, prominent party figures including the former leader of the parliamentary group Rolf Mützenich, former party chief Norbert Walter-Borjans and foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner are among them, as are several federal and state lawmakers. Dubbed "Manifesto," the paper could cause a stir at the SPD party conference scheduled for later this month, where the party is set to elect a new leadership following its disastrous showing in February's parliamentary elections. Coming off the heels of leading a squabbling three-party coalition, the SPD, one of Germany's two traditional mainstream forces, was relegated to third place behind the conservative bloc and the far-right Alternative for Germany. The party conference will be preceded by the NATO summit in The Hague, where member states are expected to agree on a significant hike in defence expenditure.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store