Erik Poppe is a renowned Norwegian film director, screenwriter, and former cinematographer, born on June 24, 1960. He is recognized for his exceptional work with actors and intricate, multi-pronged narratives. Poppe's films often feature strong ensemble casts, sharp writing, impressive camera work, and an uncanny knack for rhythm and music in editing.
Growing up in Portugal and Norway, Poppe began his career as a photographer for Verdens Gang and Reuters, covering domestic news and international conflicts. He received several awards, including the Norwegian press association and World Press Photo, during the 1980s. After being hospitalized in Colombia, Poppe decided to pursue filmmaking and graduated as a cinematographer from DI - University College of Film, Radio, Television and Theatre in Stockholm, Sweden in 1991.
Poppe has conducted several artistic and directorial research programs between 2001 and 2010. In 2015, he concluded a PhD as a research fellow at the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme and as an Associated Professor at HIL, Lillehammer University College/The Norwegian Film School. His research project, "The Subjective Objective," explored the use of subjective point of view in conscious narrative film to achieve increased emotional outcomes.
Poppe's feature films include "A Thousand Times Good Night," "The King's Choice," and "U," which were all critically acclaimed and received numerous awards. He has worked with renowned actors such as Juliette Binoche and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Poppe's films have been sold to territories worldwide and have achieved high admissions in domestic releases.
In addition to his feature films, Poppe has also directed several television dramas, including "Brigaden" (The Brigade),which received the Norwegian "Amanda" Price for Best TV-Drama in 2003. Poppe has received the Norwegian National Film Critics' Award three times and has been nominated for all his movies in the categories best film or best director at the Norwegian national award The Amanda.
Poppe has participated in key festivals, receiving prizes such as the Berlinale -Panorama (Schpaaa),The Vesuvio Prize at Napoli International Film Festival, and the Nordic Ministerie Councils Award for Best Nordic Feature. He has also received ecumenical awards and several other prizes.
As a co-owner of Paradox Film and the Paradox Group, Poppe has produced several feature films. He has spoken about his career as a photojournalist, stating that his actions were driven by the urge to draw attention to the horrors of war. As a filmmaker, Poppe believes that honesty is essential, as it allows the audience to identify with the topic and the hero, and that his role as an artist is to prepare a text with open questions and hide the fact that he has an answer key.
Throughout his career, Poppe has demonstrated his ability to hit both critics and audiences, taking high admissions in domestic releases and receiving numerous awards.
