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Facing War, a documentary about Jens Stoltenberg’s final years as NATO Secretary General will open CPH: DOX.
The film is directed by Tommy Gulliksen and will be screened as part of the CPH:DOX’s main prize and DOX:AWARD competitions.
The film will have its world premiere at the CPH:DOX 2025 opening gala in the concert hall of the Royal Danish Academy of Music on March 19.
The film’s synopsis reads: Facing War offers a unique look into Jens 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,” Niklas Engstrøm, Artistic Director of CPH:DOX, said in a statement.
“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. ‘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 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.
CPH:DOX runs March 19-30.
