Low Expectations: Eivind Landsvik
- C-print
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Having recently returned from Cannes, one of our editor Koshik Zaman's standout discoveries was Low Expectations, the feature debut of Norwegian director Eivind Landsvik. The film stars Marie Ulven, better known by her stage name, Girl in Red. Still riding the cinematic high of the festival, Zaman caught up with Landsvik to discuss his impressive debut, which is set to make a significant impact when it arrives in cinemas later this year.
K.Z: First of all, congrats on presenting Low Expectations as part of the Critics’ Fortnight at Cannes. It was one of my personal favorites. What were some of your takeaways from the festival?
E.L: Thank you! Unfortunately, I didn't get to see that many films. I look forward to discovering them in the coming months.
K.Z: Looking back, how did you find your time at Cannes this time around compared to 2023, when you premiered your short film Tits?
E.L: Being there for the first time was probably more overwhelming. At the same time, it was such a good experience, and it made me really wish to return with my feature. I was already working on Low Expectations when I made Tits, so this has been a longer journey and was perhaps a more emotional experience. The people working for the festival made it feel as safe and comfortable as possible, both with Tits and with Low Expectations.
K.Z: Low Expectations, and not only as a debut in my point of view, is very accomplished, a film that unpacks a lot. There is a generational angle, coming-of-age, underlying trauma, but also a state of despair and hopelessness that many artists and creatives in general can relate to.
As I understand it, and as the writer as well, your own experiences working as a substitute teacher served as inspiration for parts of the script.
E.L: The first idea I can trace back to came from a personal experience. I wasn't really working as a substitute teacher, but I spent a week or so as an exam invigilator. The boredom I experienced doing this inspired something. Memories, daydreams, and new ideas. A cinematic universe started growing in my head. It started with the image of a classroom filled with teenagers.
K.Z: How did you approach casting Maja and Aida? I have to admit that I wasn’t aware of Marie Ulven, who, just like the character, is a musician and completely excels in the role of Maja. The same goes for Embla Berntsen, who is very convincing as the young Aida.
E.L: I thought it would be interesting to invite real musicians to the casting process, as well as experienced actors. Marie's name came up late in the process, but something happened during our first meeting. I felt like the character of Maja was brought to life.
Embla sent a self-tape that was so convincing that I started telling people I had found Aida before even meeting her. Marie and Embla are similar in the way they have a magnetic presence in front of the camera. You immediately want to get to know them. They are great, and I'm very grateful I got to work with them and the rest of the cast.
K.Z: Given its high school setting and intimate portrayal of coming-of-age, I did occasionally think of Skam, but also of Joachim Trier’s Oslo, August 31st, a connection made not only through a shared depiction of depression but also Anders Danielsen Lie, who, in the role of school administrator, is terrific as usual.
Were there any films that served as inspiration for you in the making?
E.L: So many of them. Joachim Trier has been an important inspiration for me in many ways. His debut film, Reprise, was an important part of the reason I decided to try to become a filmmaker myself. To see a locally made film like that was a revelation. Oslo, August 31st is another film of his that is very important and dear to me. However, Reprise was a bigger inspiration for Low Expectations. Another important inspiration was Lukas Moodysson's Fucking Åmål, one of my favourite films of all time. Somewhere and Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola were also inspirations, alongside films by Eric Rohmer and Mia Hansen-Løve. There are so many great inspirations, and they have inspired different things. Elephant and Paranoid Park by Gus Van Sant. The Breakfast Club. I'll stop now.
K.Z: As somebody amused by titles, how did you arrive at Lave Forventninger?
E.L: The title has been with me from the start. It's hard to say. Expectations surround us, and at times, I find them very difficult to live with. At the point of starting to write this, my expectations were exceptionally low. I worked hard to keep my ambitions high. Having low expectations is not the same as not being ambitious.
K.Z: From the outside, Norwegian cinema is currently thriving internationally with the success of Trier and Kristoffer Borgli. As a fellow filmmaker, why do you think this is?
E.L: And Dag Johan Haugerud, who won the Golden Bear in Berlin for his film Dreams. I'm not good at analyzing these things, so I don't have a smart answer. What I can say is that it makes me happy to see that these great filmmakers get recognition for their work.
K.Z: Lastly, what’s coming up for you and the film after Cannes?
E.L: I'm curious to find out. The film will premiere in Norway in September, and I'm looking forward to that. It has also been sold to some other countries, so I hope the film will be seen around the world. Cinema is a great form of cultural exchange, and I would love to be a part of that.
Koshik Zaman
Low Expectations is due for theatrical release (Norway) in September 2026.
For more info on Eivind Landsvik, please visit: eivindlandsvik.com