Unni Straume studied film at Volda University College from 1976 to 1978, making her first short film, Kystkunst, in 1977. Since then she has written, directed, produced and edited several short- and documentary films, and has participated at numerous international short film festivals, becoming known for her poetic, personal and somewhat modernistic style. Straume has also continued her production of short and documentary films in addition to her feature films.
She made her feature film debut with the "rite-de-passage" drama To a Stranger in 1990, to excellent reviews in both the Nordic and international press, as well as much acclaim at the many international festivals it was screened at. Her 1992 short Deraillement was also highly acclaimed when it premiered in Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival in 1993, and it has since been much requested for numerous festivals, as well as cinema and television distribution. Her next feature, Dreamplay (1994), was also selected for the Un Certain Regard section, and also received the Norwegian Film Critics Award for 1994. With her third feature (and also her first film shot in colour), Thrane's Method (1998), she ventured out of the modernist style she had become known for mastering, and instead focused on the much more condensed form of the kammerspiel (chamber play). None the less Straume excelled, and presented another highly acclaimed film, which has since become a part of the film collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York. Her 2002 film, Music for Weddings and Funerals was yet another artistic triumph for Straume, and has among other things been screened at over 30 international film festivals, including Sundance, Toronto IFF and the Venice Film Festival.
From 2005 to 2008 Straume worked as Professor in directing at the Norwegian Film School, and since 2009 she has been attached to the Danish-Norwegian production company Zentropa International as a director, developing future projects.
Norsk Filminstitutt
