My film «I am Bergliot» won the Nordic Elements Film Festival 2019. The festival was held at Bore in the beginning of September.
I first met Bergliot at the beach a few years ago. I was coming up from the sea after an ordinary session at Sele beach, and this old, small lady was running around in her pink jacket photographing just about everyone and everything she saw. Smiling I approached the old lady and had a short pleasant talk about nothing special, like you do.
Quickly I realized I was talking to the Bergliot – the woman who constantly posts wonderful pictures around the internet, in dedication of her love of the activities along the Jæren coastline. After a little while I said goodbye, went back to my car and thought – wow, she’ something special.
Driving back home I realized it would be interesting to learn more about Bergliot’s story, and decided to text her asking if I could do a portrait of her. At the time I didn’t really know what I was going to use the portrait for, but I just felt there was something there I needed to explore further.
Why was this old lady consumed by this culture mostly populated by people a third her age?
The computer savy Bergliot quickly answered to my text in a thoughtful and respectful way that she preferred to be behind the camera, not in front of it. I felt that was a fair decision, as being in front of a camera isn’t for everyone. A year later or so I met Bergliot again at the beach, and once again I thought there was something there. I asked her again, and this time she accepted my invitiation.
Something had changed, she told me.
Ivar Vasstveit 