Marja Bål Nango

Writer-director

Norway

Marja Bål Nango is a film director, scriptwriter and producer. Studied directing at Nordland College of Art and Film and producing at a special collaboration between International Sámi Film Institute and Sámi University.
She is scriptwriter, director and producer of the short film « Hilbes biigá », which has been screened for nearly 30 film festivals. At the Uppsala Int Film Festival, « Hilbes biigá » won the UR Award for Best Film.
Her latest short film « The Tongues » won best international short film at Palm Springs Shortfest 2020, best director at Rhode Island Film Festival in 2020 and academy qualifying Best Live Action Short at ImagineNative Film Festival 2020.
At Sundance Film Festival 2021, Marja was named this year’s Merata Mita fellow, with project “I love my Guođoheaddji” for a yearlong support.

Project

I love my Guoðoheaddji

I LOVE MY GUOÐOHEADDJI is a story of friction between conservative Sámi life style and queer love. It takes place in Kautokeino, one of the few villages in Norway where Sámi’s are the majority and the Sámi culture is dominant. We meet Áilu, a 22-year old boy living under expectations and unwritten rules of his reindeer herding family. As the family grows suspicious of his sexual orientation they try to scare him into place by cutting him off, but Áilu amidst all still falls in love with another boy, Issát. As the relationship with Issát grows deeper, the conflict with his uncle becomes more violent, more hateful and ultimately more dangerous. Áilu goes to the deep end, he must resort to crime for his survival, retaliates the harassment and becomes more and more desperate to prove his uncle wrong: that he is not gay. Áilu has become the opposite of all Issát sees in him: the tender, shy boy, with a loving heart has turned ugly. Will Áilu ever be able to be his true self – a gay reindeer herder?