Aurora Gossé on Dancing Queen - creating a rare dance movie for kids 8-12 and over

“I love the challenge of working with kids! They are so honest and truthful, and if they believe in their character, they can create pure magic on screen” says Gossé (36) who has worked mostly on children films and series, such as two Casper & Emma films and the Superhero Academy series, on top of NRK’s acclaimed drama comedy Countrymen.

It is Gossé’s skills with kids, her vibrant filmmaking style and vision that convinced seasoned producer Thomas Robsahm (The Worst Person in the World, Louder than Bombs) and screenwriter Silje Holtet to contact her with the script in 2019. “I was teaching at the Norwegian Film School when Aurora graduated, and had met her there. I felt she would love the project of Dancing Queen”, Robsahm told nordicfilmandtvnews.com.

“Yes the story was actually inspired by one of Thomas’s own daughters, who was longing for a dance movie,” explains the director, who kept in the back of her mind the classics Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing but also Little Miss Sunshine.

The story follows Mina (12) a happy but slightly overweight and nerdy little girl, who falls madly in love with the cool new kid in school and hip-hop dancer E.D. Win (Viljar Knutsen Bjaadaal). Despite her insecurity and sense of awkwardness, she signs up for a dance competition, supported by her no-nonsense loving grandmother, always full of great advice, and she ends up as E.D. Win’s dance partner. Her journey of self-acceptance on and off the dance floor is full of joy and hardship, but one that swings to the tune of ‘Dancing Queen’ and feeling good.

Gossé says beyond the inspiring coming-of-age story, the strong bond between Mina (played by screen debutant Liv Elvira Kippersund Larsson) and her grandmother (Anne Marit Jacobsen) was a thread of the storyline that she really enjoyed. “This cross generational relationship is so important and kids benefit from that magic bond with grandparents that is often just playful and freed from the pressure that can exist between them and their parents,” notes the director. “Here the grandmother is very honest, a bit rough, but so much fun. When we had test screenings, she was the favourite character for many of the 12 year-olds-boys and girls!”

Finding Liv Elvira Kippersund Larsson for the title role of Mina was a bit of pot luck, as the director and her casting agent were contacted quite early on by the young girl’s aunt who had seen the casting call. “I did try a few other girls for the main part, but Liv Elvira was so impressive - fearless, open-minded and so nice to talk to. We met twice and then I gave her the part!”

The in-character prep work with Kippersund Larsson and the adults (including as well the high-profile Andrea Bræn Hovig and Anders Baasmo as the parents) was a mix of long rehearsals and improvisation, and the dance scenes under choreographer Camilla Tellefsen’s aegis were held over a three-month period before filming. “Mina goes through the journey from not having any experience to becoming a great dancer. Liv Elvira had attended hip hop dance classes, but creating that journey on screen was quite challenging,” Gossé admits.

Another challenge was securing rights clearance for the score, notably for Abba’s iconic ‘Dancing Queen’ song. “That ate quite a lot of our budget, but it’s a great song that we wanted also for the title,” says the director who selected with her music supervisor a mix of tunes from different decades. "It's not specifically what kids listen to today, such as Solomon Burke soul music or Salt-N-Pepa’s 'Push It', but that song for instance reminded me when I danced in the living room when I was young, feeling on top of the world! says Gossé.

WATCH THE TRAILER

After the Berlin’s world premiere, the director and her cast & crew will attend previews in the city of Hamar, Norway where the film was shot, and in Oslo, before the film’s official national release March 10 via Ymer Media, who handles the release on behalf of Scandinavian Film Distribution.

The film was produced by Robsahm’s Amacord, with backing from Talent Norge, Filminvest, The Norwegian Film Institute, Wilhelmsen Stiftelse and Hamar commune.

LevelK handles world sales.