Directing duo Åse Kathrin Vuolab and Pål Jackman unpack the making of their TIFF-bound series A Sámi Wedding

World-premiering in Toronto International Film Festival’s Primetime strand, A Sámi Wedding (Heajastallan - Bryllupsfesten) follows Garen (Sara Margrethe Oskal), a woman at the bottom of the social ladder in the remote town of Kautokeino, who sees her son’s marriage into a wealthy reindeer-herding family as a chance to change her fortunes. But tradition dictates that the groom’s family must stage the entire wedding, forcing her to rely on her dysfunctional siblings – with predictably chaotic results.

Staged by Mer Film and Tordenfilm, with REinvent handling sales, the series combines dark humour and melodrama with an authentic portrait of contemporary Sámi life. The series is supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond (NFTVF). The International sami Film Institute initiated a collaboration with NRK Drama in 2018, with Sámi Wedding as one of the many good results.

NFTVF spoke with co-directors Åse Kathrin Vuolab and Pål Jackman about the show’s long development, its casting process, and the challenges of shooting in Kautokeino.

Let’s start with the basics. When and why did you begin working on A Sámi Wedding?

Åse Kathrin Vuolab: The very first idea came in 2012, when I was graduating from the Norwegian Film School. Our bachelor assignment was supposed to be a film, but I wanted to write a TV series. Since they didn’t allow that, I put the idea away. Later, when NRK launched a call for a Sámi TV series, I decided I was going to win it. I’ve always loved Sámi weddings – they’re huge, two- or three-day celebrations, with no hired help. Families work together, almost like a communal harvest. It felt like the perfect setting for an ensemble piece about a dysfunctional family. There was ample room for funny moments, yes, but also for darker storylines. I finally started writing it in 2019.

Pål, when did you come on board?

Pål Jackman: I first read it back in 2021, and I immediately fell in love with the project. Partly because of the writing, which had humour, darkness, and an unpolished quality I found very pure. And partly because of Kautokeino itself – I’d always dreamt of going there for Easter, when there’s a big festival and often weddings. Meeting Åse, I felt her voice was special, and I wanted to keep that in the series.

ÅKV: We’re both unconventional, and that worked in our favour. We lean into comedy and melodrama, and balance each other out.

PJ: Exactly. The series is about siblings under pressure, being mean and nasty to each other, but also stepping up when it really matters. That tension between love and hate in families is something everyone can relate to.a

When did you finally go into production?

ÅKV: We started filming in 2024. For me, the whole project felt like a six-year pregnancy. We finished post-production in March this year, and I was exhausted – though Pål kept busy.

PJ: It was hard work, but also a lot of fun. I always reminded myself this is Åse’s story. I could make suggestions, but ultimately it was hers and the characters’. That’s how we approached it.

How did you work on casting the leads?

ÅKV: It was a long process. The Sámi community doesn’t have many professional actors, so we knew we’d rely on amateurs. Pål had worked with non-professionals before, so he wasn’t worried. But finding people who could fully open up emotionally was tough. Johan, the youngest sibling, was the hardest part to cast – we only found Ivan Aleksander Sara Buljo three months before shooting.

PJ: Chemistry was key. Those four siblings had to feel like one unit.

ÅKV: Not all were amateurs. Sara Margrethe Oskal is a professional actress. Ánte Siri, who plays Henry, has theatre experience, but usually works as a communications advisor. Inga Marja Utsi, who portrays Belle, actually started out as our casting assistant. She read lines during auditions, and we suddenly realised she had exactly the ‘badass’ energy we needed.

How did you assemble the crew, and what challenges did you face?

ÅKV: My vision was to involve as many Sámi filmmakers as possible, to give them experience, and help grow the industry beyond just directors and producers. But it was difficult to find people for all positions, so most of the crew were Norwegian professionals flown in.

PJ: We made it clear from the start: We were guests. The Oslo way of scheduling didn’t always fit Kautokeino’s rhythm, where time follows nature more than the clock. Pre-production, including location scouting, was more Sámi-style, slower and based on trust. Once shooting began, we followed industry standards.

ÅKV: Building trust with the community was essential. Without it, we wouldn’t have had extras, cars, or locations.

Speaking of extras – how did you manage those huge wedding scenes?

ÅKV: I told production early on to budget big for extras, and we spent about 1 million kroner on them. But really, it came down to local contacts. Instead of forms or emails, I’d just post on Facebook: “We’re shooting tomorrow at 10, come.” Or we’d go door to door. In Kautokeino, you don’t knock – you just walk in and have a coffee.

PJ: They were the best extras I’ve ever worked with. Disciplined, devoted, and they really recognised the characters, because they resembled people in their own community.

How long was the shoot, and what budget were you working with?

ÅKV: We shot for 58 days, with some breaks. The overall budget was about 71 million Norwegian kroner. For us Sámi, we didn’t know that was considered a lot, but our Norwegian colleagues were very stressed about it!

What about the post-production process? How did you work with the editors?

ÅKV: At first the editors were nervous, because I’m so attached to the script. But I quickly started cutting scenes myself. Editing felt like a continuation of the writing.

PJ: And that’s when I loved watching Åse dive in – really owning it. We complemented each other: She’s very detail-oriented, I’m more focused on the bigger picture.

ÅKV: I was obsessing over frames, timing, and sound. The score was also great fun – it combined a classical style with a 16-piece string orchestra and playful Oompa-Loompa-style tracks. Joachim Holbek composed it, and it gives the show a really wide emotional spectrum.

Finally, where will the series be shown?

ÅKV: It will air on NRK, SVT, Yle, DR and RÚV, so all five Nordic countries. But we’ve already sold rights to Spain, Portugal, and the Benelux.

Official trailer: