During the 80s, Håkon Banken (1949–2018) was one of Norway’s most popular recording artists, selling upwards of half a million records and cassettes and topping the charts for weeks at a time. Today he is mainly remembered by a small group of dedicated fans, who celebrate him for his candid lyrics about his own struggles with mental health. This documentary tells the story of this unique figure in Norwegian popular music through archive material, reconstructions and interviews with some of those who he left an indelible impression on.
In 1998, the Norwegian author, Stig Saeterbakken decided to write a novel in one week. Neighbor and director Morten Hovland was allowed to film the project, which became not just about the act of writing the novel Sauermugg, but also involves the authors thoughts on philosophy, literature, art and life in general. Stig Saeterbakken died on January 25Th 2012, and as such this film serves as a rare portrait of one of the most assured and uncompromising voices of contemporary Norwegian literature.
