Dear Ambassadors, film friends, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here tonight on the opening of the European Documentary Film Festival 2002. This is the first time the festival is arranged, and after looking through the festival programme, I hope it is not the last.

I find it especially pleasant to be at the opening of a film festival at a time when Norwegian films get so much positive attention, both in Norway and abroad. This positive tendency occurs at the same time as the government's film policy has been modernised.

The aid schemes to support film production have been changed and the state support to film production has increased considerably the last two years. I hope this renewal of the film policy will stimulate the filmmakers to continue making successful films in all genres.

During the last year we have seen Norwegian documentary films that break records, win prizes and is a success with the audience. First and foremost I am thinking of " Heftig og begeistret" by Knut Erik Jensen and " Alt om min far" by Even Benestad.

At the same time, the public wants to watch documentaries. Not just on television, but also on cinema. Who would have thought that a film about drug addicted youngsters on their way back to life would be a success with the public? Sigve Endresen showed us that it was possible with " Store gutter gråter ikke". In the same way Margareth Olin's film " Dei mjuke hendene" proved that people wanted to go to the cinema to see a film about old peoples right to a dignified life.

Is this focus on documentary films a specific Norwegian trend? During the following week we will see that it is not! The festival contains some of the best documentaries that have been made in Europe the last years.

We will experience documentaries made by 39 directors from 24 European countries. These directors each tell their subjective and distinct stories. You will find a great diversity among them, like stories:

• about how a part of a Spanish town changes and disappears, shown by Jose Luis Guerin

• about the insanity of war, by the Dutch director Heddy Honigman

• and about the similarities between the Norwegians experiences during the Second World War and experiences many immigrants meet today, presented by Nefise Ôzkal Lorentzen.

Documentaries that portray human stories are in focus. Often, the camera is directed towards the filmmaker himself. These are intimate films that challenge us as an audience and as individuals. At the same time these films give us new experiences, both intellectually and emotionally.

We have recently had a debate on women's representation in arenas where decisions are made. Women's role in film production can also be included as a part of this discussion. No theme should be specific male or female, but the way we approach the theme may be different. 13 of the 39 directors presented at the festival are women. You will be able to see for yourself whether this means something in terms of how the filmmakers choose to present their stories.

As I understand, there are many more films that could have been shown in this festival. So it seems that the documentary film both here in Norway and in the rest of Europe has a bright future.

Finally, I would like to thank the European embassies and cultural centres (in Oslo), which in cooperation with The European Commission Delegation to Norway and Iceland and the Norwegian Film Institute have made this festival possible.

I hereby declare the first European Documentary Film Festival opened.