Norway’s Eldbjørg Hemsing and Espen Nordahl Aim for Oscar Glory

This Sunday could be a landmark night for Norwegian film, as both Eldbjørg Hemsing and Espen Nordahl are nominated for Academy Awards. Hemsing is recognized for her work on the film score for “Frankenstein,” while Nordahl is nominated for Best Visual Effects in “Sinners.”

Eldbjørg Hemsing: A Soloist in “Frankenstein”

Violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing contributed to the soundtrack of Guillermo Del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” nominated for Best Original Score. She performed as a soloist on 23 of the film’s 37 tracks, with her notes opening the entire film. VG reports Hemsing described the nomination as “superduperstas.” She was initially contacted last summer through her management and found the project highly secretive.

Hemsing, who has performed with renowned orchestras and philharmonics across Europe, the USA, and Asia, previously contributed to the soundtrack of the TV drama “Bridgerton.” The recording for “Frankenstein” took place at Abbey Road Studios in London, where she collaborated with an orchestra of 100 musicians and a choir of 60.

Espen Nordahl: Emmy Winner Eyes Oscar for “Sinners”

Espen Nordahl is nominated for Best Visual Effects for his work on “Sinners,” a film that has garnered a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations this year. VG states Nordahl leads a team of approximately 80 people at Storm Studios in Oslo. He previously won an Emmy Award for Best Visual Effects for the HBO series “The Last of Us” two years ago.

The visual effects created by Nordahl’s team in “Sinners” include enabling Michael B. Jordan to portray twins with significant physical interaction and recreating a 1930s USA setting. Nordahl expressed that the Oscar nomination is “the biggest thing” for his team, recognizing their extensive work.

A Strong Showing for Norwegian Film

Beyond Hemsing and Nordahl, Norwegian films “Affectionsverdi” (with nine nominations) and “The Ugly Stepsister” (with one nomination) are also in contention for awards. “Affectionsverdi” has received significant attention, but Nordahl notes that many behind-the-scenes contributors, like his team, are content to remain out of the spotlight.

Both Eldbjørg Hemsing and Espen Nordahl will be watching the awards ceremony with anticipation, hoping to bring an Oscar home to Norway.