Konvoi

A war film with a difference. In 1942, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, and the Allies were given the responsibility of shipping arms to aid the struggle. This "arctic convoy" of vessels is not itself equipped for battle, but an escort protects them from air attack. Suddenly there is an order to disperse. A lone Norwegian ship decides, at enormous risk, to keep on with its mission. Is it sheer, suicidal folly? Konvoi could be compared with William Friedkin’s recent version of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023), but it’s told from an entirely different perspective. The central command on board the ship is questioned, leading to an elaborate game of wits and wills. Diverse personalities and temperaments – young, old, naïve, experienced, male, female – clash, and everyone’s function must be renegotiated. Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken, chooses a daring structure for Konvoi: there’s only one scene of wartime action, but the film, wonderfully acted by an ensemble cast, maintains tension throughout by focusing on psychological interaction within the cramped space of the ship. This is classical cinema at its sturdiest – offering a look back at a very different geopolitical configuration than pertains today. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)