Oslo (film)

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Oslo
Teaser poster
Based onOslo
by J. T. Rogers
Screenplay byJ. T. Rogers
Directed byBartlett Sher
StarringAndrew Scott
Ruth Wilson
Jeff Wilbusch
ComposersZoë Keating
Jeff Russo
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers
Producers
CinematographyJanusz Kamiński
EditorJay Rabinowitz
Running time118 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseMay 29, 2021 (2021-05-29)

Oslo is an American television drama film about the secret negotiation of the Oslo Accords. The film was directed by Bartlett Sher and written by J. T. Rogers, based on Rogers' play of the same name. It stars Andrew Scott, Ruth Wilson, and Jeff Wilbusch. It was released on May 29, 2021, on HBO.

Plot[edit]

In December 1992, Mona Juul at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls her husband Terje Rød-Larsen. Rød-Larsen, who is in Jerusalem, goes to talk to Yossi Beilin. Beilin explains to Terje that the peace talks are at a dead end, because everybody demands everything at once, and Terje offers a new approach. An Israeli meeting a Palestinian on neutral ground.

Mona Juul has a meeting with Ahmed Qurei, the minister of finance of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in London, where Mona and Terje introduce him to Yair Hirschfeld, an Israeli professor of economics. The meeting is secret because Israeli officials were not allowed to talk to Palestinians. It starts cold but warms up and they agree to meet again.

The followup meeting is held in a manor near Oslo, with Qurei and Hassan Asfour as representatives of the Palestinian government and Hirschfeld and Ron Pundak as Israel's representatives. The meeting starts formal and cold, but warms up over time and through socializing and smaller hiccups resulting in a first series of drafts for a Declaration of Principles (DOP).

As neither Hirschfeld nor Pundak are Israeli officials, talks are about to end there. After some back and forth and Terje making unfounded claims that he would get an Israeli official to join the talks, Mona decides to break the secret to Johan Jørgen Holst, the Norwegian minister of foreign affairs, who facilitates a meeting with Uri Savir from the Israeli foreign ministry to review the DOP.

This meeting starts very aggressive with Savir and Qurei accusing each other of terrorism and murder, but again warms up over time with Savir expressing willingness to give up the Gaza Strip and Jericho―a city 20 miles outside of Jerusalem―to the Palestinians as an autonomous region.

Uri Savir then presents the result to Joel Singer, the legal adviser of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who meets with the group to finalize the document with official backing. Instead of finalizing the document, it almost leads to a breakup of the talks over Singer's attempts to rewrite the document. At the request of Hirschfeld, Mona finally breaks her "facilitate only" doctrine and gets involved. She can defuse the situation by sharing her own story about the conflict, which is hinted at by flashbacks throughout the movie.

After that, the Oslo Accord is meant to be finalized through a telephone conference between Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat. After some trouble getting Arafat, who is residing in exile in Tunis, on the line, they manage to talk to Qurei, who speaks on behalf of Arafat and the rest of the government because he claims to be more proficient in English. After a long conference, they agree to accept each other's legitimacy and postpone the controversial question of Jerusalem, thereby finalizing the negotiation.

The movie ends with a montage of archival footage of the events after the Oslo agreement, such as Yitzhak Rabin saying "We who have fought against you, the Palestinians, we say to you today, in a loud and clear voice: 'enough of blood and tears, enough'"[1] at the White House in September 1993. It also references Rabin's assassination in 1995 and that the status of Jerusalem remained a sticking point, as well as the Second Intifada starting in September 2000. Nonetheless, it still affirms the importance of the Oslo meeting and the dialogue to facilitate a chance for peace.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

In April 2017, it was reported that the play Oslo would be brought to the screen by producer Marc Platt. It would be adapted for the screen by the playwright J. T. Rogers and directed by Bartlett Sher, the director of the Broadway production.[2] In November 2020, it was reported Oslo had begun production in Prague.[3] The film aired on HBO and stars Andrew Scott and Ruth Wilson.[4][5]

Reception[edit]

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 75% approval rating based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Oslo sometimes struggles to smoothly transition from the stage to screen, but Ruth Wilson and Andrew Scott bring an engaging verve to this historical snapshot of high-stakes diplomacy."[6] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 54 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[7]

Accolades[edit]

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2021
 Gold Derby Awards TV movie Oslo Nominated [8]
Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Motion Picture Nominated [9]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Limited Series Ruth Wilson Nominated
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Limited Series J. T. Rogers Nominated
Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Limited Series Oslo Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Television Movie Marc Platt, Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, David Litvak, Jared LeBoff, Adam Siegel, Cambra Overend, Bartlett Sher, J.T. Rogers, Holly Bario, Matthew Stillman, David Minkowski, Gary Michael Walters, Michel Litvak, Svetlana Metkina, and Mark Taylor Nominated [10]
Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Jeff Russo and Zoë Keating Nominated
2022
 American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Motion Picture (Non-Theatrical) Jay Rabinowitz Won [11]
Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Film – Non-Theatrical Release Leslee Feldman Nominated [12]
Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Movie Made for Television Oslo Won [13]
Golden Reel Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Feature Lewis Goldstein, Gina Alfano, Peter John Still, Alex Soto, Alfred DeGrand, Thomas Ryan, Wen Tseng, Leslie Bloome, and Joanna Fang Nominated [14]
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Television Special, One Hour or More Live Program Series or Movie for Television Daniel Parker Nominated [15]
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Motion Picture Oslo Nominated [16]
Satellite Awards Best Television Film Won [17]
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film Andrew Scott Nominated
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film Ruth Wilson Nominated

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ By Oslo they lay down and wept, peace hopes 20 years on unfulfilled, retrieved 2021-06-19
  2. ^ "Marc Platt Boards Film Adaptation of Political Broadway Play 'Oslo' (Exclusive) | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  3. ^ Pirodsky, Jason (10 November 2020). "HBO's 'Oslo', produced by Steven Spielberg, now shooting in Prague". The Prague Reporter. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  4. ^ Grater, Tom (2020-11-09). "Ruth Wilson & Andrew Scott Starring In HBO Movie 'Oslo'; Spielberg Exec'ing Tony-Winning Play Adaptation". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  5. ^ Sneider, Jeff (2020-11-09). "Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott to Star in HBO Movie 'Oslo' from EP Steven Spielberg". Collider. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  6. ^ "Oslo (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Oslo". Metacritic. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  8. ^ "2021 Gold Derby TV Awards". Gold Derby. 18 August 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  9. ^ "25th Annual TV Awards (2020-21)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  10. ^ "Oslo". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  11. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (January 27, 2022). "'Belfast,' 'King Richard,' No Time To Die' Among American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  12. ^ Pedersen, Erik (November 22, 2021). "Artios Awards: Casting Society Sets Nominations For TV, Theater, Shorts & Shortform Series". Deadline. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  13. ^ "Television Nominations Announced for the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards". The Critics Choice Association. December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  14. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 24, 2022). "Golden Reel Awards: Sound Editors Crank Up Nominations For 69th Annual Ceremony". Deadline. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  15. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (January 11, 2022). "'Suicide Squad,' 'Coming 2 America' and 'Eyes of Tammy Faye' Lead Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Nominations (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  16. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 27, 2022). "PGA Awards Nominations: 'Licorice Pizza', 'Don't Look Up', 'Dune', 'King Richard' & 'CODA' Among Pics Vying For Marquee Prize". Deadline. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  17. ^ "2021 Nominees". International Press Academy. Retrieved December 9, 2021.

External links[edit]

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