Sara Johnsen

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Sara Johnsen was born in Oslo in 1970. She studied literary science and gained a master’s degree in Media and Communication. In 1997 she became one of the first students to be enrolled in the Norwegian Film School, where she graduated in the year 2001.

She gained acclaim early on, as her two student films won a number of Norwegian and international awards, and soon emerged as one of the most talented filmmakers in Norway.

After graduation, Sara worked as a director in the Drama Department of Swedish Television, before contributing a segment to the feature film “Most People Live in China” and making several short films for Friland AS before her debut as a feature film director with “Kissed by Winter” in February 2005.

The film received massive critical acclaim, and won several Norwegian and international awards. Most importantly, it won the American Film Institute’s Grand Jury Prize in 2005, but the Amanda Award for Best Debut and the New Vision Award at the Roma Independent Film Festival are also well worth mentioning.

Sara made her debut as a literary author in autumn 2004 with the novel “He Knows Something She Should Try”, published by Gyldendal. Her second novel, “White Man”, was released in January 2008, and has received brilliant reviews.

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