Catching the Flame

Catching the Flame follows the life of Norwegian painter Nikolai Astrup, showing how his surroundings, relationships, and inner drive shaped his work up to his early death in 1928. Rather than a strict documentary, the film stages key moments from Astrup's career, interweaving reconstructed scenes with period detail to show how rural Sogn, family ties, and local rituals fed his imagination. Viewers see him honing techniques, wrestling with temperament and expectations, and turning landscapes and domestic life into striking compositions. The film pays attention to everyday textures and creative choices, allowing the art to emerge naturally from the scenes that inspired it, without turning the story into a simple biopic.

Released in 2019, the film was directed by Pål Øie and created by Karl Johan Paulsen, with Thure Lindhardt starring as Nikolai Astrup, supported by Dennis Storhøi and Henriette Marø. It mixes archival references with dramatized episodes and was presented at regional festivals and art-centered screenings.

Catching the Flame had a limited theatrical rollout, primarily in Norway and at specialty festivals, so its commercial reach stayed modest. It was never positioned as a wide international release, and most viewers encountered it through curated screenings, cultural events, and museum partnerships rather than mainstream box office exposure.

Although not a global phenomenon, the film helped rekindle interest in Astrup in Norway, prompting a few local exhibitions and renewed attention from art teachers and regional galleries. Its visual emphasis on landscape and process made it a useful companion piece for exhibitions and academic discussions about early 20th century Norwegian painting and the relationship between place and practice.

Critics were mixed, noting strong lead performances and carefully composed visuals while pointing out a deliberate, unhurried pace that may test some viewers. The film focuses on themes of artistic dedication, the influence of homeland on creativity, and the personal costs of pursuing an exacting vision, presenting Astrup as driven, intimate, and closely tied to the land he painted.