Benjamin Ree
Directing
Biography
Benjamin Ree (born July 10, 1989) is a Norwegian director and cinematographer of several documentaries, including Magnus (2016), The Painter and the Thief (2020), and Ibelin (2024). Ree began making films at the age of eleven and studied Journalism at Oslo Metropolitan University. After his studies Ree worked as a freelance videojournalist for BBC and Reuters, most notably covering the 2011 Norway attacks. Ree has said in interviews that making his first feature Magnus was his film school: "There I understood that I could transfer the interviews to a universal, nonverbal cinematic language."
Known For
The secret life of a young World of Warcraft gamer is vividly reimagined when his online friends contact his family after his death.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
From a young age Magnus Carlsen had aspirations of becoming a champion chess player. While many players seek out an intensely rigid environment to hone their skills, Magnus’ brilliance shines brightest when surrounded by his loving and supportive family. Through an extensive amount of archival footage and home movies, director Benjamin Ree reveals this young man’s unusual and rapid trajectory to the pinnacle of the chess world. This film allows the audience to not only peek inside this isolated community but also witness the maturation of a modern genius.
Magnus
David Lynch's visit to Norway.
David Lynch: Insight
When two of artist Barbora Kysilkova’s most valuable paintings are stolen from a gallery at Frogner in Oslo, the police are able to find the thief after a few days, but the paintings are nowhere to be found. Barbora goes to the trial in hopes of finding clues, but instead she ends up asking the thief if she can paint a portrait of him. This will be the start of a very unusual friendship. Over three years, the cinematic documentary follows the incredible story of the artist looking for her stolen paintings, while at the same time turning the thief into art.
The Painter and the Thief
Lars (5) is Ailin's (5) boyfriend and they are in love. One day they don't meet each other like they used to. Lars is born one year before Ailin and he starts going to school, while Ailin remain in kindergarten.
When Ailin Kissed Lars
Gunnar Ryan Wiik used more than 30 million NOK and seven years trying to make a hollywood movie about Morgan Kane - with himself playing the lead. It ended with lawsuits and wrecked friendships.
The Ballad of Morgan Kane
Brothers Axel Emil (13), Eivind (10), and Eirik (8) are obsessed with wildlife and birds. They are out in the forest almost every day taking pictures and looking for birds. But there is one bird they have yet to see: the Golden Eagle, one of Norway's largest birds. In this feel-good wildlife documentary we follow the brothers on their quest to see the Golden Eagle.
Dreaming of the Golden Eagle
A talented magician navigates between memory and trauma of the killing of his mother by his father.