Named after the title of the Norwegian national anthem and nominated for a Palme d’Or at Cannes 2014 (where it was awarded a ‘Special Mention’), Hallvar Witzø’s Ja, vi elsker (Yes, we love) is short film that showcases four separate stories, all set in Norway on its Constitution Day (May 17th). A fragmented narrative, which almost feels like it fits four shorts into its 14-minute duration, Witzø’s film is an intriguing and beguiling watch from a director with a distinct storytelling style.

Reminiscent of the work of another Scandinavian director, Roy Andersson, Witzø’s latest short builds on the impressive filmmaking first witnessed in his 2010 debut short Tuba Atlantic. This time opting for a more “experimental” approach, the writer/director once again proves he has an eye for a story in Ja, vi elsker’s four vignettes, all of which showcase a dark sense of humour and introduce characters you’d love to see more of.

With each part of his quartet of stories presented as one continuous shot, technically Ja, vi elsker might not seem that impressive, but each shot is orchestrated with such wonderful choreography and attention to detail it’s hard not to be in awe of the production. With dozens of extras, huge cannons firing, an exploding motorbike and a naked man in freezing cold temperatures, the director certainly didn’t make his life easy by restricting himself to one-take filming.

“My previous film, Tuba Atlantic, was linear, a classic drama, and it was important to me to make my next movie in a totally challenging way”, Witzø explains in an interview with Cineuropa. “I wanted to make a film in one take, without cutting it…creating the tension, the fun, the humour and the tragedy all in a single frame”.

With two award-winning short films to his name, Witzø has gone on to direct a series of Norwegian TV programmes. Here’s hoping he returns to the world of film in the not-too-distant future.