LUTEFISK WARS MOVIE

The Minneapolis St. Paul Independent Film Festival makes its showing every May. My son had an internship working for the festival after college and still makes sure he attends at least a few of the films each year. So it came as no surprise to me, when he called to tell me there was a movie this year that he was sure I would be interested in seeing. Lutefisk Wars! Well needless to say I committed to seeing the movie that Saturday night at the St. Anthony Main Theaters. There simply was no question about my interest in seeing the movie since my current published book is, Real Norwegians Eat Lutefisk. Before the movie we had dinner at a quaint little restaurant on the banks of the Mississippi River and arrived early enough at the theater to get second row seats in a soon to be sold out movie theater. I had no idea what the movie was about, but was pleasantly surprised. The movie takes place in Newford, North Dakota—not a real city, just one they made up. So it wasn’t in Minnesota but North Dakota is right next door, so that works. The actors took on Norwegian American accents of our fellow Norwegian immigrants who settled in North Dakota. The main character, Karl Larsen, a Schwan’s frozen foods delivery man who dreams of becoming a chef, is sought out by an old Norwegian fisherman who wants to give him an urgent message but dies before he can tell his secret. Afterwards Karl receives threatening phone calls urging him to give up the recipe. Bad things begin happening to Karl and his girlfriend, including a dead cod fish in his bed. Everything comes to a head over a hot dish at the local Lutheran Church when the Norwegian Mafia shows up. Now I’m not sure my summary is the best so I will quote the movie’s storyline from their website, lutefiskwars.com. “A rural frozen food delivery man is mistaken for someone else and ends up in the middle of an ancient feud between two Norwegian Mafia families.” I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and afterwards was able to meet one of the producer/writers, Christopher Panneck, who grew up in North Dakota. I even told him about my book, Real Norwegians Eat Lutefisk and may just have to send him a signed copy of the book! Lutefisk Wars will be available sometime in 2012 and I will definitely be adding it to my collection of Norwegian films. Lutefisk, the fish of our ancestors is gaining popularity both in Norway and the U. S. and is on its way to becoming the fish choice of future generations!