A blend of Scandinavian crime film and dark comedy, In Order of Disappearance features a humble worker who single-handedly takes vengeance on the Norwegian underground after his son’s death.
Norway, winter. Introverted and hard-working Nils drives the powerful snow plough that keeps open the roads and mountain passes of an inhospitable frozen landscape. He’s just been named citizen of the year for his efforts when he receives news that his son has died of a heroin overdose. Refusing to believe the official version of his son’s death, he begins a covert search for the boy's alleged murderers. A surprising turn of events causes him to become a tough-as-nails and feared underworld hero – one whose identity nobody knows. On his exploits in the realm of gangsters Nils has to deal with the mentalities of the Swedish, Norwegian and Serb Mafiosi, but the endless wintry-white landscape is his trump card that he will use to his advantage.
»Revenge is not an uncommon theme in movies, but I wanted to explore it in a way that other people have not. /.../ It is difficult to categorize this film because I wanted to blow the doors off of any genre limitation out there in the firm belief it is possible to have tragedy and absurd comedy live side by side.«
- Hans Petter Moland
Hans Petter Moland
Born in 1955 in Oslo, Norway, Moland studied film at Emerson College in Boston and has been working as a director for over 20 years. He made his first feature, The Last Lieutenant, in 1993. His 1995 feature, Zero Kevin, was awarded a special mention by the jury at San Sebastián. In Order of Disappearance is Moland’s third film to have been selected for the competitive programme of the Berlin Film Festival.