UK Jewish Film

Strictly Confidential

Every family has their secrets. But for director Benedicte Orvung, theirs is one that hid a brutal dark story with grave historical consequences.  Benedicte’s great uncle was Karl Marthinsen, the most prominent Norwegian Nazi collaborator during the Second World War. This information had been kept a secret from her until she discovered who he was by accident at the age of thirty. What she uncovers is the shocking and harrowing story of a man her family felt was best forgotten through shame.

This visually striking film weaves together personal testimonies with archived footage, and uses the words from documents he had written to paint a shocking picture of the actions of a man who was a fanatical National Socialist. Responsible for coordinating the round up of Norwegian Jews, Karl Marthinsen was eventually assassinated by the resistance. But even in death, he caused more bloodshed, in the form of brutal reprisals. Lucy Kaye