People everywhere love movies — even north of the Arctic Circle. The thousand or so residents of Glomfjord, a small village near the mouth of one of Norway’s spectacular fjords, are no exception.

“The first film was shown here in 1917, which is very early in the history of movies,” says Trond Arntzen. “There was a guy moving around the country, going from place to place with a projector and showing shorts and news reels, and he came because of all the workers here who were building the hydroelectric plant.

“They bought a projector so they could keep watching films, and then they gifted it to the community. So we’ve been here since 1920. We’re an old, old company.”

Trond is the manager of what continues to be the Glomfjord Kino, a small, volunteer-run effort to keep the magic of the silver screen alive for more than a century. They’re one of several cultural organizations that make use of the auditorium at the local kulturhus, a squat two-story red brick building in the center of town, and still (like every other business in Glomfjord, including Nscale) powered by the same hydroelectric plant a few kilometers away.

“I was born and raised in Glomfjord,” says Trond, “but I've also always been a cinema guy. I went a lot as a kid, and as a student in Trondheim, then when I moved back home I heard they needed more people at the Kino. I thought, sure, I can help them sell some tickets or something. I called them up, spent a day learning how to use the projector, and things just evolved from there.

“There are five of us running the cinema. Roger Johansen and Magne Bergli have been here longest, but between the three of us alone I think we’ve got 120 years working here as volunteers. Then we have Daniel and Tore as newer guys helping us out.”

In parts of the world where the population isn’t large enough to justify dedicated, purpose-built cinemas, groups like the Glomfjord Kino are a vital cultural institution, and not just for Glomfjord. The next-nearest cinema is more than 120km away in Bodø, a full two-hour drive. It means that the Kino is the only big screen option for thousands of people living in the villages and towns scattered across the many fjords and islands of Meløy, and much of the wider Nordland region. 

As a result, the Kino is able to fill much of the 264-seater auditorium in each of its 180 or so screenings every year. If that isn’t enough, they can squeeze a few extra fold-down chairs at the back to bump capacity up to 300.

“We’ve only had to send people home [after selling out] once or twice,” says Trond. “Most recently it happened with Frozen 2, because of course the look of the ice in that film is based on the Svartisen glaciers nearby. The family market is definitely the main market for us, but we do try to keep a good variation of movies, and work together with local groups to do extra shows. From this fall, for example, we will have a regular once-a-month matinee show for older people, where we’ll serve coffee and cakes and sandwiches too. That’s what you have to do in a small place to keep things running.”

Even though all profits are reinvested back into the Kino, its size makes it difficult to keep the lights on. It’s one of only three locally-owned, volunteer-operated cinemas of its kind left in Norway, a unique quality which was cited by the Norwegian Film Distributors Association when it presented Trond and the Kino with an award for “creating great cinema experiences” at its 2026 event. Yet in spite of a 35 percent increase in audience numbers, the income from popcorn and soda sales can only go so far. Providing a professional-grade experience requires expensive equipment.

Much of the Kino’s equipment was, until recently, near end-of-life. The team had to drain their reserve fund to replace the sound system, but that left nothing for an even bigger problem: their digital projector. Fourteen years ago, the Kino successfully made the leap from analog film to digital projection. As that first-generation equipment neared the end of its lifespan, finding the resources to replace it proved much harder.

“Then, after Easter, I heard there was a cinema in Oslo that had gone bankrupt, and they were selling a laser projector,” says Trond. “That’s the first time a secondhand one came up for sale and there were already two other cinemas before us who had wanted to buy it, but couldn’t raise the money. I just said yes, then had to figure out how to afford it.

“Glomfjord is a small place.I also work at the pub and the hotel. We had a couple of pub nights for the people at Nscale, so I made sure to go up to the bosses and let them know that I’d be coming to ask them about this.”

For Daniel Bergli, Nscale’s Director of Industry Partnerships, and a Glomfjord local himself, it was a “no-brainer” of an opportunity:

“I’ve known Trond for a long time, and I’ve been going to the Kino since I was a child, like everybody else here. It’s the best, most accessible way to go to the movies.”

Nscale took Trond up on his offer, paying NOK 100,000 to become one of Kino’s primary sponsors. “We always want to strengthen what we feel can be strengthened, and, especially with the work they’ve already put in to upgrade it, the case for helping support them to continue doing that was easy.

The Kino’s new projector has been installed over the summer. Laser projectors draw less power, and don’t use an expensive bulb which needs to be regularly changed. Reducing operating costs means that they can keep ticket prices lower, maintain a higher cash reserve, and also afford to show a more diverse range of movies.

The only question now, though, is which movie to screen for the projector’s official “premiere”.

"This fall we’re planning a show to thank our sponsors and their families,” says Trond. “I'm looking for a movie with a wide appeal, that everyone will enjoy. In September, Savage Mountain will premiere. It’s a documentary about Kristin Harila, who holds the record for climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000m-plus mountains in the fastest time [92 days]. Glomfjord is surrounded by mountains, so that's a nice fit.

"Another good one is En nasjon i sjakk, an action/thriller with many big stars, including one of Norway's most famous AI experts, Inga Strümke. It might be possible to get her to attend, present the movie and talk about AI. I'm optimistic we will end up with a fun option."

“We’re looking forward to it,” says Daniel. “And experiencing the sound system upgrade too, of course.”

Find out more about Glomfjord Kino at https://meloy.kommune.no/innhold/kultur-og-fritid/kino/