Film Themes: What is a home?

This year’s Nordisk Panorama film programme explores this question through various lenses, revealing how home, belonging and identity can manifest in countless ways. Some of the films delve into the definition of home – its loss, rediscovery, and the vital role of community. Others confront the challenge of preserving their homes amidst environmental and societal shifts.

These films explore themes of belonging, self-discovery and the evolving role of society in shaping personal identity, inviting us to empathise with their personal journeys. We recommend making the cinema your home during the festival and immersing yourself in films that explore the homes, identities and connections of others:

“This is Life in Itself” – Finding Home at the Ping Pong Tables

In his film Ping Pong Family, Åsmund Hasli explores the vibrant community formed around a public table tennis spot in Oslo. The ping pong tables on Schous Plass serve as a meeting place for people of diverse backgrounds, all united in their love for the game. Some are in it to win, some like socialising and drinking beer, and some are lonely and need a place to hang out. When the municipality wants
to move the tables somewhere else, the community works together to save the place that feels like home.

We spoke to the director about his inspiration for the documentary, the community’s response to the film and what home means to him.

What inspired you to create the film Ping Pong Family?

I started playing table tennis in 2010 at my old workplace at NRK (the public broadcaster). All my colleagues used to play during the breaks. I joined them but lost all the time because I had no idea how to play. At the same time, just beside my old apartment in Oslo, there was a single outdoor table. Many players frequented it, some quite good, so I thought: “Why not go there to improve my
game”? I noticed this table drew so many different people to it, and I thought it was a fun way to meet people. Then I started thinking this could be the subject of a documentary film.

By 2019, Schous Plass had become a hub for street table tennis players, and I saw that a community was gradually forming. I was inspired by all these different people coming together over one common thing: outdoor table tennis. Even more importantly, it felt like a home for many people, including me. It was this feeling that made me start playing at Schous, and I started filming a little later.

How did you experience the community?

My initial experience of the community was very intense. After a short while, I had 50 people who felt like my extended family and some of them became my close friends with whom I am still very much connected. It felt like being part of something so much bigger than myself, and it felt liberating to be among the many. It was a feeling of euphoria. Sometimes I thought this wasn’t just a
part of life – this is life in itself.

Of course, as in every family, the Ping Pong Family also has its conflicts and problems. The family consists of around 30 different nationalities, men and women of all ages and all walks of life. Some friction is unavoidable. There are carpenters, software engineers, plumbers, unemployed, people with liberal views on alcohol and drugs, bartenders and students, among many others. The main conflicts have been along the lines of tolerance. How much alcohol is okay to consume? How long can you stay at a table before making space for other players waiting in line? How is the activity best organised, and should it be organised at all?

How did the community react to your film?

The community has been overwhelmingly positive about the film. I have the feeling that many of the players also see a lot of the same things I see. And I think many of them also consider these subjects as important as mine. Indeed, many thoughts about the community described here, which I hope translates into the film, aren’t just mine. They condense what other players have shared, their experiences and views combined with my thoughts on the matter. So my impression is that they feel the film represents the community and that they are happy to be a part of it.

What was important for you to communicate in your film?

The main keyword for me was “belonging”. In our modern and individualistic societies, we all need somewhere to belong. In Scandinavia, or at least in Norway, much of our social life is lived within closed circuits at the workplace or with our family. In addition, people tend to have friends who resemble themselves. In the case of Schous Plass, I think everyone there felt a strong sense of belonging to the place and to this community, even though they come from vastly different backgrounds. Modern society can be hard on people. It can be challenging if you’re on the outside. The loss of self-worth through unemployment, the loneliness that can occur in our cities, mental health issues and the feeling of alienation – I think all these problems can be made less. I think the ping pong community does that and is worth showcasing.

Apart from this, I think it is important to communicate that it’s also possible to meet people across the boundaries that exist in people’s minds. Interaction with people different from you can also reduce the polarisation of society we have seen in recent years.

How can urban spaces provide a sense of community, home and belonging?

In a way, I think this is a question of sensation and regulation. For example, could a community like the one at Schous Plass take form in Sørenga (a newly constructed area in Oslo)? I think the answer is no. The architecture doesn’t really invite you to do anything out of “tune”. The environment is clean and sterile. It doesn’t feel like you’re meant to take initiative as a human being in this place, and you sense the invisible boundaries. It reminds me of how you feel in a freshly painted room: you’re afraid to hammer a nail into the wall because it would make a new mark. Apart from the sensory aspect, it’s also a very commercial area, and it has a lot of regulations. For example, security guards throw you out if you use the public beach after 22.00. Considering the sensation and the regulation at Sørenga, I think these are the main obstacles to community, home and belonging.

On the other hand, places like Schous Plass and Sofienbergparken have qualities that allow for some action that isn’t predefined. They aren’t overly commercialised and feel truly open to everyone. As a citizen, you can make these places work for you. The imperfections make them welcoming places; their flaws become their qualities, and they are “dirty” enough to make you feel at home.

What is home to you? Where do you find it?

Oslo is my hometown, but it is too big and abstract to be called home. I think what makes you feel at home are smaller and more confined places within the city. Schous Plass was my home (watch the film for an explanation), and Sofienbergparken feels like home now. I feel at home with the ping pong community, my family, my girlfriend and my friends.

Ping Pong Family competes in the New Nordic Voice category and screens on Sunday 22/9 13.00 at Panora 2.

If you’re unsure about what to watch at this year’s festival, we’ve categorised the films into themes to guide your cinematic journey. Dive into stories that resonate with your interests and discover new perspectives through our diverse film categories. We hope you find something that captivates and inspires you!