Facing War

Tommy Gulliksen – Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden 2025 – 100 minutes – spoken language: English, Norwegian, with English subtitles

As Western unity wavers, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg extends his tenure for one final year, vowing to support President Zelensky “for as long as it takes.” But with NATO decisions requiring unanimity, his promise is tested by deepening divisions among allies.

With unprecedented access to NATO’s inner workings, the film follows Stoltenberg as he navigates high-stakes diplomacy, balancing the demands of world leaders like Biden, Macron, Zelensky, Erdoğan, and Orbán. As Western support for Ukraine fractures, he must rally NATO’s members and prevent the alliance from splintering under political pressure.

A highly relevant film, which presents an urgent exploration of diplomacy, democracy, and global security in a moment of profound uncertainty. Can Stoltenberg keep his word to Zelensky?

This feature film in the Movies that Matter on Tour series will be introduced and followed by a discussion, lead by dr. Laurien Crump, researcher at Radboud Institute for Culture and History. Laurien specializes in (pan-)European relations during and after the Cold War, with a particular focus on East-West relations, the European security architecture including NATO enlargement, and the war in Ukraine. Subtitles and discussion in English.

With the On Tour program, Movies that Matter organizes screenings with in-depth programmes in The Netherlands and online. They do this in collaboration with a diverse array of organizations and companies. Among other things, they also organise the annual Movies that Matter festival in The Hague.