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Torill Kove’s grandmother often told her stories, one of which revolved around ironing shirts for the King of Norway. What if that intriguing detail was just the tip of the iceberg? Perhaps she also worked covertly in the Norwegian resistance - maybe she even spearheaded a campaign to create an unprecedented brand of guerrilla warfare. Treating history as a fabric woven from personal stories, animator Torill Kove follows a thread of family history, embroidering it with playful twists along the way. In ‘My Grandmother Ironed the King’s Shirts’ she imaginatively renders her grandmother’s life and work in Oslo, especially during World War II. Sharp and whimsical, her story combines the grandmother’s tales with historical events and fantasy and shows how a cherished anecdote can come to acquire a mythical status. This is remarkable story about an ordinary woman with a revolutionary instinct. With sharp humor it explores storytelling, myth-making and the important contributions that are possible through the most humble means. (Awards: Vancouver; Oscar nomination, Hollywood.) Narrated by Mag Ruffman.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
311541
Language
English
Audience classification
G
Subject categories
Armed Forces, Military, War & Weapons → Resistance movements, War
Armed Forces, Military, War & Weapons → War
Armed Forces, Military, War & Weapons → Women and peace
Armed Forces, Military, War & Weapons → Women in war
Armed Forces, Military, War & Weapons → World War, 1939-1945
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Peace
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Social conflict
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Women
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Women and peace
Family, Gender Identity, Relationships & Sexuality → Women
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Women
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)