Exclusive: Producer Heidi Arnesen talks her career and her Oscar-nominated short film ‘Night Ride’

The Knockturnal sat down and to have a chat with Heidi Arnesen, who happens to be the producer of the Oscar-nominated short LGBTQ+ film ‘Night Ride’.

The Knockturnal: Knocturnal fans, I’m Richard Schertzer. I’m here with Heidi Arneson. She’s the producer of the Oscar nominated short film ‘Night Ride’ and I just, I’ll just get right into it. So how did you start? How did you get your start in the film industry and become a producer?

Heidi: Oh wow, that’s a long story. I mean, I started out making my own shorts, as a director in the 90s, I made my first short in ‘91, which actually turns out to be the first queer Norwegian short ever. I just found out last year. So that’s fun. And I made like 8 short films and a feature eventually in ‘97, and then I went into television as a director, and then I started producing in the mid 2010s, and I was offered a producing job. I think mostly because I’m structured to be honest, you know? So, I started doing that and then we just continued producing together me and Gaute. We’ve joined forces in his company that he started in 2000.

The Knockturnal: Tell the audience more about your film night ride and what it’s about.

Heidi: Yeah, I mean, ‘Night Ride’ really is about standing up for what’s wrong or when you see someone being wronged and disrespected, you need to find the courage to intervene, and we don’t always have that courage because it’s difficult to enter into a situation where someone is being violent with another person because you’re afraid for your own safety, but sometimes we just have to pluck up the courage, and do something, and if our lead actress Ebba can do it, I think we all can.

The Knockturnal: So how did you get involved with this film?

Heidi: Gaute and I run the company together and Eirik Tvetian the director came to us with the idea of making a film on a tram because it’s actually based on a true story. A friend of his was drunk after a party during Christmas and ended up trying to stay warm by trying to steam a tram.Everything that happens on the tram is his story. That’s his script and we developed it with him.

The Knockturnal: What do you hope people walk away with after watching this short film?

Heidi: I hope that they walk away with the feeling of being uplifted that it’s actually possible to do something and that we all have that responsibility and feeling that, if I am ever in a situation like that, I will do something. The rest of the people on the tram, they’re not doing anything. They’re just sitting there, and I hope that people will feel they’re more like Ebba or lead than the rest of the people on the tram.

The Knockturnal: I saw from the press release this was the first LGBTQ short film to be nominated for an Oscar in its category.

Heidi: I don’t think ever. I think maybe in the last 10 years, but it’s the first short film with a trans person in lead to ever be nominated for an Oscar. 

The Knockturnal: What advice do you have for future producers and filmmakers?

Heidi: I think you need to follow your gut. If the story resonates with you, I think you should go all the way. A short film is not something you can get rich on but it definitely is a great way of getting your story across and from there on Sky’s the limit. You can do whatever you want.