Page - 132 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 02/02

132 | Sofia Sjö www.jrfm.eu 2016, 2/2, 123–140 Norway in 1852. And in further contrast to many westerns it is not a story about strong men trying to make their way in a dangerous world, but about a young woman fighting against injustice. The Kautokeino Rebellion (2008) sparked a great deal of interest in Nor- way and in the north of Sweden and Finland, where many Sami live. The Sami are native to northern Europe, and like many native minority groups, they have been suppressed and mistreated. The Kautokeino Rebellion (2008) illustrates this very well and so the film sparked a long-overdue debate about the Sami’s current situation and their treatment in the past. Here, however, I will focus on how religion and gender are “done” in the film. The two central characters in the film are the young Sami woman Elen and the old male pastor Stockfleth. As a character, Stockfleth is similar to Stig in As It Is in heaven (2004), with the exception that Stockfleth has a lot more power to control others and cause harm. When the Sami, inspired by the preacher Laestadius and led by Elen, break with the merchants in Kautokeino and thus also with the Lutheran Church, which, through its pastors, supports the mer- chants, a new pastor, Stockfleth, is sent to Kautokeino. From the first scenes, Stockfleth is constructed as a problematic personality, while at the same time his role as a religious figure is underlined. He is always dressed in black robes and other religious insignia that highlight his position as pastor, but also give him a threatening look. When he first arrives in Kautokeino, he is filmed from behind as he walks through the community. His face is not shown until he en- ters a small house where a group of Sami are holding a religious meeting. Elen’s grandmother is frightened by Stockfleth’s sudden appearance and his dark look and immediately identifies him as a man of evil, upon which Stockfleth strikes her. As in other scenes, Stockfleth is filmed from a low angel so that he towers over the Sami, indicating his position of power over them. After his first violent reaction, Stockfleth tries to excuse himself and invites the Sami to come to the church, but the scene is set for a struggle. Through Stockfleth the official church is constructed as a problematic space that is not concerned about the needs of the Sami and instead chooses to sup- port the merchants and their abuse of the Sami. The church is constructed as an institution that preaches love and care, but turns a blind eye to real suffer- ing. Through Stockfleth’s actions the church is even shown to break the law, for Samis are arrested for minor misdemeanors and held prisoner without trial. Since all the pastors are male and represented as traditional male leaders and “bad guys”, the church is constructed as a masculine space where female voic- es are silenced.