Anja Breien, a Norwegian film director and screenwriter, died on May 10, 2026, at the age of 85.
She was among the leading figures in the Norwegian film industry and one of the first women to rise to prominence as a writer-director in Norway. Her work in fiction and documentary explored social and political issues, including women’s rights within Norwegian society.
Breien directed films including Arven, Rape, and Games of Love and Loneliness. Born in Oslo in 1940, she studied French at the University of Oslo and graduated from the French film school L’Institut des hautes études cinématographiques in 1964. She began her film career as a script supervisor in 1961 and later worked as an assistant director on Hunger (Sult) in 1966.
Anja Breien, 85, Norwegian film director (Arven, Rape, Games of Love and Loneliness).