On October 11, see the American premiere of a documentary following six women whose daring transatlantic crossings helped to revolutionize Norway, followed by a film talk by director Gunhild Westhagen Magnor and bestselling author Siv Ringdal! Based on Ringdal’s bestselling book of the same name, “On High Heels in America” reveals a cross-cultural journey of independence for Norwegian women who emigrated to NYC following WWII.

In the turbulent post-war period from 1946 to 1965, a lot of young, unmarried women left their pietistic home of Agder in the south of Norway— known as the “Nordic bible belt” —and emigrated to New York to find work. What awaited them was a completely new world: an American consumer society which gave them the opportunity to form a new identity and flourish in personal freedom. Many later returned to Norway, taking home with them customs and ways of life that helped shape Norwegian social development in the late 20th century.

Through intimate and heartfelt retellings from six of the women in this small but mighty movement, combined with unique archive footage, we get an intimate insight into their lives, shifting attitudes, and ever-present notions of home. They each tell the story of their grand journey with humor and wit, shedding light on timeless topics like social control, women’s liberation, migration, and the glitz of the American dream.