Birita - Director Búi Dam

In this moving and deeply personal feature documentary, BIRITA, a family of theater-makers on the tiny archipelago of The Faroe Islands attempts to stage Shakespeare’s King Lear, casting the mother - celebrated theater actress Birita Mohr - who is living with Alzheimer’s in the lead role. Birita’s son Búi Dam, a theater director, leads the project—a controversial endeavor driven by his belief that, even though his mother can no longer speak, she longs to return to the stage. Directing the play, Búi must grapple with justifying the project’s premise, while his father, a retired theater director, tries to balance caregiving with his own well-being. As this remarkable drama unfolds, Birita’s joyful presence brings a surprising lightness to the process, leaving a profound impact on everyone involved. Director Búi Dam joins us to talk about the many challenges raised in the making of this powerful and uplifting film.

About the filmmaker - BÚI DAM is a director, actor, and musician born who grew up in The Faroe Islands in a family of artists. He studied theater directing at the Danish National School of Performing Arts, acting at the London School of Dramatic Art, and music at FÍH in Iceland. He was mentored by Indian poet and playwright H. S. Shivaprakash and American jazz saxophonist John Purcell. He began his career as a jazz guitarist and composer, performing with renowned singer Eivør as well as other local musicians. A hand injury forced him to give up the guitar and step onto the stage as a singer and performer. Under the name BUDAM, he released two studio albums and toured extensively throughout Europe. He also composed music for several theater productions. He later transitioned fully into theater and film, acting, writing and directing. Dam’s work has earned him several awards, including Best Short Film at The Geytin Film Awards (2020), Best Actor at the Winter Film Awards in New York (2021), and the prestigious M. A. Jacobsen Award for his play Castle of Joy (2022). BIRITA is his first feature film.

About the subject - BIRITA MOHR (born 1950) is a retired Faroese actress. She was a leading figure in Faroese theater for more than three decades, performing memorable roles in productions such as Antigone,The Crucible, The Prostitutes Will Precede You into the Kingdom of Heaven, The Lost Musicians, The Vagina Monologues, The Cherry Orchard, and many others. Her film credits include ATLANTIC RHAPSODY and BYE BYE BLUEBIRD, both directed by Katrin Ottarsdóttir. In 2023, Birita was awarded the prestigious Cultural Honorary Award by the Faroese government for her lifelong contribution to Faroese theater.