Opening of the "Narvik in France"

The Winter Festival marks its 70th anniversary in 2026, returning to its roots as the French Festival, established to celebrate the strong bonds between Narvik and France, forged during the dramatic battles of Narvik in 1940. The recapture of Narvik on May 28, 1940, was the first Allied victory of World War II, and Narvik became a symbol of resistance, hope, and freedom. In the anniversary year, the Winter Festival Foundation highlights this important history through the "Narvik in France" project, developed in collaboration with Narvik Museum and the Narvik Centre Foundation.

Photographer Per Heimly, this year's VU artist, has documented French locations bearing the name "Narvik" and the deep connections between France and Narvik through his art and photography. His work includes encounters with French veterans and their descendants, which has helped to reinforce and preserve the memories of Narvik in France.

The exhibition provides an artistic perspective on how these historical connections are still alive in the French landscape and how they link the past and present. The project has also led to the municipality of Beauvezer in southern France naming a public space "Passage Narvik" in tribute to Narvik and its symbolic value – more than eighty years after the battles of 1940.

Come and experience this history through art, meet Per Heimly, and take part in an unforgettable experience that showcases Narvik's enduring symbolic significance in a time marked by increased international unrest and pressure on democratic values.