Olav H. Hauge - Den andre mannen

A lyrical and strong portrait of the life, mind and work of the Norwegian poet, Olav H. Hauge. He lived most of his life as an apple farmer in the tiny village, Ulvik. Already from a young age he was a very private person, even shy and secluded. But he read a lot, and classics from the world literature gave him a notion of the world outside the Norwegian fjords. From these books, and from the stunning nature around him, he got his inspiration to write poetry. He first began publishing his poems at the age of 38, with small expectations. Hauge was haunted by depression from a very young age and spent long periods at a mental hospital, but contrary to what many other world famous artists experienced, he was not lobotomized, thanks to an understanding psychiatric doctor who recognized his genius. Gradually Hauge learned to live with his mental disorder. He was almost 60 when he had his breakthrough as an artist and became one of the central poets of his time. And, against all odds, at the age of 70 he finds love and marries. The filmatic portrait of this troubled and intense artist is like a poem in itself. The backdrop of Hauge's life and poetry is Ulviks magical and magnificent landscape, and the mood changes of his life and work is stressed by beautiful and specially composed music. (Norsk Filminstitutt)