UmArts presents two artists’ documentaries investigating analogue radio in Sweden and Norway that reflect on the resilience of amateur and analogue knowledge. After the screening the artists Astrid Ardagh (Norway) and Helena Wikström (Sweden) will be in discussion with curator Ele Carpenter and researcher Pedro Sanches, Umeå University.
Astrid Ardagh, Director, Ishavringen /On Air, 2024. (20:26 mins) A major cyberattack in the wake of the Ukrainian war left Norway’s Arctic Islands without means to communicate. On Air explores the vital role of radio amateurs in keeping our backup communication systems alive. Set against a striking arctic backdrop, the film reflects on society’s digital vulnerabilities and the enduring importance of analog technology.
Helena Wikström, Black Peter, 2018. (28 mins) The intriguing story of how the first radio pirates in Sweden, two woodsmen from Lomsjö, challenged the Swedish radio monopoly while the Swedish Security police chased them throughout the northern Swedish forests in the 1950s.
This film screening is part of the Arctic Arts Summit off summit program and Umeå Film Festival, 2026.