A note from the producers

Thank you for watching our teaser trailer. You may have noticed AI generated clips in the video. It is not our intention to use AI video in the film itself but only to use this new technology to convey our vision. For the actual film, we intend to recreate live action scenes.

Knut Haugland was hardworking, humble, and deeply private. He avoided the spotlight, rarely gave interviews, and had little interest in telling his own story. As a result, for decades his extraordinary life remained largely unknown and unacknowledged outside of Norway. It wasn't until 2009, just one year before his death, that Norwegian journalist Svein Sæter published Haugland's full story in his biography Operatøren. Even then, the story did not reach a global audience.

In 2025, filmmaker Kip Prestholdt read Operatøren for the first time. What he found was not just a remarkable life but also a story that demanded to be seen by a wider audience. He immediately reached out to his cousin Jeremy Prestholdt, a professor of history at the University of California, San Diego. Friends since childhood, Kip and Jeremy knew this was a journey they needed to take together.

This project is under development with the full support and encouragement of the Haugland family and biographer Svein Sæter. They believe the time has come for Haugland's story to be shared with a wider audience.

By early summer 2026, we will have a complete film package ready, including a pitch deck, script, production schedule, and budget. We are seeking a Norwegian production partner or partners who share our belief in the importance of Knut Haugland's story and can help us engage with foundations, grants, organizations, and individuals interested in supporting the project.

If you would like to continue the conversation and explore how you might be a part of bringing this film to life, please leave your contact information below. We would be excited to connect with you.

With sincere thanks,
Kip & Jeremy Prestholdt