Eline Arbo

In The Storm Within

Art

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Synopsis

The Storm Within

On her native soil just above the Arctic Circle, Norwegian-Dutch theater director Eline Arbo recalls her teenage spirit: “I was so bold, eager and looking for fun – I often think back on those days.” Today, she feels like a fighter trying with all her might to turn the tide in an alienating and unjust world.

In The Storm Within, Arbo reflects on her role as a leading theater director as she rehearses for the new play Haugtussa, based on a Norwegian cycle of poems in which a young woman with magical powers seeks refuge in nature. With a dark and mysterious theatrical adaptation, Arbo aims to create a world never before seen on stage. In her view, the ominous mythical scenes of nineteenthcentury Haugtussa are profoundly contemporary.

Credits

Character: Eline Arbo

Director: Marjoleine Boonstra

Country: Norway, The Netherlands

Duration: 20:08

Year: 2025

Co-producer: Een van de Jongens

''The storm within a person, I think that's important to show in the theater.''

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Biography

Eline Arbo

‘Watch my plays and you will know who I am,’ says theatre director Eline Arbo (born 1986), known for her overwhelming productions filled with explosive scenes and grand gestures, often accompanied by compelling soundtracks. In her plays, she aims to show the storms that rage both within a person and in the outside world.

Born in Tromsø, Norway, Arbo studied Theater Studies at the University of Oslo before moving to the Netherlands to attend the directing program at the Academy of Theatre and Dance. Her works include the acclaimed productions The End of Eddy (2020), The Years (2022), The Hours (2021), Prima Facie (2023) and The Laws (2024). In 2023, she succeeded Ivo van Hove as artistic director of ITA. Her work can be seen worldwide. A recurring motif in her work is the individual struggling against oppressive societal norms.

Acclaims
• Artistic Director of International Theater Amsterdam (2023-present)
• Nominated for Best Director (The Years), What’s on Stage Awards (UK)
• Winner of various theatre prizes, including the Mary Dresselhuys Prize (2021) and the Olivier Award for Best Director (2025)
• Ibsen Artist in Residence (2023-2024)

The theatre production of

Weg met Eddy Bellegueule

The Storm Within was previously shown in conjunction with Eline Arbo’s production Weg met Eddy Bellegueule (based on The End of Eddy) and will also be screened alongside a performance of the play at the Toneelschuur on 29 May.

Based on Édouard Louis’ autobiographical novel, the production tells the story of a young gay man growing up in a harsh environment in northern France, as he searches for freedom, identity, and a place of his own.

Get an impression of the production by watching the video below.

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SCREENINGS

The Storm Within premiered in 2025 at International Theatre Amsterdam, where the film was screened in conjunction with Eline Arbo’s production Weg met Eddy Bellegueule. Since then, the film has travelled to Italy for a screening at the Montecatini International Short Film Festival and forms part of a special programme at the Toneelschuur in Haarlem, the Netherlands.

In addition, the film is available on Eye Film Player, the streaming platform of the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam, and has been included in the catalogue of the Amsterdam University of the Arts.

Eline Arbo, Marjoleine Boonstra and moderator Servaz van Berkel at the premiere of The Storm Within at International Theatre Amsterdam in 2025. Photos: Fee Golin.

Director

Marjoleine Boonstra
Marjoleine Boonstra is a Dutch director and D.O.P with over 25 years of experience. Her documentaries always revolve around the theme: what keeps mankind alive. Her documentaries are screened at film festivals all over the world and have been awarded many times. She combines a poetic visual approach with a compassionate view on the world, which make her documentaries striking and touching.

Boonstra previously made the Ammodo Doc Three Acts about opera director Pierre Audi.