Torstein Bjørklund hooks up with Arts & Sciences in the US.

11 June 2025

Norwegian director Torstein Bjørklund is now represented by Arts & Sciences in the United States, where Mal Ward and her team believe a "wildly absurdist yet relatable" outlook is destined to thrive.

In another life, Torstein Bjørklund would be an actor. He went to the State Theatre School in Oslo and got cast in commercials, but an executive producer thought Bjørklund would flourish behind the camera instead of in front of it. They were right—now the Norwegian's off to the United States where an Arts & Sciences degree beckons.

As he prepares to make his US debut, backed by Mal Ward and her team, let's take a look at 'The Heist', one of several recruitment films directed by Bjørklund in 2022. Do you have what it takes to be a kindergarten teacher? That's the question asked in a spot that keeps things silly enough so the humour feels natural, with the bickering pair of bank robbers showing believable pettiness before their colleague arranges a compromise.

This and other commercials like it piques the interest of Mal Ward, managing director and partner of Arts & Sciences. "This is one of the funniest bodies of work I've seen in a long time. Torstein's perspective on life manages to be wildly absurdist and yet relatable all at the same time. And his stories are all told with a keenly observational look that feels photographically smart and modern."

This prompts Bjørklund to say: "Arts & Sciences strikes me as a genuinely inclusive and human place, which for me is a prerequisite for creativity. They also have a lot of directors whose work I admire, which is, of course, inspiring! I look forward to growing with them in the US!"

Got a project in mind for Torstein Bjørklund? Then make a beeline for Arts & Sciences' contact page.