Northern Lights
“"Times when we had the powers that be on the run."”
Synopsis
The bittersweet story of young lovers caught up in a political struggle waged by farmers against the grain trade, the banks, and the railroads. Set in 1915–16 North Dakota, a largely forgotten era of American history.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Re-Release TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-04-25
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Robert Behling
Ray Sorensen
Joe Spano
John Sorensen
Susan Lynch
Inga Olsness
Ray Ness
Henrik Sorensen
Marianna Åström-De Fina
Kari
Helen Ness
Jenny Sorensen
Thorbjörn Rue
Thor
Nick Eldredge
Sven
Jon Ness
Howard
Gary Hanisch
Charlie Forsythe
Melvin Rodvold
Ole Olsness
Adelaide Thorntveidt
Adelaide Olsness
Mabel Rue
Grandma
Krist Toresen
Krist
Henry Martinson
Henry Martinson
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 17, 1978
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$300K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$19K
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.06x
-$281K deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Hanson, Rob Nilsson
- Screenplay & Story
- Rob Nilsson, John Hanson
- Original Score
- David Ozzie Ahlers
- Original Title
- Northern Lights
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Norwegian, Swedish
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Production Budget
- $300K
- Worldwide Gross
- $19K
- Production Studios
- New Front Films, Cine Manifest
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Hanson, Rob Nilsson
Rob Nilsson, John Hanson
David Ozzie Ahlers
Judy Irola
John Hanson, Rob Nilsson
John Hanson, Rob Nilsson
Department Leadership Roster
John Hanson
Producer
Rob Nilsson
Producer
John Hanson
Director
Rob Nilsson
Director
Rob Nilsson
Writer
John Hanson
Writer
John Hanson
Editor
Rob Nilsson
Editor
Judy Irola
Director of Photography
Marianna Åström-De Fina
Production Design
David Ozzie Ahlers
Original Music Composer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Northern Lights.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Northern Lights.
list4
MovieLens[50K:]
Similar Titles to Northern Lights
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
5.8
7.4
7.4
6.4
6.8
5.7
10.0
8.1
8.0
1.0
5.0
6.4
6.8
More Like Northern Lights
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Northern Lights
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Northern Lights about?
The bittersweet story of young lovers caught up in a political struggle waged by farmers against the grain trade, the banks, and the railroads. Set in 1915–16 North Dakota, a largely forgotten era of American history.
Who directed Northern Lights?
Northern Lights was directed by John Hanson, Rob Nilsson.
Who stars in Northern Lights?
The principal cast of Northern Lights includes Robert Behling, Joe Spano, Susan Lynch, Ray Ness, Marianna Åström-De Fina.
When was Northern Lights released and how long is it?
Northern Lights was released in 1978 with a total runtime of 1h 35m.
What was the box office and production budget of Northern Lights?
Northern Lights had a reported production budget of $300K and grossed $19K at the worldwide box office (0.06 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Northern Lights?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Northern Lights was composed by David Ozzie Ahlers.