Bentein Baardson graduated from The National Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1974. He worked as an actor in several Norwegian theaters, and as the theater director of Rogaland Theater from 1985 to 1989. He was artistic director at Agder Theater from 1991 to 1994, before directing the opening and closing ceremonies of the 17th. Olympic Winter Games at Lillehammer in 1994.
He made his debut as a feature film director with the biographical drama The Enigma in 1996, which was also turned into a mini-series for television. Although being his feature debut, Baardson had broad experience in directing before The Enigma, as for example directing Amalie Skram's Hellemyrsfolket for the stage at the National Theater in Bergen and Ibsen's Peer Gynt as a mini-series for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) in 1993, in addition to other productions for television.
Norsk Filminstitutt
