Zero Kelvin

Zero Kelvin

Year: 1995

Runtime: 118 mins

Language: Norwegian

Director: Hans Petter Moland

DramaThriller

Larsen, a young poet from 1920s Oslo, leaves his girlfriend to trap for a year in East Greenland. He works with the grizzled sailor‑trapper Randbæk and a scientist, Holm. As the Arctic winter confines them to a tiny hut, a love‑hate tension erupts between Larsen and Randbæk, revealing their similarities. The film is a stark drama set against bleak Arctic scenery.

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Timeline – Zero Kelvin (1995)

Trace every key event in Zero Kelvin (1995) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Larsen leaves Oslo for a year in Greenland

In the 1920s, Henrik Larsen leaves his girlfriend Gertrude to spend a year as a trapper in Greenland. He carries a mix of aspiration and poetic vanity as he sets out for the Arctic. The departure marks the start of a harsh survival arc that will strain his ideals.

early 1920s Oslo, Norway
2

Larsen joins Randbæk and Holm at the remote station

Larsen arrives at the Greenland station and shares a small winter hut with station master Randbæk and scientist Holm. Randbæk mocks Larsen’s poetry, violin playing, and kindness to the sled dogs, while Larsen proves himself capable at several tasks. The dynamic sets up a power struggle that shadows the entire stay.

soon after arrival Greenland station
3

Gertrude’s letter surfaces

Randbæk discovers a letter from Gertrude rejecting Larsen's marriage proposal and taunts him about her infidelity. The cruel discovery fuels his mockery and widens the rift between them. Larsen's hopes begin to crumble as trust fractures in the extreme cold.

early on Greenland station
4

Dwindling supplies prompt a grim plan

With supplies running low, Randbæk and Holm discuss killing one dog to reduce risk. Randbæk deliberately wounds the dog instead of killing it, provoking Larsen's anger and concern for the animals. The tension escalates toward a breaking point.

soon after the letter Greenland station
5

A fight and intervention

Larsen and Randbæk clash as tempers flare over the dog’s fate, and Holm intervenes to stop Randbæk from murdering Larsen. The incident deepens the divide and tests their fragile tolerance of each other. The icy landscape becomes a backdrop for a shifting alliance.

same incident Greenland station
6

A doomed feast and a fallen trust

Randbæk tries to smooth things with a Christmas feast, but the same argument over the dogs erupts again and Randbæk destroys the decorations. Holm abandons the friendship and departs the station by sled. The trio’s brittle dynamic collapses into isolation.

shortly after the previous event Greenland station
7

Fire and a trek toward a new shelter

A few days later, Randbæk drunkenly knocks over a lantern, setting the cabin on fire. With no shelter, the two decide to travel by sled dog toward a new settlement, forcing them into a grueling journey. The burning cabin mirrors their unraveling relationship.

a few days later Greenland
8

Betrayal on the ice

Randbæk refuses to share the work and whips Larsen’s face, forcing him from the sled. They exchange gunfire as they surge across the frozen landscape, each driven by pride and survival. The ice becomes a ruthless tribunal for their feud.

during the escape Ice floe, Greenland
9

A reluctant partnership forms

Larsen discovers Holm’s sled has crashed into a ravine, and he lets Randbæk overtake him. They decide to work together to survive, a grim alliance born of necessity rather than trust. The turn signals a shift from rivalries to pragmatic cooperation.

shortly after the crash Near a fjord/ravine in Greenland
10

Crossing the fjord and taking shelter

Larsen tries to cross the ice and plunges into the frigid water, but the dogs pull him free. He finds shelter in the prow of a wrecked ship and gradually regains consciousness. The Arctic night lingers as their fragile survival persists.

soon after Fjord ice and wrecked ship, Greenland
11

Fire and rescue on the wreck

Larsen wakes to discover Randbæk has saved his life by building a fire, a rare moment of warmth amid mutual suspicion. The fragile moment of warmth underscores the uneasy dependence between them. The fragile truce holds as the cold presses in.

immediately after waking Wrecked ship, Greenland
12

The dog is killed and the murder follows

Randbæk begins brutally beating Larsen's dog to death for food, and Larsen responds by shooting Randbæk repeatedly. The confrontation ends with Randbæk dying, a confession slipping from him about a former murder of his wife’s lover. The confession hints that love’s end has already closed in on him.

during the confrontation Wrecked ship, Greenland
13

Randbæk’s confession and death

As he dies, Randbæk confesses that he murdered a lover of his wife, calling it "the end of love." He predicts that Larsen will now become like him. The moment underscored the moral cost of their survival and the transformation Larsen may endure.

dying moment Wrecked ship, Greenland
14

Return to Oslo and reunion with Gertrude

Safely returned to Oslo, Larsen claims Randbæk died in the fire and is reunited with Gertrude, who now agrees to marry him. The pair find a fragile stability as the old relationship resumes. The honesty of their future is still uncertain but hopeful.

after return Oslo, Norway
15

A painful truth and final tears

As Gertrude prepares to shave him, Larsen breaks into tears. The emotional weight of the recent survival and the unspoken costs of the journey spills over. The ending remains bittersweet, with a vow for a future shadowed by memory.

end of story Oslo, Norway

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:34

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