This celebrated and triumphant drama about a nation’s act of defiance explores the true but little-known role Norway played during WWII. Traverse City Film Festival fave Erik Poppe’s (“Troubled Water,” TCFF 2009) intricately told story begins with Norway’s narrow victory against a German ship, one of the film’s stunning battle sequences. The win is quickly proven futile by the overwhelming force of Hitler’s military. Taking place over three days, the drama turns its focus to the Norwegian King’s conflict about whether he should stand against Nazi occupation in the face of a colossal invasion force, or surrender and avoid further loss of life. Though the king’s refusal to cede to Nazi demands is often overlooked by history books, the decision and its aftermath is regarded as a moment that defines Norway’s national character