The weekend of the 23rd – 25th February 2024 saw the Fantha Tracks team of Brian Cameron, Matt Booker, Paul McQue and Mark Newbold head for the icy wastes of Hoth – aka Finse in Norway – to attend Hoth Strikes Back, an exclusive event that celebrated the 45th anniversary of the filming of the Hoth scenes for The Empire Strikes Back. In the first of three panels, 20th Century Fox Norway CEO Harald Lystad spoke about this unique experience.
The story began on the 5th March 1979 when Irvin Kershner, the talented director behind The Empire Strikes Back, along with an impressive film crew, chose Finse as their filming location. It was at this remote and snow-covered location that they found the perfect resemblance to the ice planet “Hoth.” During filming, they were confronted with a historic snowstorm that truly tested both the crew and actors. Nevertheless, this resulted in some of the most iconic moments in film history.
During our unique visit as part of the Hoth Strikes Back 2024 event, Fantha Tracks had the opportunity to hear from the CEO of 20th Century Fox Norway in 1979, Harald Lystad. Harald presents an insightful, and fascinating tale of his involvement in the making of The Empire Strikes Back from the initial decision to shoot in Finse, right through to the end of production – including an incredible look into the creation of the iconic crew jackets.
For more on the event Hoth Strikes Back, visit the Facebook group
To stay at the Hotel, Finse 1222, visit their site
