The occasion in question was the highly anticipated opening ceremony for Deichman Bjørvika scheduled for June 18, 2020. Over 50,000 enthusiastic individuals from diverse walks of life had eagerly registered their attendance. They were looking forward to witnessing a captivating prologue by Lars Saabye Christensen and Camara Joof, as well as a reimagined performance of “Suser Avgårde” featuring Lars-Lillo Stenberg and others, all set against the backdrop of Deichman’s Steinway grand piano. The icing on the cake was the presence of His Majesty Haakon Magnus, who was to officially inaugurate the event by cutting the ceremonial ribbon. Guro Moe’s performance on a towering four-meter double bass promised to be a highlight. Most importantly, attendees were excited to embark on a journey of discovery within the vast offerings of this extraordinary institution.

However, an unforeseen challenge loomed large - the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which disrupted plans and raised concerns about public gatherings and safety. In response, the aim was to create an alternative reality for the 49,950 individuals who could not attend the physical opening ceremony. The goal was to provide them with an immersive and engaging experience where we also aimed to answer the question: “What is a library?” This took shape as a captivating ceremonial film. Our ceremonial film reached 120,000 viewers, becoming the most engaging  Deichman Facebook post in 2020.