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FESTIVALS / AWARDS Sweden

The Nordisk Panorama announces its winners

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- Sweden has come out on top in the main categories after the festival’s triumphant return to a live format

The Nordisk Panorama announces its winners
Aboli's Journey by Yasaman Sharifmanesh

Despite uncertainty about the future (see the news), the Nordisk Panorama made a triumphant return to a live format between 16 and 21 September in the Swedish city of Malmö. The festival, dedicated to shorts and documentaries emanating from the likes of Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Norway, provided audiences with a fulsome selection of films as well as a packed industry programme for the healthy number of film professionals in attendance. After a successful six-day event, the winners of Nordisk Panorama were announced at an event held at Malmö City Hall on Tuesday night.

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The Best Nordic Documentary Award was picked up by Yasaman Sharifmanesh’s Aboli's Journey, produced by Swedish outfit Ginestra Film. The film follows a 17-year-old who made an arduous journey from Iran to Sweden on foot. But after three years in the country he tried so hard to get to, he finds himself deported to Afghanistan and must face an unfamiliar country whilst trying to find a place that he can call home. “Through an intimate, confident and captivating camera, this film extends one’s understanding of an urgent topic. This is a fearless, beautifully observed and finely crafted film that traces a painful odyssey that is rarely seen,” said the festival jury.

The jury for Best Nordic Documentary was made up of Jussi Rastas (director and cinematographer, and winner of the New Nordic Voice Award in 2020), Zane Balčus (head of the Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries) and Simon Kilmurry (documentary producer and executive producer).

The Award for Best Nordic Short was snagged by another Swedish production, The Night Train by Jerry Carlsson. The film, co-produced by France, had previously premiered in competition at Venice in 2020 and explores the desire of two men as they lock eyes during a journey on the titular train. The jury said that the film “takes us on a journey and makes so much out of seemingly little. It uses the limitations of space, time and words to create a captivating tension that makes us hold our breath while we can almost feel the heartbeats of the brilliant protagonists. The elegant directing pays great attention to looks, gestures and every detail – and the amazing sound design is the icing on the cake (or the juice in the orange).” A Special Mention was given to Jana Bringlöv Ekspong’s Nights and Days in July (Sweden).

The jury consisted of Gísli Darri Halldórsson (director and animator), Anne Gaschütz (festival co-director at Filmfest Dresden) and Daniel Ebner (festival director of Vienna Shorts).

The New Nordic Voice Award, which introduces promising Nordic filmmakers whose work has not previously been screened at the Nordisk Panorama Film Festival, went to the Danish-Faroese co-production Skál [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Cecilie Debell and Maria Tórgarð. The feature-length documentary, which premiered at CPH:DOX this year, is about a girl who grows up in the Faroe Islands’ Christian community and who begins to question her beliefs after dating a hip-hop artist and poet. The jury said the film was “simply full of beautiful moments between two young people, who express themselves through music and poetry. The cinematography includes the landscapes. It is truly the purest expression of a cinematic idea, with a clear vision on the directors’ part. It has a respect for the society it depicts. It has a wonderful spirit of freedom and love.” Special Mentions were given to Fly So Far by Celina Escher and Young & Afraid [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Sverre Kvamme and Petter Aaberg.

The jury consisted of Jenni Kivistö (director), Nora Tvedt (director), Liisa Holmberg (film commissioner at the International Sámi Film Institute) and Tue Steen Müller (film consultant and critic).

Finally, the City of Malmö’s Audience Award went to Flee [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
film profile
]
by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, which allows the feature-length animated documentary to add yet another award to its impressive plaudits picked up at the likes of Sundance and Annecy. The Young Nordic – Children’s Choice Award went to Stories from the Shower by Teresia Fant, a short documentary that examines adolescents' experiences in school showers.

The full list of Nordisk Panorama award winners is as follows:

Best Nordic Documentary
Aboli's Journey -Yasaman Sharifmanesh (Sweden)

Best Nordic Short
The Night Train - Jerry Carlsson (Sweden/France)
Special Mention
Nights and Days in July - Jana Bringlöv Ekspong (Sweden)

New Nordic Voice Award
Skál [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
- Cecilie Debell and Maria Tórgarð (Denmark/Faroe Islands)
Special Mentions
Fly So Far - Celina Escher (Sweden/El Salvador)
Young & Afraid [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Sverre Kvamme and Petter Aaberg (Norway/Denmark)

City of Malmö’s Audience Award
Flee [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
film profile
]
- Jonas Poher Rasmussen (Denmark/France/Norway/Sweden)

Young Nordic – Children’s Choice Award
Stories from the Shower - Teresia Fant (Norway)

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