26/09/2024 - The other big victor at this year’s edition of the Swedish event was Camilla Jämting’s short film Project Dad, in receipt of the New Nordic Voice Award

It’s a wrap for the 2024 edition of Nordisk Panorama, which unspooled in the Swedish city of Malmö from 19-24 September. This year’s winners were announced on 24 September at an awards ceremony held at the Cinema Pandora. From among the 57 eligible films selected to compete in the festival’s competitive strands, five were rewarded with prizes, including the winner of the first Nordic Documentary Producer Award.

The top prize, the Award for Best Nordic Doc (worth €11,000 and sponsored by the five Nordic pubcasters, NRK, YLE, SVT, RÚV and DR), went to Life Is Beautiful [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Mohamed Jabaly (Norway/Palestine/Qatar), which was premiered at IDFA last year. “Given the rich and varied selection presented this year, it wasn’t easy to choose the best film. In the end, the jury decided to reward a seemingly simple film, which in its simple form gives us a rare look into the complexities of global issues, Nordic society, our film industry and our hearts,” said the jury, made up of filmmaker Lea Glob, Venice Film Festival programmer Francesco Giai Via and WDR commissioning editor Jutta Krug. In the doc, the Palestinian director uses his creativity to connect with the world and find a way forward, while navigating a life put on hold by politics and bureaucracy.

An Honourable Mention was bestowed upon The Monk by Mira Jargil and Christian Sønderby Jepsen (Denmark/Netherlands). In particular, the jury praised “its excellent craft, its honest self-reflection and its willingness to turn over every stone”. In this film, Jargil and Sønderby Jepsen try to strike a balance in their stressful lives and, seeking guidance, turn to a renowned Danish HIV researcher-turned-monk in the mountains of Sri Lanka.

Next, the Award for Best Nordic Short Film (worth €5,000 and sponsored by the associations of Danish Film Directors and Swedish Film Directors) went to Carolina Sandvik’s The Lovers (Sweden). The jury, made up of Locarno programmer Enrico Vannucci, Ouat Media general manager Inga Diev and filmmaker Marlene Emilie Lyngstad, rewarded the short “for balancing the subtle with the grotesque to deliver a humorous and visceral commentary on the nature of intimacy”. An Honourable Mention went to Into the Blue by Ömer Sami (Denmark).

Meanwhile, the New Nordic Voice Award (a cash prize worth €5,000, backed by AVEK and Film i Skåne) went to Camilla Jämting’s short Project Dad (Norway). The film revolves around Camilla’s father, who is a pick-up artist who teaches other men how to succeed on Tinder. His idea of self-improvement is going for winter walks semi-naked, inspired by the Wim Hof breathing method. However, Camilla is an artist and a feminist, and there's not much that she and her father agree on. Furthermore, an Honourable Mention was handed to Øystein Mamen’s short Punishment (Norway).

The New Nordic Voice jury was made up of Norwegian Short Film Festival director Anita Svingen, film critic Ann Lind Andersen, and filmmakers Arman Zafari and Markus Toivo.

In addition, Sara Stockmann snagged the Nordic Documentary Producer Award (worth €10,000). A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, she has produced over 30 documentaries and series since 2005. Several of her films have been awarded internationally – among others, Janus Metz’s Cannes- and Emmy-winning doc Armadillo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Janus Metz, director of Arm…
film profile] and the Tribeca-awarded Bobbi Jene [+see also:
trailer
film profile], helmed by Oscar-nominated director Elvira Lind. “Sara Stockmann consistently advocates for bold, unconventional films, while steadfastly supporting the director’s vision. Her unwavering tenacity drives her to defend creative integrity, foster strong relationships, and uphold decency in every project she undertakes,” reads the official statement.

Finally, the Young Nordic Award (worth €1,500 and sponsored by the festival itself) went to Marianne Olsen Ulrichsen’s short Warrior Heart (Norway), whilst Sissel Morell Dargis’s CPH:DOX-premiered documentary feature Balomania [+see also:
film review
film profile] (Denmark/Spain) snagged the City of Malmö's Audience Award (provided by the municipality and worth €2,500).

Here is the full list of this year’s award winners:

Best Nordic Doc
Life Is Beautiful [+see also:
film review
film profile] – Mohamed Jabaly (Norway/Palestine/Qatar)
Honourable Mention
The Monk – Mira Jargil, Christian Sønderby Jepsen (Denmark/Netherlands)

Best Nordic Short
The Lovers – Carolina Sandvik (Sweden)
Honourable Mention
Into the Blue - Ömer Sami (Denmark)

New Nordic Voice
Project Dad – Camilla Jämting (Norway)
Honourable Mention
Punishment - Øystein Mamen (Norway)

Nordic Documentary Producer Award
Sara Stockmann

City of Malmö’s Audience Award
Balomania [+see also:
film review
film profile] – Sissel Morell Dargis (Denmark/Spain)

Young Nordic Award
Warrior Heart - Marianne Olsen Ulrichsen (Norway)