22/08/2025 - The Irish drama and the Italian ensemble piece have shared the spotlight, with a Faroese breakthrough and a strong documentary presence among the Nordic Council Film Prize nominations

As the curtain fell on the 53^rd Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund (16-22 August), audiences, filmmakers and industry guests alike celebrated a diverse line-up of winners that underscored both the festival’s Nordic focus and its increasingly international outlook.

The Audience Award went to Christy [+see also:
film review
interview: Brendan Canty
film profile] by Irish director Brendan Canty. A raw yet tender social-realist drama, the film centres on a group of young people navigating friendship, vulnerability and resilience in a working-class environment. The jury praised its urgent focus on children’s lives and fragile circumstances, highlighting the importance of care and community. “The film centres on children's living and growing conditions. It shows us how fragile our lives can be, not least those of our children. The margins can sometimes be narrow, whether or not you are doing well,” the statement read, further noting that it “shows us how family, friends and neighbourhoods can stand together when things get tough. Because the content concerns us all, the movie will also be able to touch us all, and ignite the hope in us that it is worthwhile to stand together and create an inclusive community, regardless of social status.”

The Ray of Sunshine Award, given out by the Norwegian Cinema Managers Association to the film that “excites and spreads the most joy”, was awarded to Paolo Genovese’s Madly [+see also:
film review
film profile]. Known for his ensemble-driven storytelling, Genovese here delivers a bittersweet yet warmly humorous tale about contemporary anxieties, relationships and finding light in unexpected places. The jury described it as “easy to like – a popular and humane story that audiences can identify with in many different ways. Its original and humorous storytelling approach, combined with a warm and inclusive theme, makes this film a refreshing vitamin boost at the end of summer. The cast is made up of strong, relatable characters, and one might even call it a kind of adult version of Inside Out.” Distributed locally by Fidalgo and currently in cinemas, the film’s Haugesund recognition is expected to strengthen its theatrical reach across the Nordic region.

Haugesund also hosted the unveiling of the nominees for the 2025 Nordic Council Film Prize, one of the region’s most prestigious cultural distinctions. In a landmark first in its two-decade history, the Faroe Islands are represented by Sakaris Stórá’s The Last Paradise on Earth, a poignant drama about grief, resilience and ecological change in a remote fishing community. The line-up also marks a milestone for Nordic non-fiction, as nearly half of the selected works are documentaries, including Finland’s The Helsinki Effect [+see also:
interview: Arthur Franck
film profile] by Arthur Franck, Greenland’s Walls – Akinni Inuk by Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg and Sofie Rørdam, and Sweden’s Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958–1989 [+see also:
film review
interview: Göran Hugo Olsson
film profile] by Göran Hugo Olsson. The selection also includes Denmark’s My Eternal Summer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sylvia Le Fanu
film profile] by Sylvia Le Fanu, Iceland’s When the Light Breaks [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elín Hall
interview: Rúnar Rúnarsson
film profile] by Rúnar Rúnarsson and Norway’s Berlinale Golden Bear winner Dreams [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dag Johan Haugerud
film profile] by Dag Johan Haugerud. The winner of the DKK 300,000 (€40,190) prize – shared equally between the screenwriter, director and producer – will be revealed on 21 October.

Here is the full list of award winners at the 53^rd Norwegian International Film Festival:

Audience Award
Christy [+see also:
film review
interview: Brendan Canty
film profile] – Brendan Canty (Ireland/UK)

Ray of Sunshine Award
Madly [+see also:
film review
film profile] – Paolo Genovese (Italy)

Nominees for the 2025 Nordic Council Film Prize
The Helsinki Effect [+see also:
interview: Arthur Franck
film profile] – Arthur Franck (Finland/Germany/Norway)
Dreams [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dag Johan Haugerud
film profile] – Dag Johan Haugerud (Norway)
My Eternal Summer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sylvia Le Fanu
film profile] – Sylvia Le Fanu (Denmark)
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958–1989 [+see also:
film review
interview: Göran Hugo Olsson
film profile] – Göran Hugo Olsson (Sweden/Finland/Denmark)
Walls – Akinni Inuk – Sofie Rørdam, Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg (Greenland/Denmark)
When the Light Breaks [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elín Hall
interview: Rúnar Rúnarsson
film profile] – Rúnar Rúnarsson (Iceland/Netherlands/Croatia/France)
The Last Paradise on Earth – Sakaris Stórá (Faroe Islands/Denmark)