17/11/2025 - Tereza Nvotová’s Oscar-submitted study in forgotten baby syndrome is enjoying a triumphant season after this latest win

The winners of the 2025 Stockholm Film Festival (© Anton Isiukov/Imaginary Anton)

“For its fearless storytelling, its endlessly unpredictable dramatic progression, gripping performances and masterful artistry, the Award for Best Film goes to Father [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tereza Nvotová
film profile].”

Having premiered in the Orizzonti section of Venice to unanimous acclaim, been selected as Slovakia’s 2026 Oscar submission at International Film Festival Cinematik (see the news) and won the Golden Eye for Best Film at Zürich, Tereza Nvotová’s third feature, Father – a study in a macabre phenomenon known as “forgotten baby syndrome” – now continues its triumphant season, grabbing the top prize at the 36th Stockholm International Film Festival last Friday night. A prominent Scandinavian jury, consisting of actor David Dencik, director Mikael Marcimain and producer Eva Åkergren, concluded their motivation as above, and also commended the “long, intense takes and a camera that sometimes feels like a silent witness” as well as lead actor Milan Ondrik, who delivers “unforgettable realism and raw vulnerability”. As additional kudos, the film also got the Best Script Award, shared between Nvotová and Dušan Budzak.

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“I’m grateful that the jury connected with a story that isn’t easy to watch, and I’m especially glad it happened in the year dedicated to David Lynch,” Nvotová, at work on the forthcoming true-crime series Our People and thus unable to attend the festival, told Cineuropa. “We’re a small country with limited resources, so recognition like this really helps the film reach audiences far beyond Slovakia.”

The Best Director Award was won by Mascha Schilinski for her Cannes 2025 revelation Sound of Falling [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mascha Schilinski
film profile], while several other Cannes favourites of the year were also honoured: Brazil’s The Secret Agent [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Kleber Mendonça Filho, getting Best Cinematography for Evgenia Alexandrova; and Iraq’s Caméra d’Or winner Hasan Hadi, bagging Best First Feature for The President’s Cake. The Best Actress and Actor gongs went to Shih-Yuan Ma in Taiwan’s Left-Handed Girl [+see also:
film review
film profile] and Harry Melling in the UK’s Pillion [+see also:
film review
film profile] while Ukraine’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] earned its director, Mstyslav Chernov, the Best Documentary Award.

Earlier during this year’s 12-day edition, the Stockholm Visionary Award was presented to US director Benny Safdie, and Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård collected the Stockholm Achievement Award. Granted the Lifetime Achievement Award already in the COVID-19 year of 2020, Isabella Rossellini was also finally present, as a special guest of honour, as VIP (half-)Swede and as part of this year’s special tribute, lovingly paid to the memory of the ex-Mr Rossellini, director David Lynch.

Here is the list of award winners at the 2025 Stockholm Film Festival:

Best Film
Father [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tereza Nvotová
film profile] – Tereza Nvotová (Slovakia/Czech Republic/Poland)

Best Director
Mascha Schilinski – Sound of Falling [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mascha Schilinski
film profile] (Germany)

Best First Feature
The President’s Cake – Hasan Hadi (Iraq/Qatar/USA)

Best Screenplay
Dusan Budzak, Tereza Nvotová – Father

Best Actress
Shih-Yuan Ma – Left-Handed Girl [+see also:
film review
film profile] (Taiwan/France/USA/UK)

Best Actor
Harry Melling – Pillion [+see also:
film review
film profile] (UK/Ireland)

Best Cinematography
Evgenia Alexandrova – The Secret Agent [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Brazil/France/Germany/Netherlands)

Best Documentary
2000 Meters to Andriivka [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Mstyslav Chernov (Ukraine/USA)

Best Short Film
Skin on Skin – Simon Schneckenburger (Germany)

Best Short Film, Nordic Shorts Competition
Sorry I’m Late (But I Brought a Choir) – Håkon Anton Olavsen (Norway)

1 KM FILM Award

1 KM FILM Award
Work Ethics – Johan Stavsjö (Sweden)

1 KM FILM TorinoFilmLab Script Development Award
Silence – Dea Saračević (Sweden)

1 KM FILM Honourable Mention
LOUD - Balder Ljunggren (Sweden)

Nordic Wave Pitch Award
8 sqm – Karim Fakih (Sweden)

Nikon Short Film Competition (60sek)
DIJA – Karim Fakih (Sweden)

Rising Star Award
Nils Wetterholm

Stockholm Achievement Award
Alexander Skarsgård

Visionary Award
Benny Safdie

Stockholm Film Critics’ Award
Stig Björkman