The 53rd edition of the Norwegian International Film Festival is set to run for seven days, from 16 to 22 August, in the seaside city of Haugesund. This year's programme features 75 feature films and a wide range of events, including the New Nordic Films market, the Next Nordic Generation competition and the Amanda Awards ceremony. The festival will once again serve as a key meeting point for Nordic and international film professionals, offering premieres, masterclasses and special tributes that highlight both emerging voices and established talent in contemporary cinema.

The festival will open with the world premiere of The Battle of Oslo (Norway) on 17 August. Daniel Fahre’s historical war thriller portrays Colonel Birger Eriksen’s decisive actions during the dramatic events of 9 April 1940, when the fate of the nation rested on his judgment as commander of the Oscarsborg Fortress. The film stars Bjørn Sundquist as Eriksen, alongside Jon Øigarden, Fridtjov Såheim, Øystein Røger, and others. Closing the festival will be Eagles of the Republic [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Tarik Saleh
scheda film] (Sweden/France/Denmark), the latest entry in Tarik Saleh’s Cairo trilogy. The political thriller, starring Fares Fares as Egypt’s most beloved actor entangled in a government propaganda project, had its world premiere in Cannes and will mark its Norwegian premiere in Haugesund.

The two titles are part of the festival’s Main Programme, which also includes A Private Life [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Rebecca Zlotowski (France), Alpha [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Julia Ducournau (France/Belgium), The Balconettes [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Noémie Merlant
scheda film] by Noémie Merlant (France), Christy [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Brendan Canty
scheda film] by Brendan Canty (Ireland/UK), The Great Lillian Hall by Michael Cristofer (USA), Köln 75 [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ido Fluk
scheda film] by Ido Fluk (Germany/Poland/Belgium), Late Shift [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Petra Volpe
scheda film] by Petra Volpe (Switzerland/Germany), Leave One Day [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Amélie Bonnin (France), The Life of Chuck by Mike Flanagan (USA), Madly [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Paolo Genovese (Italy), New Wave [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Richard Linklater (France), Orwell: 2+2=5 by Raoul Peck (France/USA), Peacock [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Bernhard Wenger
scheda film] by Bernhard Wenger (Austria/Germany), Portrait of a Confused Father by Gunnar Hall Jensen (Norway), The Portuguese House [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Avelina Prat (Spain/Portugal), Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer by Tolga Karaçelik (USA/Turkey), Sorry, Baby by Eva Victor (USA), and Young Mothers [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Luc e Jean-Pierre Dardenne
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As every year, the festival will host the Amanda Awards ceremony, now in its 41st edition. The awards will honour achievements in 21 categories. Leading the nominations is Lilja Ingolfsdottir’s Loveable [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lilja Ingolfsdottir
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intervista: Dag Johan Haugerud
scheda film] by Dag Johan Haugerud and Armand [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel
intervista: Renate Reinsve
scheda film] by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, each with seven. These three titles are also competing for Best Film. Other notable contenders include Quisling – The Final Days [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Emilie Blichfeldt.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director Mona Fastvold will be present in Haugesund, where her latest film The Brutalist [+leggi anche:
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Meanwhile, Haugesund will honour Norwegian acting icons Lise Fjeldstad and Thorbjørn Harr with their own Amanda-stones on the city’s Walk of Fame, recognising their extensive contributions to stage and screen. This year’s festival will further pay tribute to veteran producer John M. Jacobsen, hosting a masterclass and a special screening of the mythical mockumentary Troll Hunter [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Andre Øvredal
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The unveiling of the 2025 Nordic Council Film Prize nominees will also take place in Haugesund, with the announcement made by Nordisk Film & TV Fond. The prestigious DKK 300,000 (€40,200) award, shared equally between the director, screenwriter and producer, celebrates the collaborative nature of filmmaking and honours a Nordic-produced feature film. The nominated titles will be presented during the opening of New Nordic Films, followed by a public conversation with all the filmmakers.