The International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI) has granted NOK 3,766,000 (approximately €322,000) in production funding to four projects in its first funding round of 2026, supporting one feature film, two short films and one short documentary by Sámi filmmakers.

The largest grant (2.5 million NOK, or €224,000) goes to Máttáráhkká, a fiction feature directed by Suvi West. “Máttáráhkká is a bold fiction feature that has now been awarded production funding, with Sámi producer Sara Beate Eira attached to the project. The film has already received considerable attention at film markets in recent years, and we are very pleased to now support a new Sámi feature that is moving into production. It is also particularly exciting that producer Sara Beate Eira, through Screaming Fox Production, is joining as a co-producer together with the main producer, Tekele Film,” revealed Anne Lajla Utsi, managing director of the ISFI.

The plot follows Máret, a rebellious actress who tries to escape from her Arctic homeland, but when a passionate romance awakens her hidden powers, she rises to fight the patriarchy with love. “If you want to survive in the world of beasts, you have to be a little bit of a beast yourself,” reads the official synopsis provided to the ISFI.

Three short-format projects also secured backing in the same round: Vïelle, directed by Camilla Drege (600,000 NOK, or €53,700); Gusto gusto by Marja Bål Nango (500,000 NOK, or €43,800); and the short documentary Fiskarbröder by Liselotte Wajstedt (166,000 NOK, or €14,900).

The story of Vïelle centres on Eebre, who carries unspoken expectations on his shoulders. At home, his father believes in action, rather than conversation, while his younger brother moves through life with ease and joy. Their family life is filled with warmth, humour and quiet rituals, yet beneath this sense of belonging, a growing restlessness begins to stir within him. Gïrje film AS is producing the pic.

Meanwhile, Gusto gusto zooms in on Ánte and his journey to self-acceptance as a closeted gay Sámi man in his fifties. The short is being staged by 7ISH Film AS and co-produced by Finnmark Productions.

Finally, Fiskarbröder depicts two brothers who catch fish together in the Kalix River, united by the place, but separated by experiences and values. The project is being produced by Vaja Productions.

According to Utsi, the funding reflects the institute’s continued commitment to nurturing emerging talent and experimentation in the Sámi audiovisual sector. “We are also supporting three different short films. Shorts are very important in the Sámi film field. Through this format, it is possible to experiment and tell new stories, while at the same time providing an important step in the development of filmmakers and for the film industry as a whole,” she said.

Based in Norway, the ISFI supports the development, production and distribution of movies in Sámi languages, aiming to strengthen the professional ecosystem for Sámi storytellers and expand the international visibility of indigenous cinema.