The 53rd Norwegian International Film Festival was held from 16 to 22 August 2025. The festival presented 75 feature-length films alongside a broad selection of events, including the New Nordic Films market, the Next Nordic Generation competition, and the Amanda Award ceremony scheduled for 16 August. It opened on 17 August with the world premiere of The Battle of Oslo by Daniel Fahre.[1]
The festival closed on 22 August with 2025 Egyptian Arabic-language political thriller film Eagles of the Republic written and directed by Tarik Saleh.[2] The Audience Award went to Christy by Brendan Canty, and The Ray of Sunshine award was awarded to Madly, by Paolo Genovese.[3]
Events
Haugesund Walk of Fame
On 16 August 2025 'Haugesund Walk of Fame', an award in the form of granite blocks laid in Haugesund's Haraldsgata was conferred on Lise Fjeldstad,a Norwegian actress and Thorbjørn Harr, a Norwegian actor, recognising their contributions to stage and screen.[4]
The Amanda Awards 2025
The 53rd edition held the 41st Amanda Award ceremony hosted by Vegard Larsen and Linnéa Myhre on 16 August. The awards honoured achievements in 21 categories.[5]
Masterclass with John M. Jacobsen
The festival will pay tribute on 17 August to Norwegian film producer John M. Jacobsen, by hosting a masterclass and a special screening of the 2010 Norwegian dark fantasy film Troll Hunter co-produced by him.[6]
Norwegian ArchFest
The 7th edition of the architecture film festival Norwegian ArchFest, organized by the Department of Urban Development in Haugesund Municipality and takes place with the Norwegian International Film Festival, will have Oscar-nominated Norwegian actress, screenwriter and director Mona Fastvold as the guest. She will open the festival with her 2024 epic period drama film The Brutalist by Brady Corbet.[7]
The 2025 Film Festival Exhibition
Haugesund Art Association, The Norwegian International Film Festival and Haugalandmuseet–Haugesund Art Gallery organized a Vernissage at Haugesund Art Gallery of Maiken Stene's exhibits on 17 August.[8]
Jury
Amanda Awards
- Espen Aukan, Norwegian screenwriter and playwright
- Cengiz Al, Norwegian actor and dancer
- Kathrine Thorborg Johansen, Norwegian actress
- Grethe Bøe, Norwegian actress, director and crime writer
- Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken, Norwegian film director and screenwriter
- Are Sjaastad, production designer
- Martin Ask Eriksen, visual effects artist
- Oskar Dahlsbakken, Norwegian cinematographer
- Jon Endre Mørk, editor
- Vegard Ronæss Soldal, sound designer
- Kjetil Bjerkestrand, Norwegian keyboardist, composer, arranger and record producer
- Thorvald Nilsen, producer
- Guri Neby, producer
- Nell Knudsen, Costume designer for film, TV and theatre. Based in Oslo and Prague
Next Nordic Generation
- Bahareh Badavi, a Norwegian playwright
- Bjørn Eivind, a Norwegian filmmaker
- Marte Hansen, producer, writer, and production Manager
Official selection
Main Programme
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production country(ies)
|
| Alpha |
Julia Ducournau |
France, Belgium
|
| A Private Life
|
Vie privée
|
Rebecca Zlotowski
|
France
|
| The Balconettes
|
Les Femmes au Balcon
|
Noémie Merlant
|
France
|
| The Battle of Oslo
|
Blücher
|
Daniel Fahre
|
Norway
|
| Christy
|
Brendan Canty
|
United Kingdom, Ireland
|
| The Great Lillian Hall
|
Michael Cristofer
|
United States
|
| Köln 75
|
Ido Fluk
|
Germany, Poland, Belgium
|
| Late Shift
|
Heldin
|
Petra Volpe
|
Switzerland, Germany
|
| Leave One Day |
Partir un jour |
Amélie Bonnin |
France
|
| Nouvelle Vague |
Richard Linklater |
France
|
| Orwell: 2+2=5 |
Raoul Peck |
France, United States
|
| Peacock
|
Pfau – Bin ich echt?
|
Bernhard Wenger
|
Austria, Germany
|
| The Portuguese House |
Una quinta portuguesa |
Avelina Prat |
Spain, Portugal
|
| Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer |
Tolga Karaçelik |
United States, Turkey
|
| Sorry, Baby
|
Eva Victor
|
United States
|
| Young Mothers |
Jeunes mères |
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne |
Belgium, France
|
Nordic Focus
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production country(ies)
|
| 100 Litres of Gold
|
Teemu Nikki
|
Finland, Italy
|
| A Light That Never Goes Out
|
Lauri-Matti Parppei
|
Finland, Norway
|
| Beginnings
|
Begyndelser
|
Jeanette Nordahl
|
Denmark
|
| The Cat Kingdom
|
John Hellberg and Bernhard Rasmusson
|
Sweden
|
| The Dance Club
|
Lisa Langseth
|
Sweden
|
| Eagles of the Republic |
Tarik Saleh |
Sweden, France, Denmark, Finland
|
| Welcome to the Moon
|
Aske Bang
|
Denmark
|
French Touch
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production country(ies)
|
| Adam's Interest
|
L'intérêt d'Adam
|
Laura Wandel
|
Belgium, France
|
| In the Nguyen Kitchen
|
Dans la cuisine des nguyen
|
Stéphane Ly-Cuong
|
France
|
| Meteors
|
Météors
|
Hubert Charuel
|
France
|
| The Party’s Over
|
Classe Moyenne
|
Antony Cordier
|
France
|
| Summer Beats
|
Ma Frère
|
Lise Akoka, Romane Gueret
|
France
|
Amanda Nominees
Norwegian Archfest
Special Showing
Young Films
Cinemagi
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production country(ies)
|
| The Badgers
|
Grevlingene
|
Paul M. Lundø
|
Norway
|
| Dancing Queen in Hollywood
|
Aurora Gossé
|
Norway
|
| Hola Frida!
|
André Kadi, Karine Vézina
|
France, Canada
|
| Honey
|
Natasha Arthy
|
Denmark
|
| Maybe Elephants
|
Kanskje det var elefanter
|
Torill Kove
|
Norway, Canada
|
Perspectives
Next Nordic Generation
These are the nominated films in this section:
| English title
|
Original title
|
Director(s)
|
Production company(ies)
|
| Astro TV
|
Magdaleena Jakkila
|
Aalto ELO Film School
|
| Dream Daddy
|
Johanna Milerud
|
HDK-Valand
|
| The Lightning Rod
|
Helmi Donner
|
Aalto ELO Film School
|
| My Name Is Hope
|
Sherwan Haji
|
| Pannbiff Pommes Chicken Teriyaki
|
Matti Johansson
|
Stockholm University of the Arts
|
| Hillestad
|
Poter På Snø
|
Edvard Stangvik
|
Westerdals, Kristiania University Campus
|
| Recast
|
Severi Vilkko
|
Aalto ELO Film School
|
| The Seekers
|
Helena Hyvärinen
|
| Soft Armor
|
Gine Kippenbroek
|
National Film School of Denmark
|
| Under A Broken Wing
|
Sarah Carlsen
|
Awards and winners
The Audience Award was won by Christy by Brendan Canty and Ray of Sunshine Award by Madly by Paolo Genovese.[9][10]
- Storyline Production Award: The Greatest Illusion, by Benjamin Ree
- The Ray of Sunshine (digital fine print by Camilla Thuv): Madly, by Paolo Genovese
- The Audience Award (diploma): Christy by Brendan Canty
- The Norwegian International Film Festival and Liv Ullmann’s Honorary Award (Statuette by Nina Sundbye): Birger Vestmo
- Next Nordic Generation Award (diploma): Sherwan Haji for My Name Is Hope
- Honourable Mention: The Lighting Rod by Helmi Donner
- Best Project Award (diploma): Wannabe by Patricia Bbaale Bandak
- Honourable Mention: Silverwhite by Martti Helde
Special awards
References
External links
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