Nominees for Nordic Council film prize

Six outstanding films nominated for the prestigious

NORDIC COUNCIL FILM PRIZE 2023

For the first time in history, a Greenlandic film stands among the Nordic films that have left a significant impression or mark on the global film festival circuit this year. It has been nominated for the Nordic Council Film Prize among five others.

Behind these six remarkable titles contending for the coveted Nordic Council Film Prize 2023, as announced by Nordisk Film & TV Fond, are several well-known directors and producers. 

This esteemed accolade, initially awarded to Aki Kaurismäki's Finnish masterpiece The Man without a Past  in 2002, was solidified in 2005 and has been presented annually since. Over the past two decades, luminaries like Roy Andersson, Josef Fares, Pernilla August, Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Ruben Östlund, Benedikt Erlingsson, Jonas Poher Rasmussen, and Joachim Trier, among others, have received the prize.

The nominees for 2023 are as follows:

• Denmark: Empire – Directed by Frederikke Aspöck, written by Anna Neye and Frederikke Aspöck and produced by Pernille Munk Skydsgaard, Nina Leidersdorff and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen for Meta Film.

• Finland: Bubble– Directed by Aleksi Salmenperä, written by Reeta Ruotsalainen and Aleksi Salmenperä, produced by Minna Haapkylä for Rabbit Films

• Greenland: The Edge of the Shadows - Directed and written by Malik Kleist, produced by Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg for PaniNoir / Imalik Film.

• Iceland: Driving Mum  – Directed and written by Hilmar Oddsson, produced by Hlín Jóhannesdóttir for Ursus Parvus.

• Norway: War Sailor – Directed and written by Gunnar Vikene, produced by Maria Ekerhovd for Mer Film.

• Sweden: Opponent – Directed and written by Milad Alami, produced by Annika Rogell for Tangy.

The six films, each representing one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) will be presented on Tuesday night on stage at the Norwegian Film Festival in Haugesund, in a special tribute to Nordic films.

The Nordic Council Film Prize holds an esteemed position as one of the Nordic region's most prestigious and sought-after film awards. It celebrates a unique cinematic vision deeply rooted in Nordic culture.

This distinguished award acknowledges a Nordic-produced full-length feature film with cinema distribution. The recipient is bestowed with both honor and a prize of DKK 300,000 (EUR 41,000), equally distributed among the film’s director, screenwriter, and producer - an acknowledgement of the profound collaboration among these three essential contributors to the art of filmmaking.

A national jury from each of the six Nordic countries has nominated one candidate per country. To be eligible, films must have premiered between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, while also meeting the Foundation's stipulated criteria.

The winner of the Nordic Council Film Prize 2023 will be unveiled on Tuesday, October 31st, 2023, during the Session of the Nordic Council in Oslo. The announcement will coincide with the presentation of other Nordic Council prizes, spanning literature, children and young people’s literature, music, and environmental categories.

The Nordic Council prizes serve the dual purpose of fostering interest in the Nordic cultural community and environmental collaboration, while also recognizing exceptional artistic and environmental endeavors. Moreover, they strive to elevate the prominence of Nordic cooperation and enhance its visibility.

The nominees for the Nordic Council Film Prize 2023. Photo. Grethe Nygaard.