Sundance documentary FLEE and IDA winner GUNDA are among the five films vying for the Nordic Council Film Prize this year, with several prominent international directors and producers are among the nominees.

PRESS RELEASE - COPENHAGEN AUGUST 24, 2021

Today, Nordisk Film & TV Fond has announced this year’s candidates for one of the most coveted film prizes in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). The nominees will be presented tonight on stage at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund.

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Among the five nominees, we see film titles, directors and producers who are well known from international festivals or from their prior productions, such as Danish director Jonas Poher Rasmussen (2021 Sundance winner), Finnish producer Jussi Rantamäki (2021 Grand Jury Prize co-winner), Icelandic producer Friðrik Þór Fridriksson (Oscar nominated), Russian director Victor Kossakovsky (shortlisted for the Academy Awards) and Swedish director Ronnie Sandahl (2021 Dragon Award winner).

The Nordic Council Film Prize is awarded this year for the 18th time. It is the most prestigious film award in the Nordic region, celebrating a unique filmmaking vision, deeply rooted in Nordic culture.

The prize is endowed with a sum of DKK 300,000 (EUR 41.000) shared between the winning film’s director, screenwriter and producer.

The nominees for the Nordic Council Film Prize 2021 are:

  • Denmark - Flee
    Directed and written by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, co-written by ‘Amin’ (anonymous), produced by Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie for Final Cut for Real.
  • Finland - Any Day Now
    Directed and written by Hamy Ramezan, co-written by Antti Rautava, produced by Jussi Rantamäki and Emilia Haukka for Aamu Filmcompany.
  • Iceland - Alma
    Directed and written by Kristín Jóhannesdóttir, produced by Guðrún Edda Þórhannesdóttir, Fridrik Thor Fridriksson and Egil Ødegård for DUO Productions.
  • Norway - Gunda
    Directed and written by Victor Kossakovsky, produced by Anita Rehoff Larsen for Sant & Usant.
  • Sweden - Tigers
    Directed and written by Ronnie Sandahl, produced by Piodor Gustafsson for Black Spark Film & TV.

Last year’s winner of the Film Prize was the Norwegian award-winning film Beware of Children by Dag Johan Haugerud. Previous winners include the Danish Queen of Hearts by May el-Toukhy, the Icelandic Woman at War by Benedikt Erlingsson, the Finnish Little Wing by Selma Vilhunen, the Norwegian Louder than Bombs by Joachim Trier, the Danish The Hunt by Thomas Vinterberg among others.

The purpose of the Nordic Council prizes is to raise interest in the Nordic cultural community and in environmental co-operation, as well as to recognise outstanding artistic and environmental initiatives.

In addition, the prizes seek to raise the profile of Nordic co-operation and increase its visibility.

The Nordic Council Film Prize 2021 - along with the other Nordic prizes for literature, children and young people’s literature, music and the environment - will be awarded on November 2 at an awards ceremony in Copenhagen in conjunction with the Session of the Nordic Council.

SEE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2021 NOMINATED FILMS AND PAST WINNERS - CLICK HERE.