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.
The festival closed on 22 August with 2025 Egyptian Arabic-language political thriller film Eagles of the Republic written and directed by Tarik Saleh. The Audience Award went to Christy by Brendan Canty, and The Ray of Sunshine award was awarded to Madly, by Paolo Genovese.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 DucournauFrance, Belgium A Private Life Rebecca Zlotowski France The Balconettes Noémie MerlantFrance The Battle of Oslo Blücher Daniel Fahre NorwayChristy Brendan Canty United Kingdom, IrelandThe Great Lillian Hall Michael Cristofer United StatesKöln 75 Ido Fluk Germany, Poland, Belgium Late Shift Heldin Petra Volpe Switzerland, Germany Leave One Day Amélie BonninFrance Nouvelle Vague Richard LinklaterFrance Orwell: 2+2=5 Raoul PeckFrance, United States Peacock Pfau – Bin ich echt? Bernhard Wenger Austria, Germany The Portuguese House Una quinta portuguesa Avelina Prat Spain, PortugalPsycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer Tolga Karaçelik United States, TurkeySorry, BabyEva Victor United States Young Mothers Jean-Pierre and Luc DardenneBelgium, France
Nordic Focus
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)100 Litres of Gold Teemu Nikki Finland, ItalyA Light That Never Goes Out Lauri-Matti Parppei Finland, Norway Beginnings Begyndelser Jeanette Nordahl DenmarkThe Cat Kingdom John Hellberg and Bernhard Rasmusson SwedenThe Dance Club Lisa Langseth Sweden Eagles of the Republic Tarik SalehSweden, France, Denmark, FinlandWelcome to the Moon Aske Bang Denmark
French Touch
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies) Adam's Interest Laura Wandel Belgium, France In the Nguyen Kitchen Stéphane Ly-Cuong France Meteors Hubert Charuel France The Party’s Over Antony Cordier France Summer Beats Lise Akoka, Romane Gueret France
Amanda Nominees
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)Armand Halfdan Ullmann TøndelNorway, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden Dreams (Sex Love) Drømmer Dag Johan Haugerud Norway Loveable Elskling Lilja Ingolfsdottir Norway Safe House Før Mørket Eirik Svensson Norway The Ugly Stepsister Den stygge stesøsteren Emilie Blichfeldt Norway, Poland, Sweden, Denmark
Norwegian Archfest
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)The Brutalist Brady Corbet United States, United Kingdom, HungaryE.1027: Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea Beatrice Minger, Christoph Schaub Switzerland The Great Arch l'inconnu de la grande arche Stéphane Demoustier France The Residence Dalloway Yann Gozlan France, BelgiumSchindler Space Architect Valentina Ganeva United States
Special Showing
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies) Breathless (1960) À bout de souffle Jean-Luc Godard France Diamond (2024) Diamanti Ferzan Özpetek Italy Fatherhood (2025) Tre Fedre Even G. Benestad, August Baugstø Hanssen Norway It Was Just an Accident Jafar PanahiIran, France, Luxembourg
Young Films
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)Hacking Hate Simon Klose Sweden, Denmark, Norway Holy Cow Louise Courvoisier FranceKneecap Rich Peppiatt Ireland, United Kingdom Memoir of a Snail Adam Elliot Australia
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
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)Coexistence, My Ass! Amber FaresUnited States, France DJ Ahmet Georgi M. Unkovski North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, CroatiaGaucho GauchoMichael Dweck, Gregory KershawUnited States, ArgentinaRebuildingMax Walker-Silverman United States
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 SchoolDream Daddy Johanna Milerud HDK-ValandThe Lightning Rod Helmi DonnerAalto ELO Film SchoolMy Name Is Hope Sherwan HajiPannbiff Pommes Chicken Teriyaki Matti Johansson Stockholm University of the Arts HillestadPoter På Snø Edvard Stangvik Westerdals, Kristiania University CampusRecast Severi VilkkoAalto ELO Film SchoolThe Seekers Helena HyvärinenSoft Armor Gine KippenbroekNational Film School of DenmarkUnder 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.
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 Haugesund Walk of Fame: Lise Fjeldstad
Thorbjørn Harr
References
External links Official website