The Best Nordic Documentary Award was presented September 24 to the Norwegian documentary The Painter and the Thief by Benjamin Ree. The €11,000 award, sponsored by the Nordic public broadcasters DR, YLE, RUV, NRK and SVT, goes to the director.
The jury citation reads: The award goes to a film that challenged the jury and made room for conversations about cinema itself. Depicting a complex relationship, this is a story about self-destructive fascination and the perversity in the romance, but also forgiveness. The structure told through impeccable editing, reveals the intricacies of the psychology of its two main characters. The filming process is here a part of the ambivalence of this relationship driven by the pleasure of being seen through someone else’s eyes. Raw and clear. This is pure cinema!
The Last Autumn by Icelandic Yrsa Roca Fannberg received an Honourable Mention.
The jury members were:
Pierre-Alexis Chevit – Head of Cannes Docs at the Marché du Film (France)
Benjamin Langeland – Director & Winner of Best Nordic Documentary 2019 (Norway)
Madeline Robert – Head of Industry at Visions du Réel (Switzerland)
The New Nordic Voice Documentary Award (€5000) went to the Finnish Colombia In My Arms by Jenni Kivistö & Jussi Rastas.
Jury citation: This film brings us to many different places and emotions inside one country. It brings us among armed guerillas in the jungle, it brings us to hallways of political decision-making and lobbying, it brings us to coca-plantations of poor peasants, and it brings us to the mansion of the member of the old privileged elite. It shows us how inequality between rich and poor people keeps on growing. And almost unnoticed, little by little, the film makes its statement clear and formulates theory of how the society works. Not only in this country in the focus of the film but in the world in general.
The New Nordic Voice Short Film Award (€5000) was won by Nora Nivedita Tvedt for Fucking Adopted (Norway)
Jury citation: A brave and intelligent film that is not afraid to ask big questions. Issues that are uncomfortable but necessary, and push the main characters and make them grow in front of us. Every second of the film is well used, even the silence and the pauses. A film that made us feel all the different emotions in just 22 minutes. The prize sum is 5.000€ and is sponsored by Film i Skåne and AVEK
The City of Malmö Audience Award valued at €2,500, was won by Signe Barvild Stæhr for The Nannies (Denmark).
