The 48th Göteborg Film Festival concluded on 1 February with the announcement of its award winners. When the Light Breaks [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Elín Hall
intervista: Rúnar Rúnarsson
scheda film] by Rúnar Rúnarsson emerged as this year’s laureate of the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film, which is accompanied by a sum of SEK 400,000 (€35,000), one of the world’s largest film prizes, provided by Region Västra Götaland and the City Council of Gothenburg.

The award was “for its masterfully calibrated mise-en-scène, its sensitivity and delicate lightness, and its director’s unexpectedly uplifting treatment of grief, acutely portrayed by a perfect young ensemble”, as stated by the Nordic Competition jury, composed of Greek filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari, Finnish cinematographer JP Passi, Swedish director Ella Lemhagen, Canadian helmer Philippe Lesage and Swedish actress Frida Gustavsson. Producer Heather Millard was present to accept the award.

The jury also rewarded Norwegian actress Andrea Bræin Hovig with the Dragon Award for Best Acting for her performance in Love [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Dag Johan Haugerud
scheda film], directed by Dag Johan Haugerud. The jury noted that the prize was for “a most subtle, complex performance, yet so powerful in its restraint; and for the portrayal of an intricately layered, unapologetic female character”. Additionally, the jury decided to give a Special Mention to My Eternal Summer [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Sylvia Le Fanu
scheda film] by Sylvia Le Fanu, commending it as “a bravely personal, sensitive and beautifully crafted film that pointedly refrains from forcing drama or sentimentalism on us – an impressive, greatly promising debut.”

The FIPRESCI jury honoured The Girl with the Needle [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Besir Zeciri
intervista: Directors Talks @ European…
intervista: Magnus von Horn
scheda film] by Magnus von Horn with its prize, highlighting its “absolute mastery of the form, its compelling setting and production design, and its emphasis on the necessity of the feminist battle, reinforced by striking, black-and-white cinematography”. The Audience Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film went to Safe House by Eirik Svensson, with producers Annika Hellström and Erika Malmgren accepting the award.

In the documentary category, Trans Memoria [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Victoria Verseau
scheda film] by Victoria Verseau took home the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Documentary, consisting of services worth SEK 250,000 (€22,000) provided by The Chimney Pot. The jury praised it for its “personal and brave storytelling, elegant visuals, and poetic meditation on trauma, love and acceptance”.

The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award was presented to Hanami [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Denise Fernandes
scheda film] by Denise Fernandes, which the jury described as “a bold and beautiful film that is impossible to fit into the structures of conventional storytelling. Instead, it embraces the pure artistry of filmmaking and a singular cinematic language.” The prize includes a stay at The Bergman Estate on Fårö.

The Australian stop-motion animated feature Memoir of a Snail by Adam Elliot won the Dragon Award for Best International Film, as selected by the audience. Happyend by Neo Sora secured the Youth Jury Dragon Award. The latter was praised for “the film’s urgent theme, which engages us as we are brought into a world with human characters that inspire us to take matters into our own hands”. The Draken Film Award went to Family by Clara Vida, recognised for its “innovative and bold storytelling”.

Among other notable awardees, Julie Delpy received the Honorary Dragon Award, while the Nordic Honorary Dragon Award was bestowed upon Thomas Vinterberg.

Here is the full list of award winners at the 48th Göteborg Film Festival:

Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film
When the Light Breaks [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Elín Hall
intervista: Rúnar Rúnarsson
scheda film] - Rúnar Rúnarsson (Iceland/Netherlands/Croatia/France)

Dragon Award for Best Acting
Andrea Bræin Hovig - Love [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Dag Johan Haugerud
scheda film] (Norway)

Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film Special Mention
My Eternal Summer [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Sylvia Le Fanu
scheda film] - Sylvia Le Fanu (Denmark)

FIPRESCI Award
The Girl with the Needle [+leggi anche:
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trailer
intervista: Besir Zeciri
intervista: Directors Talks @ European…
intervista: Magnus von Horn
scheda film] - Magnus von Horn (Denmark/Poland/Sweden)

Audience Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film
Safe House - Eirik Svensson (Norway/Denmark/Sweden/Finland)

Dragon Award for Best Nordic Documentary
Trans Memoria [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Victoria Verseau
scheda film] - Victoria Verseau (Sweden/France)

The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award
Hanami [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Denise Fernandes
scheda film] - Denise Fernandes (Switzerland/Portugal/Cape Verde)

Dragon Award for Best International Film
Memoir of a Snail - Adam Elliot (Australia)

Youth Jury Dragon Award
Happyend - Neo Sora (Japan/USA)

Draken Film Award
Family - Clara Vida (Sweden)

Honorary Dragon Award
Julie Delpy

Nordic Honorary Dragon Award
Thomas Vinterberg

Mai Zetterling Grant
Annika Karlsson, Jessica Karlsson

Startsladden Award for Best Short Film
True Artist - Viktor Johansson (Sweden)

Startsladden Audience Award
Cows - Jakob Márky, Kasper Häggström (Sweden)

Angelospriset (Swedish Church Film Prize)
Live a Little [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Fanny Ovesen
scheda film] - Fanny Ovesen (Sweden/Norway/Denmark)