AJ Annila´s Sauna is Finland´s nominee for Nordic Council Film Prize 2009
28.8.2009

Oslo: August 27, 2009: The five nominated films for the 2009 Nordic Council Film Prize have been announced today. The prestigious film award worth DKK 350.000 [€47.000] is shared between the director, the scriptwriter and the producer. The winner of The Nordic Council Film Prize 2009 will be announced October 21st. This year´s nominees are: Denmark Antichrist, director Lars von Trier, scriptwriter Lars von Trier, producer Meta Louise Foldager, production company Zentropa. Finland Sauna, director AJ Annila, scriptwriter Iiro Küttner, producers Tero Kaukomaa, Jesse Fryckman, production company Bronson Club. Iceland The Amazing Truth about Queen Raquela, director Olaf de Fleur Johannesson, scriptwriters Olaf de Fleur Johannesson and Stefan Schaefer, producers Olaf de Fleur Johannesson, Stefan Schaefer, Helgi Sverrisson, Arleen Cuevas, production company Poppoli Pictures. Norway North (Original Title – Nord), director Rune Denstad Langlo, scriptwriter Erlend Loe, producers Sigve Endersen, Brede Hovland, production company Motlys. Sweden Light Year (Original Title – Ljusår), director Mikael Kristersson, scriptwriter Mikael Kristersson, producer Lisbet Gabrielsson, production company Lisbet Gabrielsson Film AB. Jury of the Nordic Council Film Prize 2009: Members: Film lecturer Anne Jerslev, Denmark Editor Johanna Grönqvist, Finland Author Sigurjón B. Sigurdsson (Sjon), Iceland Film critic Le LD Nguyen, Norway Film critic Eva af Geijerstam, Sweden Substitutes: Author and film critic Bo Green Jensen, Denmark Editor Kati Sinisalo, Finland Film critic Sif Gunnarsdottir, Iceland Film critic Øyvor Dalan Vik, Norway Cinematographer Tony Forsberg, Sweden The nominated films are selected by the respective national jury. See below for their motivations for choosing this year´s 5 finalists. The prize is given every year by the Nordic Council who awards a Literature Prize, a Music Prize, a Film Prize and a Nature and Environment Prize. The purpose of the prizes is to raise interest in the literature, language, music and film of the neighboring Nordic countries and abroad. Hanne Palmquist, CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond who administer the prize said "the Nordic Council Film Prize is the most prestigious film prize within Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. This year´s five nominated candidates are extremely varied in genre, style and story and proves that although individually we may be ´small´ countries – when it comes to film-making there are no limits to imagination and scope." The films will be supported by special Film Events in the following cities: Reykjavik, September 11-13 Oslo, September 19-20 Helsinki, September 19-24 Copenhagen, October 04-09 Stockholm, October 24-28 Further information, including press contacts (also at the end of the press release), synopses, production notes in English and all Nordic languages, plus trailers, TV clips, photos and a list of special screening events of the 5 films throughout the Nordic region, please visit our websites: www.nordiccouncilfilmprize.com www.nordiskfilmogtvfond.com www.norden.org For contact with the nominees & information about Nordic Council Film Prize 2009, please contact: Nordisk Film & TV Fond Ann-Sophie Birkenes T +47 6400 6080 M +47 997 21960 E ann-sophie@nordiskfilmogtvfond.com NATIONAL NOMINATIONS MOTIVATING STATEMENTS FOR NCFP 2009 NOMINEES DENMARK: ANTICHRIST (Jury: Anne Jerslev & Bo Green Jensen) Lars von Trier´s Antichrist is uncomfortable and moving at one and the same time. It is a wild, beautiful and shockingly violent film about sorrow, rage and guilt, about the chaos that infects the two main characters´ lives following the death of their young son. Inner and outer realities fuse in Antichrist´s terrifying and aesthetically sublime vision of the hold that overwhelming pain and anger have over human beings. In much the same way as Von Trier, by looking afresh at the entrails of the horror-movie genre, digs deep and disturbingly into the inner workings of his protagonists, the film digs deep into those of the viewer. FINLAND: SAUNA (Jury: Johanna Grönqvist & Kati Sinisalo) Sauna explores and hacks its way through Finnish film culture. Rather than deploy the usual scare tactics and special effects, this ambitious horror inhabits an entirely new world infused with a sinister atmosphere. Sauna is built on virgin soil that sometimes feels as solid as a swamp. In the end, however, Sauna proves that it is possible to approach themes such as sin, repentance and atonement – themes deeply rooted in the mythical Finnish gloominess – via a genre that has until now been almost non-existent in Finnish cinema. ICELAND: THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA (Jury: Sigurjón B. Sigurdsson (Sjon) & Sif Gunnarsdottir) The Amazing Truth about Queen Raquela is a touching and daring film that tells the story of the main character, a Filipino lady boy, in an unassuming manner that allows the viewer to enter her world without prejudice and yet, at the same time, succeeds in satisfying our curiosity about her lifestyle. In blurring the line between fact and fiction, the director, Olaf de Fleur Johannesson, adopts a humane stance towards his all-too-real subject, and yet enjoys taking advantage of the narrative opportunities afforded by a “good story”. Whether she is prostituting herself on the streets, posing in front of a webcam for a morally ambiguous New York family man and porn entrepreneur, or enjoying life on the beach and shopping with her girl friends, Queen Raquela´s sober but upbeat attitude to life reminds us that it is not up to the observer to judge if the lives of others are worth living. NORWAY: NORTH (Jury: Le LD Nguyen & Øyvor Dalan Vik) This year´s Norwegian nomination is a road movie in the classic mould, save for its unconventional means of transportation. It tells the story of a man who has to face his inner demons and along the way becomes a catalyst for other people to face theirs. Visually, the film contrasts dramatic exterior landscapes in remote areas with sparse interiors, reflecting some of the conflicts raging within the main character. Subtle and understated, lead actor Anders Baasmo Christiansen makes a huge impression in this straightforward, genuine and at times extremely entertaining film. SWEDEN: LIGHT YEAR (Jury: Eva af Geijerstam & Tony Forsberg) In his third documentary film, Light Year, Mikael Kristersson captures a year in his own garden. With sharp eyes – and especially with keen ears – he extends and reinvigorates the nature-film genre. His great affinity for the subject enables him to depict the reality that surrounds us, but about which we are almost entirely ignorant. For Kristersson, there is no clear dividing line between raw nature and human culture – he considers humanising animals as absurd as romanticising "the wild". Light Year sensitively endows all of the garden´s inhabitants with equal dignity, toppling humans from their self-appointed role as the crowning glory of creation. His insights have particular resonance in 2009, the 200th anniversary of Darwin´s birth and 150 years since the publication of On the Origin of Species. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Former winners of The Nordic Council Film Prize: In 2002, the year of the 50th anniversary of Nordic Council, the first Nordic Council Film Prize was given out. The winner was the Finnish Film Mies vailla menneisyyttä (The Man Without a Past) by Aki Kaurismäki. In 2005, the winner was the Danish film Drabet (Manslaughter) by Per Fly. The same year, the Nordic Council Film Prize became a permanent Prize. In 2006, the winner was the Swedish film Zozo (Zozo) by Josef Fares. In 2007 the winner was the Danish Film Kunsten at græde i kor (The Art of Crying) by Peter Schønau Fog. In 2008, the winner was the Swedish film Du levande (You, the Living) by Roy Andersson. Important dates: October 21: The winner of the Film Prize and its DKK350.000 cash award is announced. The Film Prize is shared between the film´s director, scriptwriter and producer. October 27: All Nordic Council Prizes (Literature, Music, Film, Nature and Environment) are given out during the Nordic Council Fall Session in Stockholm. Film Events: Reykjavik, September 11-13 Oslo, September 19-20 Helsinki, September 19-24 Copenhagen, October 04-09 Stockholm, October 24-28 For Nordic press and more information, please contact one of the Nordic press agents: Denmark - Freddy Neumann, neumann@mail.dk Finland - Liisa Lehmusto, liisa.lehmusto@alice.fi Iceland - Isleifur Thorhallsson, isi@greenlightfilms.is Norway - Hanne Liseth, hanne.liseth@naturgard.no Sweden - Ylva Swedenborg, ylva@cinemasweden.com For international press please contact: Nordisk Film & TV Fond Ann-Sophie Birkenes, ann-sophie@nordiskfilmogtvfond.com T +47 6400 6080 M +47 997 21960 Local arrangers of Film Events: Camera Film, Denmark, Kim Foss, kim@camerafilm.dk BioRex, Finland, Lauri Ahlgren, lauri.ahlgren@biorex.fi Green Light Films, Iceland, isi@greenlightfilms.is Arthaus, Norway, Svend Jensen, svendj@arthaus.no NonStop Entertainment, Sweden, Jakob Abrahamsson, jakob.abrahamsson@millenniumgroup.se

« Previous page