NORDIC DOCUMENTARIES WIN AT THE IDFA
By Emma Vestrheim, Cinema Scandinavia
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam has wrapped up, with a selection of Nordic documentaries taking out awards.
The Norwegian/Swedish film Nowhere to Hide by Zaradasht Ahmed won the Best Feature Length Film and the Danish Who We Were by Sine Skibsholt won the Best First Appearance Award.
Ahmed has directed other acclaimed films such as The Road to Diarbakir and Fata Morgana. Nowhere to Hide is an eyewitness report by an Iraqi male nurse forced to flee when his home falls into the hands of IS.
The jury said: “There are those films which are wonderful to see and there are films that the world needs to see. The film we choose is both these things. The experience was immersive and left us deeply touched. The director respected the unique perspective that only the subject could have and in doing so he gave us an unprecedented window into the real-life lasting consequences of war.” World sales are handled by East Village Entertainment.
The Danish film Who We Were was one of the most debated films in Denmark when it was released locally on TV2 and in cinemas. It ended up having a political impact as well. The film follows a family whose life is forever changed when the father suddenly suffers a brain injury that alters his personality.
You can read our interview with Sine Skibsholt in the new issue of Cinema Scandinavia.
The Danish film Who We Where produced by Helle Faber of Made in Copenhagen was one of the most debated films in Denmark when it was released in cinemas and on national TV (TV2) earlier this year and it ended up having a political impact as well. The film tells of a family whose life is forever changed when the father suddenly suffers a brain injury that alters his personality.
Director Sine Skibsholt said: “I am deeply grateful for winning this prestigious award for my debut film. It is an important and thought-provoking story that touched many people. The two main characters Mette Line and Kristian have invited the audience into their lives with the purpose of ultimately affecting others with their story and I have a lot of respect for that.” The film is sold internationally by LevelK.