Eight new Nordic features have been selected for the Nordic Film Award at Sweden's major film festival in Gothenburg (Jan 23 - Feb 2).

The films come from all over the region, and include a number of first time directors. The festival will open with the international premiere of Hilmar Oddsson's Icelandic drama Cold Light (Kaldaljos) (pictured) based on a novel by Vigdis Grimsdottir, while J-P Siili's Finnish drama Young Gods has been chosen as the closing film.

Three new Swedish films, Teresa Fabik's Hip Hip Hora!, Thomas Alfredson's Four Shades Of Brown and Carl Johan De Geer's Med Kameran Som Trost - Del 2 will square off with the two Danish entries, Anders Oestergaard's documentary Tintin Et Moi and Hans Fabian Wullenweber's psychological drama Gemini, as well as Gunnar Hall Jensen's unusual Norwegian documentary Gunnar Goes Comfortable.

Half of the $28,000 (SEK200,000) prize money goes to the filmmaker with the rest earmarked for marketing the winning film at the upcoming Cannes film festival. The award is sponsored by the Nordic Film & TV Fund and regional fund Film I Vast.

This year's jury consists of Swedish critic Monika Tunback Hanson, Danish filmmaker Anders Refn, Icelandic writer Steinunn Sigurardottir, Swedish filmmaker Ake Sandgren, Norwegian filmmaker Nina Grunfeld and Finnish director Johanna Vuoksenmaa.

Last year's winner was Dagur Kari's Icelandic Noi Albinoi, which swept most of the awards. This year's Goteborg Film Festival will also be hosting the national film awards in collaboration with the Swedish Film Institute and broadcaster SVT. The ceremony takes place on Jan 26 and marks the 40th year of the award, the Guldbagga (golden bug).

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