Richard Linklater’s Boyhood takes top prize at Norwegian Film Festival

Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age drama, Boyhood, picked up the Norwegian Film Critics Award at the closing of the 42nd Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund.

In an understated comment, the jury described the US film as a” somewhat ordinary and rather undramatic story” that still – or perhaps precisely because of this – becomes “a very special film treasure”.

An honorary mention went to British film ‘71, directed by Yann Demange, with the jury branding the soldier-behind-enemy-lines feature as “an extraordinarily well-made film that is both a brutal thriller and a nuanced, thoughtful work.”

The Ray of Sunshine (“Gledessprederen”) prize went to Chef, from US director Jon Favreau, which the jury described as “an utterly human and heart-warming film”.

The Audience Award went to culinary comedy-drama The Hundred-Foot Journey, directed by Lasse Hallström and starring Helen Mirren, which the jury praised for its “warmth and humour”.

The Andreas Award, an ecumenical film prize, went to Stations of the Cross, from German director Dietrich Brüggemann, which the jury called “a devastating and challenging work that shows how religious manipulation can destroy a young person.”

The Nordic Film Award Haugesund went to Raspberry Boat Refugee, including a NOK40,000 ($6,500) prize for director Leif Lindblom.

The jury said: “We have decided on a seemingly light-hearted and wild comedy, but it has a double meaning, drawing attention to naïve and simplified perceptions of the difference between two neighbouring countries.”

The awards following the screening of closing film Two Days, One Night, the latest feature from the Dardenne brothers that debuted at Cannes.

The ceremony also saw Swedish directors Andreas Öhmann and Oskar Gullstrand receive the Best Pitch Prize at the Nordic Co-Production and Finance Market for their project, Magic.

“We just started packaging the €4.4m ($5.8m) project, a Norwegian-Danish co-production, but after the meetings here we are convinced we will get there,” said Öhmann.

New Nordic Films

Now in its 20^th year, annual market New Nordic Films registered a record number of 355 participants from 35 countries with 17 Nordic films (out of 21) that have yet to receive a world premieres.

The market, which operates within the framework of the Norwegian International Film Festival, includes the Nordic Co-Production and Finance Forum, which this year comprised 20 projects.

There were a further 20 works-in-progress and a competition for shorts by Nordic film school graduates for the first time.

“The growing number confirms the industry has great confidence in the market,” said Gyda Velvin Myklebust, programme director of New Nordic Films.

Rikke Ennis, CEO of Danish sales firm TrustNordisk, said: “New Nordic Films in Haugesund is good for pick-ups and probing the situation of the market.”

Ennis presented 12 works-in-progress to buyers and festival programmers. “We had an excellent feedback, and have started negotiations for several of them,” she said.

SF International, the sales arm of Swedish major Svensk Filmindustri, had five entries in the film selection.

These included Norwegian titles Børning from Hallvard Bræin and Glass Dolls (Glassdukkene) from Nils Gaup.

SF also showcased three Swedish titles: Ella Lemhagen’s The Boy with the Golden Pands (Pojken med guldbyxorna); Walter Söderlund’s JerryMaya’s Detective Agency 2: Shadows of Valleby (LasseMajas Detektivbyrå 2: Skuggor over Valleby); and Colin Nutley’s Medicine (Medicinen).

Anita Simovic, head of international sales at SF, said: “Most of them were screened to the industry for the first time, and we got a pretty good idea how they will perform in the international market place.”