Award Winners

Nordisk Panorama, Aarhus 2011

Nordic Short Film Award

Winner

Killing the Chickens to Scare the Monkeys by Jens Assur, Sweden

Jury Motivation: "A story of acute significance: masterfully combining elements of still-photography, theatre, documentary film and drama to create an unconventional voice of its own. The film's surreal reality is gloriously depicted in meticulous detail - from the timeless characters to the shabby ill-fitting uniforms alongside a perfectly composed landscape and everyday dialogue. Directed with skilfully instinctive feeling, this film is brilliantly told in all its understated brutality."

Honorary Mention

No Sex Just Understand by Mariken Halle, Sweden

Jury Motivation: "In the first Honorable Mention we, as viewers, are merely bystanders. From a certain distance we witness how the main characters accidentally meet. Between blurry dialogues we glimpse loneliness, family tragedy, aggression and sexual tension that ultimately develops into a clash of opposite universes. A memorable film that is distinguished by an impressive sense of timing and perhaps, more importantly, just the right dose of humour."

Honorary Mention

To All My Friends by Behrouz Bigdeli, Denmark

Jury Motivation: "Our second Honorable Mention takes us on a rollercoaster ride of love and loyalty, guilt and dependency. It poignantly shows how those closest to us can sometimes be the very ones that hinder our ability to change. Effective set design, compelling acting, dynamic cinematography and talented directing come together to tell a convincing tale of the ultimate friendship."

Nordic Documentary Award

Winner

Last Chapter by Peter Torbiörnsson, Sweden

Jury Motivation: "Last Chapter is a gripping piece of filmmaking, dealing with fundamental questions like guilt and the search for redemption. In an on-going search for truth, the film re-evaluates an era and the political dreams of a whole generation."

Honorary Mention

Imagining Emanuel by Thomas A. Østbye, Norway

Jury Motivation: "The jury has chosen Imagining Emanuel for an Honorable Mention because of its original idea and structural strength. Within a strictly respected formal setting the filmmaker questions identity and contrasts various perceptions of reality, successfully translating them into their human dimension by questioning our biased way of constructing identity."

Honorary Mention

The Guerilla Son by David Herdies & Zanyar Adami, Sweden

Jury motivation: "The jury has chosen The Guerilla Son for an Honorable Mention because of its creative approach to dealing with the weight of memory and the role it plays in defining our relationships and expectations. At the same time it is a poignant film about the love between a father and a son."

New Nordic Voices Award

Winner

Manenberg by Karen Walltorp & Christian Virum, Denmark

Jury motivation: "The film is a dark story about how hard it is to make the right choice. The directors have managed to get close to their characters and follow them through their lives full of challenges, in a community surrounded by drugs and crime. They have spent an impressive amount of time in order to show the positive sides of people and life in a South African township. In spite of all, there is hope."

Honorary Mention

Two by Lucia von Horn Pagano, Sweden

Jury motivation: "Two is a touching drama about a girl who is left alone in the midst of her father's new family. The director shows in a subtle and visual way her jealousy towards her half-sister. The filmmaker dares to explore the psychological conflict in-depth. The use of music and the cinematography makes the story convincing."

Honorary Mention

Black Swan by Brigitta Kontros, Sweden

Jury motivation: "In a society ruled by "machismo" it is not easy to be a woman. Due to infidelity, a mother is forced to leave her daughter and now the daughter has difficulties taking care of her own child. The director gives us an openhearted portrait of two strong women. By simple means, we are drawn into their drama."

FEDEORA Award

Winner

How to Pick Berries by Elina Talvensaari, Finland

Jury motivation: "The FEDEORA jury gives the award to the film How to Pick Berries, a visually poetical and technically superb documentary. The film deals in a mystical way with a fragment of the social reality and simultaneously leaves it up to the viewers themselves to reflect upon the perspectives of the movie."

Best West-Danish Film Awards

Winner

Seven Years of Winter by Marcus Schwenzel

Jury motivation: "Our winning film is a very gripping story with key words such as innocence, loss of innocence and brutalisation. Even with a world famous event at its very centre, the film manages to maintain the full and uncompromising attention and dedication of its audience in every single frame.
The location of the film has such a painful presence in everyone's consciousness that it could have worked against the film, but the film manages to become its very own through a strong character, a little boy and his destiny that uses the setting as a powerful character in its own right. The acting is great, it is beautiful and painful and a humane and touching story.
It is great to see that the co-producer of the film is part of this great international production with such a high quality. It makes us very proud."

Best Talent

The Art Word's Ugly Faces by Malte Klagenberg

Jury motivation: "Our talent prize goes to a reckless and bold film, told with great personal commitment. It points to The Emperor's New Clothes in a Bohemian world with clear cinematic references. In this film, the director clearly has something to tell and does so directly, engagingly and without hesitation. The courage that the filmmaker shows - to depict the ugly side of an otherwise highly celebrated scene - fully deserves the talent prize."

Honorary Mention

The Great Mistake by Anders Berthelsen

Jury motivation: "Our first Honorable Mention goes to a film that is a clear proof of the greatness we can expect from this genre in the future. Something good is definitely on its way. In this film stylistic elements are combined with a good story in an international frame. The film enters the story in one place and ends up somewhere completely different, and as an audience we are with it all the way because it stylistically and with an intense atmosphere true to its story, it succeeds in expressing and creating its very own universe. Even when it travels to notorious infamous places, such as mafioso-ridden Venice."

Honorary Mention

Last fall by Andreas Thomsen

Jury motivation: "Our second Honorable Mention goes to a poetic little film with great scope, dealing with the important issues in life such as loss and goodbyes. Stylistically it creates - within seconds - a very convincing and simplistic universe, and the framework of the film brings us to the end of the world and back with great confidence. The film gives us a good and meaningful cinematic experience that touches us through a little boy's loss of his father."

Honorary Mention

Upstairs by Jesper Maintz

Jury motivation: "Our third and final Honorable Mention goes to a very strong frame tale that is technically playful and superior. The film has great actors, but especially one supporting actor impresses us and leaves a lasting impression. An actor that we would love to see unfolding his talents fully in a coming key role in a Danish feature film. Of course the director has greatly contributed to the success of this remarkable supporting performance. Demonic atmosphere and ambiguity steers the story steadily forward, and its characters are never fully who we think they are. It's a great accomplishment to create this much uncertainty with such certainty."