This Year’s Films from the North Line-Up Is Here
Publisert 08.12.2025 — TIFF
Opening with the World Premiere of THE WATCHMAKER
Film from the North – Tromsø International Film Festival’s largest sidebar – opens this year with the world premiere of THE WATCHMAKER, a film emerging from the highly creative film industry in Northern Sweden. The opening film sets the tone for a programme that casts a wider net than it has in years and highlights the strength of northern filmmaking.
– It is fantastic to present the world premiere of a feature film from the vibrant and exciting film environment of our neighbours to the east. THE WATCHMAKER is a film with a strong personality, and it reflects a region where talent is flourishing and the film industry is making great leaps forward through a powerful and inspiring sense of community, says Programme Director Astrid Aure.
The film is an intimate chamber piece inspired by 1960s aesthetics, where the drama tightens more and more as the film unfolds, culminating in an intense psychological thriller about morality, loyalty, and survival.
– I’ve had the pleasure of showing several short films in Tromsø before, and TIFF is very close to my heart. Opening Film from the North with my debut feature THE WATCHMAKER feels like the perfect beginning – and an enormous honour, says director Jonas Lawes.
An Incredible Surge
Films from the North (FFN) presents the finest fiction and documentary filmmaking from Sápmi and the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Canada, Greenland, and Iceland.
This year’s selection spans wider than it has in a long time, reflecting a region that – despite global pressures on the film industry – continues to deliver with impressive force. Aure emphasises that 2025 has been a peak year, both in the number of submissions and the overall quality level.
– The volume has been extraordinary.
Programming has therefore been both challenging and rewarding:
– Choosing which films to include has been tough. There are so many strong works that could not be fitted in, which is a healthy sign. It shows just how vital filmmaking in the North is right now. I truly look forward to presenting this programme to the audience in Tromsø. It offers a striking portrait of contemporary life in the North.
The 26th edition of FFN includes everything from the Cannes title THE LOVE THAT REMAINS by Icelandic master Hlynur Pálmason, to Laila Goody racing down THE CORKSCREW (Torfinn Iversen), TERROR NIGHT - horror from Jakob Arevärn, the wild rock dreams of MEMOIRS FROM A DREAM (Carl Christian Lein Størmer), and the film boasting this year’s longest title: ONCE YOU SHALL BE ONE OF THOSE WHO LIVED LONG AGO (Per Bifrost, Alexander Rynéus).
– It is a visually stunning documentary that evokes a wide range of emotions — both tears and laughter — and truly a film meant to be experienced on the big screen, in the collective energy of a cinema audience, Aure adds.
Sámi Strength
Aure highlights the Sámi and Indigenous content, which this year presents an impressive range in form, theme, and geography.
Among the shorts, she emphasises BORDERLINE and RED-SHADED GREEN by Johannes Vang.
– He is an exceptionally exciting filmmaker — involved in many projects and a voice we believe will become increasingly prominent.
She also highlights the world premiere of BROTHERS OF FAITH by Per-Josef Idivuoma, portraying the Somby brothers Niilas and Ande and their upbringing in boarding school, as well as the powerful RAPTURES by Jon Blåhed — the world’s first feature film in Meänkieli. From the Finnish side of Sápmi comes AT THE SHADOW OF THE WORLD by Arttu Nieminen and Hans Pieski.
Among the feature films, expectations are high for SÁMI VS. SÁMI by Ellen-Astri Lundby, which receives its world premiere at TIFF. From Canada, pioneer Zacharias Kunuk presents WRONG HUSBAND.
– A new film from Kunuk is always an event. We are truly looking forward to this one, Aure says.
From the Faroe Islands, TIFF presents THE LAST PARADISE ON EARTH, winner of the Nordic Council Film Prize. Aure also praises director Sakaris Stórá, an alumnus of the Kabelvåg film school.
16 World Premieres
Local productions stand strong in this year’s selection. Among them is MEMOIRS FROM A DREAM by Carl Christian Lein Størmer, a documentary about the Tromsø band Hangface.
– It is an honest film about daring to chase even your wildest dreams. This is certain to become a must-see for many in Tromsø.
Other highlights from Northern Norwegian filmmakers include THE CORKSCREW by Torfinn Iversen, TRACKS by Jenny Andersen, and GRANDPA by 18-year-old Isak Erdahl. Eilif Bremer Landsend is the producer behind THE SEA IS THE WALLS OF MY HOME by Floortje Zonneveld.
All of these will have their world premieres at TIFF 2026, contributing to a total of 16 world premieres across the programme. Eight feature films will compete for the Tromsø Palm for Best Feature, while 35 short films vie for honour and €5,000 in the short film competition.
The official Films from the North opening takes place on Tuesday 20 January.
TIFF 2026 runs from 19–25 January 2026.
Films from the North 2026 Line Up
OPENING FILM
The Watchmaker [Watchmaker] | Jonas Lawes | Sweden | 2026
FEATURE FILMS
Memoirs from a Dream | Carl Christian Lein Størmer | Norway | 2026
Once You Shall Be One of Those Who Lived Long Ago [En gång skall du vara en av dem som levat för längesen] | Per Bifrost, Alexander Rynéus | Sweden | 2025
Raptures [Rörelser] | Jon Blåhed | Sweden | 2025
Sámi vs. Sámi [Same mot same] | Ellen-Astri Lundy | Norway, Sweden | 2026
The Last Misfits by The Golden River [Aurinko Laskee Lemmenjoella] | Juho-Pekka Tanskanen | Finland, Germany | 2025
The Love That Remains [Ástin sem eftir er] | Hlynur Pálmason | Iceland | 2025
Wrong Husband [Uiksaringitara] | Zacharias Kunuk | Canada | 2025
The Last Paradise on Earth [Seinasta paradís á jørð] | Sakaris Stórá | Faroe Islands, Denmark | 2025
SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION
Akkurat nå | Marte Vold | Norway | 2026
At the Shadow of the World [Maílmmittkus] | Arttu Nieminen, Hans Pieski | Finland | 2025
Aurora Dreams | Polina Blag | Sweden | 2025
Avalanche | Silja Tuovinen | Finland | 2025
Block Unblock [Blockera Avblockera] | Polina Blag | Sweden | 2025
Borderline [På grensa] | Johannes Vang | Norway, Sweden, Finland | 2026
Brothers of Faith [Vieljažagaid iežaska jáhkku] | Per-Josef Idivuoma | Norway | 2026
Debacle [Jäänlähtö] | Linnea Huhta | Sweden | 2026
Desolation Heart | Chad Michael Ward | Sweden | 2025
Earworm [Öronmask] | Patrik Eklund | Sweden | 2025
Fata Morgana [Hildring] | Aasne Vaa Greibrokk | Norway | 2025
Heritage [Avtryck] | Emelina Hedman, Ture Andersson | Sweden | 2025
Higher, Satan! Farther! [Høyere opp og lenger fram, din Satan!] | Trond Kvig Andreassen | Norway | 2026
Kiruna Underground [Rullhuset] | Johan Tjärnberg | Sweden, Norway | 2025
No One Owns You [Dig Äger Ingen] | Agnes Koskinen | Finland, Sweden | 2025
Nora's Ark [Noras Ark] | Endre Lund Eriksen, Isak Gjertsen | Norway, Croatia | 2026
Red-Shaded Green [Rööpses Rovnedamme Goh Kruana] | Johannes Vang | Norway | 2025
Sara | Steiní Kristinsson | Iceland | 2025
She who leads the herd [Eallu lea eallin] | Eila Muotka | Norway | 2025
Split City [Staden brinner] | Bo Johan Sörensen | Sweden | 2025
Stone Biter: Saving the Arctic Sea Forests | Ismaele Tortella | USA, Norway | 2025
Terror Night [Epadunk] | Jakob Arevärn | Sweden, Norway | 2025
The Art of Giving [Mamma kenndi mér að gefa] | Karin Rós Wiium | Iceland | 2025
The Corkscrew [Korketrekkeren] | Torfinn Iversen | Norway | 2026
The Think Tank [Ettertanken] | Inge Wegge | Norway | 2026
The Sea is the Walls of My Home [Æ for ærfugl] | Floortje Zonneveld | Norway | 2026
The Thief [Anngeerdardardor] | Christoffer Rizvanovic Stenbakken | Denmark, Greenland | 2025
Tracks [Spor] | Jenny Andersen | Norway | 2026
True Artist | Viktor Johansson | Sweden | 2025
YOUNG DIRECTORS / STUDENT FILMS
14 Year Old Snowcross Racer [14-jáhkkasaš muohtacrossavuoddji] | Olena Hætta | Norway | 2025
Grandpa [Bestefar] | Isak Erdahl | Norway | 2026
Mountain Trek [Fjallferð] | Jesse Smolan | Iceland, USA | 2025
No One Reads Anymore [Ingen Leser Lenger] | Jenny Speight | Norway | 2026
The Boy With The Flower Pot [Boy With The Flower Pot] | Patrik Edlund | Sweden | 2025
Woolgod [Ullguden] | Sirin Sponga | Norway, Sweden | 2025
