Prize winners at TIFF 2023

The photo is from the closing ceremony in 2019.

On Saturday night, the award winners of this year's TIFF 2023 were announced during the closing ceremony that took place at Kulturhuset in Tromsø. The winners are listed below:

THE AURORA PRIZE

The festival's main prize is awarded to the best film in the competition program. The director of the winning film receives 5000 Euro from TIFF.

Jury of the year: Christof Wehmeier, Ingrid Dokka, Marion Bouvier

Winner: Women Talking. Country: USA. Year: 2022. Directed by: Sarah Polley

Honorable mention: The Blue Caftan. Country: France, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark. Year: 2022. Directed by: Maryam Touzani

FIPRESCI

The international critic prize, awarded by the Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique, the international umbrella organization of professional film critics and film journalists, established in 1930.

Jury of the year: Eva Peydró, Håkon Tveit, Neil Young

Winner: Pacifiction. Country: France, Spain, Germany, Portugal. Year: 2022. Directed by: Albert Serra

DON QUIXOTE

The prize is awarded by FICC (Federation internationale des cine-clubs). The organization was founded in 1947 at the Cannes Film Festival, and is an umbrella organization for film clubs and non-commercial cinemas.

Jury of the year: Carl Arne Løchen Arnesen, Pia Widegren, Golam Mostofa Shimul

Winner: The Blue Caftan. Country: France, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark. Year: 2022. Directed by: Maryam Touzani

THE TROMSØ PALM

The Tromsø Palm is awarded to the best film in the sidebar program Films from the North. The director of the winning film receives 5000 euro from the film resources centers in the Barents region: Filmpool Nord, Luleå, Sweden; Film in Västerbotten, Umeå, Sweden and Nordnorsk Filmsenter, Honningsvåg, Norway.

Jury of the year: Jakob Arevärn, Kari Nøst Hegseth, Sandra Márjá West

Winner: Unborn Biru. Country: Norway. Year: 2022. Directed by: Elin Marakatt

THE FAITH IN FILM AWARD

The Faith in Film Award was given for the first time in 2017. It was established by Center for Art, Culture and Church, Norwegian Church Academies and Tromsø Church Academy in collaboration with the Tromsø International Film Festival.

The winner film should engage and stimulate to reflection and critical thinking about the religion’s place in society and in people’s lives.

The winner of the Faith in Film Award receives a hand-painted icon, made in the Carmelite monastary in Tromsø.

Jury of the year: Nasra Ali Omar, Egill Heiður Anton Pálsson, Eir Andreas Ihlang Berg.

Winner: Women Talking. Country: USA. Year: 2022. Directed by: Sarah Polley

THE NORWEGIAN PEACE FILM AWARD (NoFPA)

The Norwegian Peace Film Award (NoPFA) is given to a film spotlighting direct, structural or cultural violence, and which in a creative way contributes to a deeper understanding of conflicts and violence.

The award is presented by TIFF in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies at the University of Tromsø and the Student Network for Peace.

Jury of the year: Ida Johannessen, Elisabeth Sandersen, Laurens Perol

Winner: Tantura. Country: Israel. Year: 2022. Directed by Alon Schwarz

NORTH Pitch

NORTH Pitch was started to increase the production of films from the Arctic regions, and for films to reach an international audience. During the forum, filmmakers have presented their projects to a panel of investors from different countries (film funds, TV companies, distributors). The goal is to secure financing for the films presented. The films should be about life and conditions north of the Arctic Circle or in Antarctic regions. This year, Nordnorsk Filmsenter has awarded two prizes:

THE ARCTIC DOCUMENTARY AWARD 2023

Winner: Eanuid Eadni – The River Speaks. Country: Finland, USA. Directed by: Inga-Wiktoria Påve & Bob Cohen

THE BELOW ZERO AWARD 2023

Winner: The Solitary Road, Country: Sweden, Directed by: Johan Palmgren