From Cannes to Tromsø

TIFF is bringing ten Cannes titles to Norway in January – films that have attracted international attention and will now be shown to a Norwegian audience for the very first time.

Among this year’s highlights are the German Oscar contender SOUND OF FALLING by Mascha Schilinski, Óliver Laxe’s SIRĀT, and Chile’s Oscar submission THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO, directed by debut filmmaker Diego Céspedes.

– Cannes is the most important festival for presenting films, so much of the very best produced over the past year was screened there. Premiering ten Cannes titles makes our festival relevant to both the public and the industry nationally, and shows that TIFF is a strong platform for launching films in Norway, says Festival Director Lisa Hoen.

Major talking points

She believes this year’s selection combines artistic distinction with strong international interest.

– These are films of high artistic quality and with a great deal of individuality – exactly the kind of work we know the TIFF audience responds to. Several of the titles have been major talking points internationally, so we know there is considerable anticipation for these particular films. And, of course, it all connects: the large, engaged and film-loving audience in Tromsø is precisely what makes it attractive to have a Norwegian premiere here.

The festival is also screening three films directed by prominent actors: Harris Dickinson makes his directorial debut with URCHIN, Kristen Stewart presents her dark and poetic drama THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER, and Hafsia Herzi returns with her third film, THE LITTLE SISTER.

– That several well-known actors are now stepping forward as directors adds something extra to the programme.

– Some of them are already familiar faces on screen, especially Kristen Stewart and Harris Dickinson, which means audiences already know the filmmaker and are curious about what they will deliver behind the camera. Stewart is known for forging her own path, taking on both major blockbusters and smaller arthouse titles. This makes her debut film particularly intriguing.

Stars in the director’s chair

Hoen believes all three films share a clear hallmark: their directors draw on their backgrounds as established actors to deliver exceptionally strong performances from their leads.

– You really sense that they have had a clear vision for what they want to convey, combined with strong dialogue and genuine chemistry with their actors.

Assistant Programme Director Henning Rosenlund believes this year’s Cannes package is of exceptionally high quality. He also highlights the three actor-directed films, arguing that their on-screen experience gives the works a distinctive weight.

– As one might expect, the performances are remarkably strong, with characters portrayed in real depth – the actors almost become the people they’re playing. The directors have clearly created the conditions for extraordinary character studies (and have resisted the temptation to cast themselves in the lead roles). All three films also speak very directly to the times we are living in.

Among the more established directors, TIFF presents Fatih Akin’s AMRUM and Sergei Loznitsa’s TWO PROSECUTORS, both exploring Europe’s dramatic twentieth century as a prism for the challenges of today. Carla Simón returns with the finely tuned drama ROMERÍA, while Harry Lighton’s PILLION, starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, offers an intense and fearless portrait of desire.

All ten films:

AMRUM (Germany 2025) – Fatih Akin
THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER (France 2025) – Kristen Stewart
THE LITTLE SISTER (France 2025) – Hafsia Herzi
THE MYSTERIOUS GAZE OF THE FLAMINGO (Chile 2025) – Diego Céspedes
PILLION (United Kingdom 2025) – Harry Lighton
ROMERÍA (Spain 2025) – Carla Simón
SIRĀT (Spain 2025) – Óliver Laxe
SOUND OF FALLING (Germany 2025) – Mascha Schilinski
TWO PROSECUTORS (France 2025) – Sergei Loznitsa
URCHIN (United Kingdom 2025) – Harris Dickinson