BRACE YOUR HEART, ÁRRU AND LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE WIN AWARDS IN LÜBECK

Almmuhuvvon: 09.11.2026

BRACE YOUR HEART, ÁRRU AND LET OUR MOUNTAINS LIVE WIN AWARDS IN LÜBECK

Sámi cinema was celebrated at the awards ceremony of the 68th Nordic Film Days Lübeck on Saturday. Brace Your Heart took home both the Audience Prize and the Interfilm Church Prize, while Árru received the Baltic Film Prize for a Nordic Feature Film. Let Our Mountains Live won the Documentary Film Prize.

All three films have received support from the International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI). The awards were presented at Theater Lübeck, Germany, on 7 November 2026.

Two Awards for Brace Your Heart

Amanda Kernell’s Garrat du váimmu / Brace Your Heart received both the Audience Prize of €7,500 and the INTERFILM Church Prize of €5,000.

The INTERFILM jury stated:

“A film whose protagonist is neither a victim nor a hero, but a survivor. It brings a powerful and timely voice to the need to break the silence, and shows how a community deals with guilt and difficult truths. Ultimately, it leaves us with pain and hope: the truth will set you free.”

Written and directed by Amanda Kernell, the film is produced by Eva Åkergren at Nordisk Film Production. Co-producers are Forest People’s Lisa Kristensen and Per-Josef Idivuoma, Compass Films, Invictus, Nordisk Film Production Denmark, Filmpool Nord, SVT and Film i Väst.

Baltic Film Prize for Árru

Elle Sofe Sara’s Árru received the Baltic Film Prize for a Nordic Feature Film, worth €5,000.

The Baltic Film Prize jury stated:

“A film about finding strength from your ancestors, letting go of past pain, and moving boldly into the future.”

Directed by Elle Sofe Sara, the film is written by Sara and Johan Fasting and produced by Elisa Fernanda Pirir at Stær. Co-producers are Mimmi Spång at Garage Film International, Jani Pösö at It’s Alive and Elle Sofe Sara at Elle Sofe Company.

Documentary Film Prize for Let Our Mountains Live

Baajh vaeride årrodh / Elloset várit / La fjella leve / Let Our Mountains Live, directed by Håvard Bustnes, won the Documentary Film Prize of €5,000.

The Documentary Film Prize jury stated:

“We were particularly impressed by the portrayal of the collective power of youth protest in the fight for human rights. The film impressively documents the Sámi people’s struggle to preserve their livelihood and shows that being in the right does not always mean getting justice.”

The film is written by Håvard Bustnes, Johannes Vang and Kati Eriksen and produced by Bustnes at UpNorth Film. Co-producers are Johannes Vang at Aurinko Film and Kati Eriksen at Home River Media.

The festival also honoured ISFI Managing Director Anne Lajla Utsi, who received its Honorary Award at the opening ceremony on 4 November.

About Nordic Film Days Lübeck

First held in 1956, Nordic Film Days Lübeck is one of the world’s longest-running film festivals. Dedicated to cinema from the Nordic and Baltic countries, it brings together audiences, filmmakers and industry professionals in Lübeck, Germany. The 68th edition took place from 4 to 8 November 2026.