Mother, Couch wins Dragon Award Best Nordic Film

Feb. 06, 2024

Mother, Couch, directed by Niclas Larsson, wins Dragon Award Best Nordic Film.

The award of SEK 400 000 makes it one of the world's largest film prizes. Presenting partner for the competition is Region Vastra Gotaland and the City of Gothenburg.

Motivation of the jury: 
For an original and bold storytelling with a lot of humour. With the use of creative cinematography and sharp and witty dialogue we are immersed and stuck in a magic furniture shop. Lost in a kind of dark Alice in Wonderland, we are reminded of the search for love and how the lack of family can drive you crazy. The complete absurdity that soon becomes completely normal. How difficult it is to let go of the past, accept loss and finally embrace the future.

Members of the jury: Lena Endre, actor, Sweden Ramata-Toulaye Sy, director, Senegal; William Spetz, actor, Sweden; Tonia Noyabrova, director, Ukraine; Anna Novion, director, France.

• Dragon Award Best Acting

For the sixth time Göteborg Film Festival hands out an award in acting. The prize is gender neutral and all the actors in the films that competes in the Nordic Competition are nominated.

Dragon Award Best Acting 2024 goes to Oona Airola for the part as Niina in The Missile, directed by Miia Tervo.

Motivation of the jury:
With both raw vulnerability and a magnetic force of power, this actress delivers a heartfelt performance where she with a talented precision dances a beautiful dance between drama and comedy. Her character is stuck between a past love and a future one, a messy family (that you’d like to move in with) and a missile, and thanks to the beautiful performance of the actress, we’re stuck right in there with her.

The jury for Dragon Award Best Acting is the same as for Dragon Award Best Nordic Film.

• Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award

The Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award goes to Juan Sarmiento G. for Madame Luna.   

Motivation of the jury:
With a real, vibrating cinematography that fits perfectly with the story, the cinematographer captures the journey of the main character in a ”pas de deux” and intimately gets us close to her tribulations, imperfections and ultimately her huge heart. He tells us a political story in a very poetic way, with no compromises. It is bold and it is beautiful. 

All cinematographers in the Nordic Competition are nominated for the Award and the prize consists of SEK 25 000. The award is presented in cooperation with the Sven Nykvist Cinematography Foundation.

The Award was accepted by Daniel Espinosa, director of Madame Luna.

The jury for the Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award is the same as for Dragon Award Best Nordic Film.

• FIPRESCI Award

The prize from the international federation of film critics, FIPRESCI, goes to The Promised Land by Nikolaj Arcel. The prize is awarded by The International Federation of Film Critics and goes to one of the movies in the Nordic Competition.

Motivation of the jury:
Effectively narrating a tough story from a challenging period,  this film features a captivating plot, strong characters, elaborate setting, excellent camera work, and skillful acting, delivering intricate cinematic experience.

The Award was accepted by Lizette Jonjic, co-producer of The Promised Land.

Members of the jury: Elena Rubashevska, critic, Ukraine; Eirik Bull, critic, Norway; David Sanchez, critic, France.

• Audience Dragon Award Best Nordic Film

This year's Audience Dragon Award Best Nordic Film goes to The Promised Land by Nikolaj Arcel.

The Award was accepted by Lizette Jonjic, co-producer of The Promised Land.

• Dragon Award Best Nordic Documentary

This year's Dragon Award Best Nordic Documentary goes to Ibelin by Benjamin Ree. Presenting partner of the award and the prize sum of SEK 250 000 in services from Edisen.

Motivation of the jury: 
The jury were deeply moved and impressed by this film, that gives life to a world otherwise unseen and invites us into a community otherwise unheard. It changed our view about what is artificial and what is authentic, and made us question our conception of real human connection, friendship, love, loss. The film shows in a captivating way how we can matter, be impactful and make a difference in other peoples lives, not bound by physical limitations. 

Honorary mention: Fifteen zero three nineteenth of january two thousand sixteen
We want to acknowledge the achievement of the distinct artistic accuracy of this film, giving depth to an urgent and sensitive topic in Swedish society. And the courageous way of portraying loss, grief and action through a community of women who do not give up hope for a change.

Honorary mention: Homecoming
We want to acknowledge the achievement of the filmmakers, who, through a personal and sensitive lens, manage to give agency to sami items, that can at last reclaim their identity, connecting us to accurate struggles of indigenous peoples throughout the world.

Members of the jury: Anna Hints, director, Estonia; Theresa Traore Dahlberg, artist and documentary filmmaker, Sweden; Tobias Janson, producer, Sweden.

• The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award

The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award goes to Me, Maryam, The Children And 26 Others by Farshad Hashemi. The Award is presented together with the The Bergman Foundations, i. e. The Ingmar Bergman Foundation, The Bergman Estate and Bergman Center on Fårö.

The prize consists of a stay at The Bergman Estate on Fårö.

Motivation of the jury:
At its core, this film is a personal portrait of solidarity and the transformative power of inviting life back in. The director injects moments of humor and lightheartedness while leaving the audience deeply moved. In an unexpected and cinematically creative way, the film also explores themes of loneliness and the power of letting go. All the while, it maintains a level of authenticity in the performances, making every moment feel genuine and heartfelt. We, the jury, can't wait to see more from this director.

In conclusion, the jury is united in giving The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award to Me, Maryam, The Children And 26 Others, by Farshad Hashemi.

Members of the jury: Levan Akin, director, Sweden; Cristina Jardim Ribeiro, head of operations at Bergman Center, Sweden; Elene Naveriani, director, Georgia.

• Dragon Award Best International Film

For the seventh consecutive time Dragon Award Best International Film is handed out. This year's audience price for Best International Film goes to There's Still Tomorrow by Paola Cortellesi.

The Award was accepted by Maria Domellöf from Göteborgs-Posten.

The prize consists of SEK 50 000 and presenting partner for the award is Göteborgs-Posten.

• Draken Film Award

For the third time, the Draken Film Award is awarded to a Swedish short film in the festival's program that excels in its form, artistic height or by challenging and expanding the narrative in the short format.

The winner of the Draken Film Award is 2008 Loves You, by Nellie Lexfors.

Motivation of the jury:
The Draken Film Award goes to a unique film that grabs hold of us from the very first frame and continues to pulse within us long after the techno-thumping soundtrack has faded away. Under confident directorial guidance, all components of the film medium come together to form an impressive whole, delivering an authentic, vibrant, and gritty portrayal of the rollercoaster ride of youth. A poignant depiction of being young, lost, and misunderstood that doesn't shy away from pausing in the fragile moments.

The prize consists of SEK 25 000 and distribution by Draken Film.

Members of the jury: Lisa Meyer, director, Sweden; Katja Wik, producer, Sweden; Mats Udd, director, Sweden. 

• Youth Jury Dragon Award

For the first time ever, the Youth Jury Dragon Award was handed out during the Dragon Awards on Saturday. The award was established for the festival in 2024, to highlight the perspectives of young people on what makes a good film. A selection of eight films from the festival's Voyage section was nominated for the award. 

The winner of the Youth Jury Dragon Award is A Ravaging Wind av Paula Hernández.

Motivation of the jury: 
Being part of Göteborg Film Festival's Youth Jury has been an eye-opening experience. We've seen at first hand the power that discourse has in the shaping of how we view and experience films. During our selection process we exchanged new aspects of each film, and the winner sparked the most discussion of them all, bringing us to a unity. In this film, we were especially moved by how the director uses lighting and colour to highlight the emotional beats in the narrative. The use of limited settings brought an intimacy to the story that was central to our resolution that this film should receive the award. 

The Award was accepted by Marie-Louise Bahati and Jasmin Ali from the jury.

Members of the jury: Noel Friede, Selma Mogren, Marie-Louise Bahati, Aditya Padmanabhan Varma, Sanna Karinsdotter Pålsson, Guhar Nuri Ibo, Jasmin Ali and Svante Håkansson.