08/02/2021 - Ronnie Sandahl’s movie has won the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film, with its main actor Erik Enge also recognised, while Another Round inspired the audience

Director Ronnie Sandahl (left) and main actor Erik Enge receiving their Dragon Awards for Tigers

Just one day before the official closure of the 44^th Göteborg Film Festival, the awards were announced on 8 February, with Tigers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ronnie Sandahl
film profile] by Ronnie Sandahl emerging as the winner of this year’s Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film as well as a prize of SEK 400,000 (€40,000), provided by Region Västra Götaland and the City Council of Gothenburg.

“[Tigers] gives a rare glimpse into a world that many wish to enter, but only a few will be admitted to. We chose to award the film that made us feel and root for the main character in every situation, whether chasing their dream or giving it up in order to survive and become happy,” was the Nordic Competition jury’s statement. This year, the jury consisted of Swedish producer Anna-Maria Kantarius, director Daniel Josef Borgman and Finnish producer Max Malka.

The jury also rewarded the work of Erik Enge with the Best Acting gong, thanks to his performance as Martin in Tigers. In the jury’s eyes, it was a “performance that was subtle, nuanced and, at first quietly, and then later devastatingly, intense. With a physicality which foreshadowed the fragility of their character from the very first frame, this young actor was both vibrant and brittle.”

Furthermore, Tove [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Zaida Bergroth
film profile]’s director of photography, Linda Wassberg, snagged the Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award, “for the electric connection through the lens between the cinematographer and the actors. For being brave when others would have chosen to play it safe. For pictures that stay with us. For the courage to step into the world of a legend with curiosity.” The FIPRESCI jury, meanwhile, opted to reward Pleasure [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ninja Thyberg
film profile] by Ninja Thyberg, for “a raw, bold and daring documentary-like descent into the subterranean world of the LA porn industry, with a tour-de-force performance from newcomer Sofia Kappel.”

Danish director Jonas Poher Rasmussen received the Best Nordic Documentary Dragon Award, which is accompanied by SEK 250,000, for Flee [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
film profile], for “a well-motivated choice of form, which submerges us and leads us to reflect on the character’s difficult journey. It allows us to relate to the inner experience of a person who had to flee from home, and hide his past and parts of his personality,” the jury stated. The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award – consisting of a stay at the Bergman Estate on Fårö and a visit to Bergman’s personal archive in Stockholm – went to Mama [+see also:
trailer
interview: Li Dongmei
film profile] by Li Dongmei, who “conveys an introspective, emotional truth, inviting us all to share in it – emotionally, intellectually, and even viscerally. The viewer is plunged into an immersive, sensual and meditative experience – as much as the art of cinema can ever hope for,” underlined the jurors.

As for the Audience Awards, Best Nordic Film was given to Another Round [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Thomas Vinterberg, while Best International Film, which also received SEK 50,000, was deemed to be Quo Vadis, Aida? [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jasmila Žbanić
film profile] by Jasmila Žbanić.

Here is the full list of award winners at the 44^th Göteborg Film Festival:

Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film
Tigers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ronnie Sandahl
film profile] - Ronnie Sandahl (Sweden/Italy/Denmark)

Dragon Award for Best Acting
Erik Enge – Tigers

Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award
Linda Wassberg - Tove [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Zaida Bergroth
film profile] (Finland/Sweden)

FIPRESCI Award
Pleasure [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ninja Thyberg
film profile] - Ninja Thyberg (Sweden/Netherlands/France)

Dragon Award for Best Nordic Documentary
Flee [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
film profile] - Jonas Poher Rasmussen (Denmark/France/Sweden/Norway)

The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award
Mama [+see also:
trailer
interview: Li Dongmei
film profile] - Li Dongmei (China)

Audience Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film
Another Round [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands)

Dragon Award for Best International Film
Quo Vadis, Aida? [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jasmila Žbanić
film profile] - Jasmila Žbanić (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Austria/Romania/France/Netherlands/Germany/Poland/Norway/Turkey)

Nordic Honorary Dragon Award
Ruben Östlund

Dragon Award for Best Swedish Short
The Expected - Carolina Sandvik (Sweden)

Angelos Award
Magnus von Horn - Sweat [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Magnus von Horn
film profile] (Poland/Sweden)

Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize
Maja Jul Larsen (writer) - Cry Wolf (Denmark)