Prizewinners of the Northern Character Film & TV Festival 2021

A total of 89 films participated in the competition program at this 13th Northern Character FIlm & TV Festival, November 24-27. Films and TV programs from many countries were screened in Murmansk, Tromsø and Luleå. The festival’s emphasis is on films from the North, and most participating filmmakers were from Russia and the Nordic countries.

The winner of the Northern Character’s Grand Prix 2021 is «Compartment no. 6» by director by Juho Kuosmanen (Studio CTB Film Company (Russia), Aamu Film Company (Finland), Amrion OÜ (Estonia), Achtung Panda! (Germany). With the support of the Finnish Film Foundation, YLE, ARTE, the Estonian Film Institute, Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, MEDIA, Eurimages)

Northern Character’s Grand Finale was Saturday’s Award Ceremony, where winners in five categories were honored and acknowledged by the international Festival Jury as well as by fellow film workers and journalists.

Here are the winners of the five competition categories:

• Documentary up to 90 minutes: «Agafya» (Private person Pavel Selin, Moscow, Russia).

• Honorable mention: «Buromsky Island» (LEX FILM, Moscow, Russia)

• Honorable mention: «Architecture of the siege» (Private person Victor Naumov, St.Petersburg, Russia)

• Documentary up to 60 minutes: «Robbers monastery» (Passenger Film Studio, Moscow, Russia)

• Honorable mention: «How to tame a bear?» (Moviestart, Moscow, Russia-)

• Honorable mention: «The Quarantine» (Northern Character Production Center, Murmansk, Russia)

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• TV Program: «Agnetes Voice» (NRK Sapmi, Norway)

• Honorable mention: «The history of Chukotka: beliefs and tales of the Chukchi» (Chukotka Information Agency, Chukotsky Autonomous Area, Anadyr, Russia)

• Honorable mention: From the first person: deepwater fisherman (Youth Initiatives Production Center, Moscow, Russia)

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• Full length film: «Archipelago » (Saint Petersburg Documentary Film Studio, Russia)

• Honorable mention: «HIM» (Alternativet Produksjon, Norway)

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• Short Fiction Film: «The Snow » (Elena Oleinik, Moscow, Russia)

• Honorable mention: «The Oak Tree» (Moineau Productions (Yuliya Antonova), Sweden)

• Honorable mention: «The lottery» (Maria Ivanova, Moscow, Russia)

SPECIAL PRIZE BEST CAMERA is awarded to «Everything will be okay?» by Carl Christian Lein Størmer/IT’S GONNA HAPPEN, Norway

SPECIAL PRIZE BEST DIRECTOR is awarded to «Dia de los muertos» by Viktor Ryzhakov/Eastwood agency, Moscow, Russia.

SPECIAL MENTION the best disclosure of the topic of youth / children: «Young and Afraid» (Indie Film AS, Norway. Scriptwriters, director, cinematographer - Petter Aaberg, Sverre Kvamme.

SPECIAL MENTION for the best coverage of the topic of culture: «Old Russian orthodox chants» (Private person Filip Orlyansky, Moscow, Russia), Scriptwriter, director - Filip Orlyansky

SPECIAL MENTION from the Chairman of the Jury: The Last Kiss» (Eradzh Nidoev, Russia - Tadzikistan, scriptwriter, director - Eradzh Nidoev)

About the festival

Since 2008, Murmansk region has been the host of Northern Character International Film & TV Festival. During these years, Northern Character has become a visiting card of the Murmansk region, a birth place for new names in documentary and feature cinematography and a meeting place for film professionals – masters and beginners – as well as for admirers of high-quality films. The festival program includes film competitions in 5 various categories, master classes, screening of a large number of films and TV programs, discussions and debates, creative meetings between filmmakers and audience – and cultural events.