The first Norwegian International Film Festival was held in the town of Drøbak in 1973. In the following years, it was organized in different cities throughout Norway before finding its permanent home in Haugesund, where it has been held every year since 1987.
The festival is co-organized by Film & Kino (an interest group for municipalities that own cinemas), the municipality of Haugesund, and Rogaland county. Crown Prince Haakon is the patron of the festival and Norwegian actress and film director Liv Ullmann serves as its honorary president.
The Norwegian International Film Festival was accredited by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) as a non-competitive feature film festival. Although the festival doesn’t host an official film competition, it presents the Amanda Award to improve and promote the Norwegian film industry. The award was initiated in 1985 by the local newspaper Haugesunds Avis. Its name is derived from a sea shanty titled “Amanda from Haugesund”.
Along with the Amanda and People’s Amanda Awards, there are several special awards presented by various organizations, including the Norwegian Film Critics’ Association, the Norwegian Cinema Managers Association, Scandinavian Locations, Vårt Land, etc.
The Haugesund Film Festival screens mostly films made in the Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland) that haven’t been released in Norway yet. Its program is divided into several sections such as the main program, Cinemagi, the Norwegian Film School, Documentaries, Nordic Focus, Next Nordic Generation, Children’s Short Film Program, special screenings, Videorama, and others.
Along with film screenings and the Amanda Award ceremony, the festival hosts a series of industry events such as round tables, seminars, pitching sessions, exhibitions, and more.
Photo: filmfestivalen.no
