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ÁRRU Invited to SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL Special Presentations and Competes for First Nations Award

ANNE LAJLA UTSI RECEIVES HONORARY AWARD AT NORDIC FILM DAYS LÜBECK

JOIN US IN CANNES: A FIRESIDE CHAT WITH SÁMI PRODUCERS

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Ollu lihkku Árru ja olles filbmajovkui! Elle Sofe Sara guhkesfilbma Árru lea beassan @sydfilmfest Festivalii, ja lea oassin Special Presentations prográmmas ja gilvala maid First Nation Awards bálkášumis mii lea $35.000. *** Elle Sofe Saras feature film Árru is going to Sydney! Congratulations to the entire team. The film is in the prestige Special Presentations program and is competing on the First Nation Awards $35,000 cash prize.
ABOUT ÁRRU
Amid the breathtaking landscapes of Sápmi, reindeer herder Maia fights to protect her ancestral lands from a looming mining project. As protests rise, she turns to her charismatic uncle Lemme for help, but his presence reignites deep-buried traumas. Maia must choose: save the land at the cost of her family or surrender it to break the silence.

Director: Elle Sofe Sara | Writers: Johan Fasting, Elle Sofe Sara | Cast: Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Áyla Gáren Nutti, Simon Issát Marainen, Mikkel Gaup | Director of Photography: Cecilie Semec | Composer: John Erik Kaada | Editor: Michal Leszczylowski | Production Designer: Otto Lume | Produced by: Stær A.S (No), Garagefilm International (SE), It’s Alive (FIN), Elle Sofe Company (Sápmi) |The film is financed by The International Sámi Film Institute, The Norwegian Film Institute, The Swedish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Arctic Film Norway, Sámediggi (No), New Dawn, Eurimages, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, NRK, YLE, SVT, and Cadre Bord | With support from imagineNATIVE and Indigenous Cinema Alliance.

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Join us at Cannes and @marchedufilm for:
impACT | Arctic Storytelling and the New World Order | A Panel Presented by International Sámi Film Institute & Indigenous Screen Office

🗓 May 14, 11:30–12:30
📍 Palais Stage (Palais -1) & Online

A conversation with Anne Lajla Utsi (ISFI), Kerry Swanson (ISO), Jason Ryle (AIFF), Emile Hertling Péronard (Ánorâk Film). Moderated by Melanie Nepinak Hadley (ISO).

Come and listen and connect with us at Marché du Film! 💫

Photo from the ÁRRAN 360° project Ovias, by Ann Aurebekk.

#mdf26 #marchedufilm #indigenouscinema #arctic #cannes2026

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We’re taking the elevator from Sápmi all the way to Cannes 🎬✨ (…with a few stops along the way..)

The ISFI team with Eva (Comms), Anne Lajla (Managing Director) and Siljá (Film Commissioner), will be in Cannes during @marchedufilm .

We will arrange a panel together with @indigenousscreen and hoste a Fireside Chat together with @nordiskfilmogtvfond with our Sámi producer who are attensing the impACT Lab! See you there 🇫🇷

For meeting requests, please remember to reach out to us well in advance!

#mdf26 #marchedufilm

***

ISFI jovkkoš lea fargga jođus Sámis Cannesii! Mii lágidat panelaságastallama fárrolagaid Indigenous Screen Office:ain ja dolastallanságastallama ovttas Nordisk Film & TV Foanddain min Sámi buvttadeddjiiguin geat leat mielde impACT Lab:as.

Mii illudat sakka 🎬✨

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Apply for ISFI production grants! Oza ISFI buvttadandoarjaga!

Deadline May 2!

Apply for production grants for documentaries, feater films, TV series, short films and animations.

The production grant aims to secure the best possible quality of the film project. The grant is given to stimulate films in the Sámi languages and strengthen Sámi filmmakers and producers.

Application deadlines for production grants are February 1st, May 2st, September 1st and December 1st.

The International Sámi Film Institute is dedicated to providing Sámi people with the skills and economic opportunities in developing, producing, and distributing Sámi films in the Sámi languages.

🌍 Read more at www.isfi.no

🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬

Sáhttát ohcat doarjaga dokumentáraide, guhkes filmmaide, TV-ráidduide, oanehisfilbmii dahje animašuvdna buvttadeapmái.

Nubbi ohcanáigemearri dán jagi lea miessemánu 2.b.

Buvttadandoarjaga ulbmil lea sihkkarastit filbmaprošektii buoremus vejolaš kvalitehta. ISFI buvttadandoarjja lea sámi buvttadanfitnodagaide.

🌍 www.isfi.no

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We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Pathfinder Guidelines Expert Group, a Sámi storytelling and cultural expert group. The group consists of Sunna Nousuniemi (Sápmi/Finland), Åsa Simma (Sápmi/Sweden) and Ken Are Bongo (Sápmi/Norway), and is coordinated by ISFI.

The initiative is founded in line with The Pathfinder - Guidelines for Responsible Filmmaking with Sámi Culture and People (2021).

***

Váldet bures vuostá min Ofelašbagadusa kulturáššedovdi joavkku. Joavkkus lea Radio-JusSunná, Åsa Simma ja Ken Are Bongo. Dát kulturáššedovdi joavku lea ásahuvvon Ofelašbagadusa vuođđun.

Loga eambbo min neahttasiiddus!

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Per-Josef Idivuoma, with @forestpeople.as joines the impACT Lab at @marchedufilm 2026!

Per-Josef Idivuoma is born and raised in the town of Idivuoma in Northern Sweden. He gained his community name, Gákte Biera, for always wearing the traditional clothes of the Sámi people. He is a proud Sámi, the indigenous people of northern Europe. Before establishing his own company, Forest People, Idivuoma worked at Swedish Radio (Sveriges Radio). He has since produced several short films, including Brothers of Faith (2026), which premiered at the Tromsø International Film Festival this year. He is also the co-producer of the TV-series A Sámi Wedding created by Åse Kathrin Vuolab, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025, as well as a co-producer on Amanda Kernell’s upcoming feature film Brace Your Heart, set for release soon.

To the impACT Lab, Idivuoma brings the feature film Girls, created by Lisa Marie Kristensen. About Girls: When 16-year-old Joanna faces expulsion after lashing out, she’s forced to join the football team, which is her worst nightmare. But, on the team, no one cares where you are from or who your parents are, as long as you fight till you bleed. Unexpectedly Joanna finds her place, and the girls who change everything.

This year ISFI has two producers joining the Lab, the other one is Kati Eriksen with @homerivermedia

For more information: link in bio 🌍

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Kati Eriksen, with @homerivermedia, joines the impACT Lab at @marchedufilm 2026!

This year we have two producers joining the Lab, and we are so exited!

Kati Eriksen entered the film industry through her personal short documentary Home River (2023), which led to founding production company Home River Media. With a background in Sámi rights advocacy and cross-border cultural work, she produces Sámi-led films. Her strengths are project management, financing, and building sustainable productions.

To the impACT Lab Eriksen brings the documentary Ain áimmuin - For What I Did, by director Berit Marie Lise Eira. The film is about a Sámi woman’s forbidden love for a German soldier and reveals a deeper story of war, love, and forgiveness.

For more information: link in bio 🌍

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Ollu lihkku Heajastallamii! @saramargretheoskal lea nominerejuvvon buoremus váldoneavttárin, ja @ivanbuljo lea nominerejuvvon buoremus veahkkeneavttárin @gullruten_offisiell tv-bálkášumis! Ollu ollu lihkku goappašaigade! 🔥

***

Congratulations! Two nominations to A Sámi Wedding at Gullruten!
The TV-series is nominated for:
• Best Leading Role by Sara Margrethe Oskal
• Best Supporting Role by Ivan Aleksander Sara Buljo

The award ceremony takes place on Friday, May 8.

In addition, the TV series is also nominated for seven Gullruten Fagpriser 2026 (Craft Awards):
• Green Production of the Year
• Best Casting – Fiction
• Best Cinematography – Drama
• Best Script – Drama
• Best Directing – Drama
• Best Props
• Best Production Design

The series is created by Åse Kathrin Vuolab and directed by Åse Kathrin Vuolab and Pål Jackman. It is produced by Mer Film, Tordenfilm and Forest People for NRK, and had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025. The Tv-series is available now on NRK, SVT and YLE, in addition to CBC in Canada.

What is Gullruten?
Gullruten is Norway’s biggest TV awards.

📸 By @merfilm

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Film Exčelerator Sápmi oahpahallit čuvvo seminára Guovdageainnus - Birgejupmi through Art & Duodji - maid Dáiddadállu ja ovttasbargoguoimmit leat ráhkadan. ISFI buvttii maid ovdán man láhkai sámi filbmadáiddasuorgi ja ISFI lea ovdánan ásaheami rájis 2009is otnážii.

Loga ja geahča eambbo fiinna govaid semináras @daiddadallu - Sámi Artist Network bokte ✨

Govat Dáiddadállu / Carl-Johan Utsi bokte.

***

Our trainees at the Film Exčelerator Sápmi program attended the seminar in Guovdageaidnu – Birgejupmi through Art & Duodji, organized by Dáiddadállu and partners. ISFI also presented the development of the Sámi film sector and how the institute has grown since its establishment in 2009 until today.

Read more and see beautiful moments from the seminar via Dáiddadállu ✨

Photos by Dáiddadállu / Carl-Johan Utsi.