NUFF – Nordisk Ungdoms Filmfestival / Nordic Youth Film Festival

SOlIDARITY – ThE NORDIc YOUTh FIlM FESTIVAl NUFF 2006

This year we were especially proud of the fact that NUFF had a focus on Palestine. Not only did we open with a film about Palestine, but we were thrilled to invite three of our Palestinian friends to the festival. In 2007 NUFF Global will focus on climate change. The concept of solidarity involves meeting people, expressing care, creating an environment that encourages and nurtures mutual understanding, and taking action. The way we see it, it’s an eternal process of the heart – very much like love. There continues to be too much injustice and oppression in our world and it’s going to take a lot of time and love to change this. We live in one of the richest countries in the world and we can’t keep sticking our heads down in the honey jar in order to secure our own pension for another 100 years. We have to begin takeing steps for the world outside. NUFF is therefore an important festival. It addresses the rights youth have to express themselves through one of our time’s most topical mediums – film. It unites people from all corners of the globe while expanding our global perspectives. It culminates in new forms of expression and understanding that can help to make this crazy world a little better.

winner of the age group 1-1:

DE mANlIgA mÄNNEN (macho men)

Sweden 2005, comedy, 6’05 Dir: Hugo Anderson, Robin Gustafsson, Mattias Odh Prod: MachoMovie Cast: Hugo Anderson, Robin Gustafsson, Mattias Odh, Victor Rudolfsson, Ida Wallin

The movie is about three men and their maid. One day their maid is kidnapped by a dragon. The Macho Men have to save her! MACHO MEN instantly won the jury over with its contagious irony and its bursts of energy. It illustrated the sheer joy of playing with the media toolbox. Even with its tongue-in-cheek approach, this little film touches on topics such as gender roles, cyberspace, and video games. Utilizing the whole palette of storytelling, editing, and visual effects, MACHO MEN quickly flashes its own ”cinematic reality” to make a variety of humorous comments – and does so with splendour and commendable playfulness. (The NUFF-jury 2006)

winner of the age group 18-20 and audience award winner:

hARD JOE

Sweden 2005, drama, 17’52 Dir/script/prod: Andreas Öhman Cast: Will Hardy, Katarina Emanuelsson Music: Joakim Svärling, Boy Omega, Robert Svensson

The actor Joe Anderson moves to Sweden to start his new life as typical Swedish citizen, although his past seems to be a bigger problem than he first anticipated. You may remember him from such films as The Big Sheep, In Diana Jones and Verticum. HARD JOE really comes across as a rounded-off, finished piece of filmmaking. With its tight structure, it presents a case of straightforward storytelling – and even succeeds in concluding with a nice pay-off! Very professionally acted and directed, HARD JOE uses strong narrative means. For instance, in order to give the background of the main character, the filmmaker chose to use Oscar-like statuettes and video covers to cleverly tell us what could have easily taken several scenes of dialogue. But above all, the success of this film rests with the way it deals with an “awkward” subject, dissolving a stereotype or two along the way… (The NUFF-jury 2006)

The Dvoted Award for Best Film Music:

ARR I SJElEN (Soul of Scars)

Norway 2006, thriller, 12’00 Dir: Sigurd Steinum Prod: Jostein Hammerset, Tord Olsen Cast: Tord Olsen, Jostein Fagerli, Jostein Hammerset, Rune Steinum Script: Tord Olsen, Sigurd Steinum, Magnus Dahl Music: Justin R. Durban, Magnus Dahl winner of the age group 21-2:

KOKO NAINEN (Whole woman)

Finland 2004, documentary, 24’00 Dir/prod/script: Marika Väisänen Music: Emmi Knuutinen

The young and vital woman Kaisa voluntary amputated her legs after suffering for several years from arthritis. She wants to show her new prosthesis openly and discusses what it is like to be a handicapped woman in this society. A documentary that could have easily been a trite reality TV program, KOKO NAINEN is a beautifully structured and very personal piece of storytelling. Artistic elements act as ice-breakers in a candid story that truly brings bucketfuls of hope and optimism – not because of our heroine’s handicap, but because of her dignity. In a way, she becomes a role model for all of us! There is an obvious synergy and close communication between the director and her subject, which is expressed seemingly effortlessly through self-irony, humour, and lightness – traits which are quite hard to convey. (The NUFF-jury 2006)

A disturbed old man feels haunted by bad memories. It develops into a struggle between the present and the past where the only loser turns out to be himself. We are giving the honours to SOUL OF SCARS because of its professional implementation of music as a dramatic storytelling tool. Flanking some effective editing and overall sound design, the ever-pulsating score creates tension with the viewer and admirably illustrates the emotional distress as the main character is pacing the corridors and running into the woods. Remove the music – and you remove the horror as well! (The NUFF-jury 2006)