Oslo Pix Film Festival – more than just films

Famous film festivals like those in Cannes and Berlin may feel like they belong in a different world. Places where what we in the audience should watch is decided, but where those outside of the industry are not allowed in. At Oslo Pix Film Festival things are different; everyone is invited, including the big stars.

The film industry is constantly changing. From the very exclusive screenings of the first silent films in the late 19th century to today’s streaming services, there has been exponential growth and technological advancement.

Film festivals are a great place to stay up-to-date, meet likeminded people and watch lots of great films. Unfortunately, many of them are industry specific festivals that are not open to the general public. They serve a purpose and are important for the film industry, but there should be more festivals that are accessible to everyone. That is exactly what Oslo Pix Film Festival has achieved.

Actor and filmmaker Maïwenn with a fan. Photo: Oslo Pix Film Festival/Jo Straube

Giving the audience something more

One could argue that all film festivals are for the audience, but for the creative souls working at Oslo Pix Film Festival it is not enough to just find films that the audience might enjoy and screen them. The festival team wants to enhance the whole experience. “For us, it’s crucial to be an audience-centred festival,” says Johanne Svendsen Rognlien, programme manager. “We love creating activities inside and outside the cinemas and work to add value around each individual screening.”

Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel and Renate Reinsve at the premiere of Armand. Photo: Oslo Pix Film Festival/Karin Beate Nøsterud

One example is from 2023, when Oslo Pix Film Festival, in collaboration with Litteraturhuset, hosted a dine-in film experience. The evening’s screening was of The Menu and the chefs at Kafé Oslo created a 6-course menu inspired by the film.

But it does not have to be very elaborate to be impactful. In 2024, Oslo Pix Film Festival offered film lovers the opportunity to experience Sofia Coppola’s cult classic Lost in Translation in a hotel setting on the outdoor terrace of Radisson Blu Scandinavia. That certainly beats watching the film alone at home.

There is also the popular Pix Pub Crawl. It is a pretty simple concept; five great short films screened at four great pubs, dotted around the lively area of Grünerløkka. A perfect way to spend a late summer’s evening.

Outside screening in Birkelunden park. Photo: Oslo Pix Film Festival/Jo Straube

Sharing an experience

Films used to be something we used to watch at the cinema. But with streaming services offering hundreds of films and TV series a month for less than the price of a cinema ticket, it is no wonder that more people stay at home.

But we are missing out on something if we stay home. Not only do films look better on a cinema screen, there are fewer distractions, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the story. We also miss out on a shared experience, of laughing together, gasping together or crying together. On being part of something bigger, if only for a couple of hours.

Johanne Svendsen Rognlien, programme manager, and director Sean Price Williams. Photo: Oslo Pix Film Festival/ Alexander Hellstenius

“One of our most important tasks as a festival is to cultivate the cinema as a place and social arena,” says Ingvild Vaale Arnesen, marketing and communication manager. “We have fantastic screening venues at Vega Scene, Nordisk Film Cinema and Cinemateket.”

In addition, the festival’s outdoor cinema is an important part of the festival programme, creating an arena where films are more accessible to more people. It is free and open for all, with a mix of Norwegian films and British or American films, for adults and for kids. Thanks to films, we can experience life through someone else’s eyes, leaving a screening with a slightly better understanding of the world and each other.

Lost in Translation at Radisson Blu Scandinavia. Photo: Oslo Pix Film Festival/Karin Beate Nøsterud

A programme with a strong Nordic profile

The festival’s programme features award-winning and groundbreaking films. “We have a clear Nordic profile with our competition section, Grand Pix Nordic Fiction and Grand Pix Nordic Documentary,” says Svendsen Rognlien. When possible, the screening is followed by a Q&A with the director, a lead actor or someone else from the crew.

This does not mean the programme is exclusively Nordic however. It consists of everything from experimental independent films to big Hollywood productions and cult classics.

Photo: Oslo Pix Film Festival/Jo Straube

The opening film in 2024 was Armand. It ticks all the boxes; award-winning, groundbreaking, Norwegian film, and fresh out of the most important film festival in the world, Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, the 2024 winner of Caméra d’Or for best debut feature at the Cannes Film Festival, and starring Renate Reinsve, Norway’s new movie star.

The closing film was another award-winning film, Elskling, directed by Lilja Ingolfsdottir. It premiered at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, receiving five awards.

Both films set the bar high for what can be expected from the festival. “Oslo Pix Film Festival will be the capital’s most important film event with highlights from some of the world’s largest festivals,” says Svendsen Rognlien. “We will continue to deliver this in 2025.”

Vega Scene. Photo: Oslo Pix Film Festival/Jo Straube

Web: www.oslopix.no
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Instagram: @oslo_pix

Facts about Oslo Pix Film Festival:
• The festival takes place 25-31 August 2025. • It started in 2017 with support from Oslo kommune (Oslo city council) and the Norwegian Film Institute.
• The main partners are Nordisk Film Kino, Vega and Cinemateket.
• The producer, The Festival Agency, is also behind the film festivals Films from the South and Arab Film Days.
• From 2017 to 2024, 565 films have been screened at the festival.
• By the end of the festival in 2024, the total attendance since 2017 had reached 185,000.
• The programme consists mainly of films from North America and Europe, with a special focus on the Nordic region.