The Nordic films tipped for 2026 festival success
By Anders Lorenzen
A still from Hetki ennen valoa. Photo: b-plan, Cata Portin
At the time of writing, it remains to be seen whether Nordic cinema will celebrate success at Berlinale — one of Europe’s leading film festivals — and at next month’s Academy Awards, but there’s plenty of Nordic optimism for the festival circuit; we look at some of the reasons why.
As most people will know by now, the Norwegian film Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi) is nominated for Best International Film at next month’s Academy Awards, along with a host of other honours. But there are several other names worth keeping an eye on later in the year.
A Nordic top contender is Fjord, a Romanian-Norwegian production directed by Cristian Mungiu, set in Norway. It tells the story of a Romanian-Norwegian couple struggling for acceptance in the wife’s remote Norwegian hometown. The co-production, in addition to being set in Norway, included several Nordic co-producers.
Finnish director Klaus Härö’s new drama Blue Baby (Hetki ennen valoa) could be in contention for festivals in the second half of 2026, with production expected to wrap by summer. The film unfolds amid a healthcare crisis and centres on a nurse, a mother and a newborn with a severe heart condition.
The Danish production Woman, Unknown (Kvinde, Ukendt) is still in production, but is rumoured to be completed in time for Cannes. The drama, directed by Danish-Egyptian May el-Toukhy, centres around a woman set to marry an older man but harbouring some disturbing secrets.
The adaptation of Knut Hamsun’s Growth of the Soil (Markens grøde), directed by Hans Peter Moland, is slated to be ready for the summer and autumn festivals. The epic story is set in the barren wilderness of rural Norway, featuring a strong cast.
“We all have some quite unique voices coming out of our countries,” said Lizette Gram Mygind, festival consultant at the Danish Film Institute, reflecting on the Nordic titles to watch in 2026.
Anders Lorenzen is a Danish blogger and film and TV enthusiast living in London.
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