Tromsø International Film Festival: Cinema under the Northern Lights

By Celina Tran

Every January, as darkness still blankets the Arctic city of Tromsø and the sun has yet to return, thousands of film lovers from around the world flock north for one of Scandinavia’s most extraordinary cultural events. The Tromsø International Film Festival (TIFF) is Norway’s largest film festival, and undoubtedly the most atmospheric.

For a week in late January, Tromsø transforms into a bustling hub of cinephiles, filmmakers, students, locals, and international guests. Cafés and restaurants brim with lively discussions, while the city itself becomes a stage for surprising cinematic encounters. “People go straight from cinema to cinema – it’s intense, social, and magical,” says festival and programme director, Lisa Hoen.

Photo: Jacob de Hoop

The festival began in 1991, when local film enthusiasts and the Tromsø cinema team sought to broaden the Norwegian film landscape. At the time, film distribution was dominated by American titles, something this motley crew of cinephiles wanted to change. Aiming to bring audiences stories from the rest of the world – films that challenged, provoked, inspired, and offered new cultural perspectives – they planted the seed for what would become Tromsø International Film Festival.

From an audience of 5,200 in its first year, TIFF welcomed more than 62,000 visitors during the festival week in 2025, and reaches over 100,000 people annually through screenings and events year-round. “We want to show films that expand the understanding of the world, and we’re not afraid to challenge our audience,” Hoen says.

Photo: Mats Gangvik

Movie night(s) hosted by Miss Aurora Borealis

The festival takes place during the darkest period of the polar winter, when Tromsø has not seen daylight for nearly two months. The darkness does not limit, but rather furthers an even more unique and inclusive cinema experience, especially through the outdoor cinema. On Tromsø’s central square, films illuminate the winter sky from morning to night, creating a communal Arctic experience. In between screenings, festival-goers may catch the Northern Lights dancing overhead.

The sun finally returns on 21 January, often during the festival, turning the event into a joint celebration of cinema and Soldagen – the cherished local day of the sun’s return.

TIFF is as much about community as cinema. Accessibility and inclusion are core values, and all films are subtitled in English, making the festival completely international-friendly. Over the years, TIFF has become the most important meeting place for the film industry in the northern region, fostering Arctic film collaborations and serving as a bridge within the Barents area.

Further, youth engagement is a growing priority. A team of young curators now contributes directly to programming, offering fresh perspectives and shaping the next generation of film culture.

Another highlight: live cine-concerts. In 2026, the northern Norwegian classic Stella Polaris (1993) by Knut Erik Jensen will be reborn with a new live score – this time performed by a hardcore rock ensemble. “It will be loud, bold, and unforgettable,” Hoen says.

She explains that the festival aims to help people fall in love with cinema as an art form, as well as to bring the world to Tromsø through film. And for international travellers, it provides something truly rare: the chance to experience world-class cinema, Arctic culture, and natural wonders all at once.

Lisa Hoen. Photo: Jamie Michael Bivard

A programme that reflects the world

The festival’s programme spans fiction, documentary, experimental cinema, and bold artistic works designed to spark debate. Each year includes international premieres, Norwegian premieres, and curated thematic sections. With the rise of authoritarianism and contemporary fascism across the world, the 2026 theme of fascism highlights the film industry, as well as the festival’s role as a platform for urgent global conversations.

Given its geographical and historical context, TIFF has always maintained a strong gaze eastwards. Situated close to Russia and established at the time of the fall of the Soviet Union, the festival has long showcased films from Eastern Europe. “We’ll be featuring films from Ukrainian and Baltic cinema, as well as try our very best to find independent voices from Russia,” says Hoen. “It’s important for us to view films that reflect the real world, while also giving stage to those voices often suppressed.”

For those seeking cinematic adrenaline, the beloved Overdrive section delivers eccentric delights: wild horror, twisted comedies, and boundary-pushing genre films that electrify late-night audiences.

One of TIFF’s signature identities lies in Film from the North – a programme dedicated to stories from the Arctic region, including Sámi films and works from the Nordics, Alaska, Greenland, and the wider circumpolar area. “It gives audiences a real sense of what is happening in the Arctic,” says Hoen.

Whether attending your first TIFF or returning as a seasoned festival-goer, one thing is certain: no film festival feels quite like this.