Cannes winner Blue is the Warmest Colour also picked up a prize at the 41st Norwegian International Film Festival (NIFF) awards.

Danish director Per Fly picked up the Nordic Film Prize at the NIFF awards last night [Aug 20] for his biopic Monica Z (Waltz for Monica).

The story of legendary Swedish singer-actress Monica Zetterlund stars Edda Magnason in her first film role. Monica Z will be released in Norway on Sept 13.

Fly will next direct Backstabbing for Beginners, based on the true story of UN whistleblower Michael Soussan who called for an investigation of the UN’s dealings with Saddam Hussein. Fly is working on the screenplay with US writer Daniel Pyne (The Sum of All Fears) and it marks the first project developed for the international market by Creative Alliance - a new company created earlier this year by six Nordic directors and US outfit Parts & Labor.

Other winners included Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue Is the Warmest Colour, which can now add the Norwegian critics’ prize to the Palme d’Or it won in Cannes this year.

Felix van Groeningen’s The Broken Circle Breakdown collected the Audience Award.

The festival’s Ray of Sunshine prize went to Gunhild Westhagen Magnor’s documentary The Optimists, about an elderly ladies’ volleyball team.

NIFF runs from Aug 15-22 in Haugesund.

National film awards

Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud’s feature debut, Som du ser meg (I Belong), collected four Amanda statuettes, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, at Norway’s national film prizes on Friday [Aug 16].

Sea voyage drama Kon-Tiki received eight nominations and won four awards, including the audience prize. Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg’s Oscar-nominated film has taken almost 900,000 admissions in Norway.

FULL LIST OF AMANDA WINNERS

  • Best Feature
    Som du ser meg (I Belong)
  • Best Childen’s Film
    Pelle politibil på sporet (Ploddy the Police Car on the Case)
  • Best Cinematography
    Arild Østin Ommundsen, It’s Only Make Believe (Eventyrland)
  • Best Sound Design
    Christian Schaanning, Uskyld (All That Matters Is Past)
  • Best Musical Score
    Ola Kvernberg, Jag etter vind (Chasing the Wind)
  • Best Editing
    Vidar Flataukan, 90 Minutes
  • Best Stage/Production Design
    Karl Júliusson, Kon-Tiki
  • Best Visual Effects
    Arne Kaupang, Storm Studios, Kon-Tiki
  • Best Actress
    Laila Goody, I Belong
  • Best Supporting Actress
    Suzan Ilir, Før snøen faller (Before Snowfall)
  • Best Actor
    Pål Sverre Hagen, Kon-Tiki
  • Best Supporting Actor
    Fridtjof Såheim, Victoria
  • Best Original Screenplay
    Dag Johan Haugerud, I Belong
  • Best Director
    Dag Johan Haugerud, I Belong
  • Audience Award
    Kon-Tiki
  • Best Newcomer (Viasat Prize)
    Kaia Varjord, 90 Minutes
  • Best Documentary
    De andre (Nowhere Home)
  • Best Short
    Magnus – en vårdag
  • Best Foreign Feature
    Searching for Sugar Man
  • The Honorary Amanda
    Norwegian writer, director and producer Bent Hamer
  • The Golden Clapperboard
    Norwegian continuity supervisor Irmelin Wister

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