Festive Opening of the 68th Nordic Film Days

Lübeck, November 5, 2026. The German premiere of the Latvian film Ulya launched Wednesday’s celebrations of the official opening of the 68th Nordic Film Days Lübeck. Among the highlights of the gala at the CineStar Stadthalle cinema were honours bestowed on Anne Lajla Utsi, director of the International Sámi Film Institute, and the announcement of the new recipients of the Lübeck Script Development grant.

The red carpet was unfurled Wednesday for Nordic and Baltic cinema.The opening ceremonies for the 68th Nordic Film Days Lübeck glittered with guests from the worlds of cinema, culture, and politics. Film industry professionals and the audience celebrated the start of the festival at the CineStar Stadthalle cinema. Between now and November 8, the NFL will present films from northern and northeastern Europe as well as northern Germany. The evening’s main event was the German premiere of Ulya (2026, orig. title: Uļa) by Latvian director Viesturs Kairišs. The film was represented by guests producer Guntis Trekteris and production designer Ieva Jurjāne. The film, which was Latvia’s submission for the 2027 Oscars, launches a festival programme featuring many movies dealing with family relationships, societal shifts, and dealing with upheaval.

Honorary Award for Anne Lajla Utsi

The opening night gala including honouring Anne Lajla Utsi. The festival’s honorary award recognises the director of the Sámi Film Institute’s commitment to promoting Sámi cinema and raising the visibility of indigenous points-of-view on film. The laudatory speech was given by Norwegian director Nils Gaup, who is himself Sámi and travelled to Lübeck for the event. His 1987 film Pathfinder (1987, orig. title: Ofelaš) represented a breakthrough for Sámi cinema.

“With incredible energy, dedication and drive, Anne Lajla has made the emergence of a film industry for Sámi cinema possible in the first place. She has built bridges between the communities of Sámi filmmakers and created funding structures from scratch. She is a true visionary,” said Nils Gaup, director of *Pathfinder* and the presenter of the award.

Anne Lajla Utsi expressed her gratitude to the Nordic Film Days and her laudator: “Pathfinder ignited a fire within me – it was the first time I had seen myself and my people on the big screen. Since that day, I have never stopped making our culture visible through cinema and championing its empowerment and sense of belonging. Our stories are stories of – and for – nature.”

Susanne Kasimir, Managing Director and Head of the Lübeck Nordic Film Festival: “The Nordic Film Festival is far more than just a cinema event. It enriches cultural life in Lübeck and Schleswig-Holstein and brings people from across the Baltic Sea region together. At the same time, it provides important impetus for the city and the region – for tourism, the local economy and international networking. For me, this is my seventh and final festival: my wish is for the Nordic Film Days to be recognised as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.” She addressed this wish to the mayor and the guests from the local community and political sphere who were present. Dr Philipp Salamon-Menger, Head of the Culture Department at the Ministry of General and Vocational Education, Science, Research and Culture (MBWFK), speaking on behalf of the state, highlighted the importance of the Nordic Film Days as a key factor in the region’s appeal and as a unifying element in the Baltic Sea region.

Guests from Film, Culture, and Politics

Among the guests at the opening were numerous film professionals, representatives of international film festivals and funding bodies, as well as members of the festival juries. Among those travelling from the film industry were the Swedish director Linda Hambäck, whose animated film *Dante* is featured in this year’s festival programme, and Jan Göransson from the Swedish Film Institute. Representatives from film funding bodies and cultural institutions were also guests at the gala, including Helge Albers and Nicola Jones (MOIN Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein). From the worlds of politics and diplomacy, those attending the opening included Lübeck’s mayor Jan Lindenau, Senator for Culture Monika Frank and the newly elected Senator for Culture and Education David Nethen. Also present at the opening were Carsten Bliddal, Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Denmark; Petra Baader, Honorary Consul of Norway; Bernd Jorkisch, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Finland; Dan Ekholm, Counsellor for Culture and Press at the Embassy of Finland; Else Kveinen, Counsellor for Culture and Press at the Royal Norwegian Embassy; Anneli Strömqvist, Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of Sweden; Rüdiger Alms, Cultural Attaché at the Royal Norwegian Embassy; David Engh-Bongers, Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Sweden; and Matthias Imringer Sonne, Head of Culture and Communication at the Royal Danish Embassy. Also present were numerous partners and supporters, as well as representatives from various institutions.

New Talents and New Subjects

As part of the gala, the recipients of this year’s Lübeck Script Development grant were announced. Arne Körner and Rafael Stachowiak are developing the political thriller “Rosa Liste”, while Johanna Domke receives the grant for her documentary hybrid project Die Andere Seite der Maske. This marks the fourth year of the grant. Additional information on the projects will be furnished in a separate press release.

With Future North, young filmmakers from the Nordic and Baltic regions, as well as Schleswig-Holstein were also present at the gala. The programme fosters young talent and promotes cross-border exchange.

Almost 200 Film and Some 30 Events

The festival started on Tuesday, November 3, with an early bird event. During Ocean Day at the Infinity Dome on Klingenberg square, the public could dive into a 360-degree world of images on the theme of the oceans and their protection.

From now through November 8, the Nordic Film Days Lübeck will screen a total of almost 200 films in 250 screenings across the ten festival sections. The film programme is complemented by some 30 side-bar events, including panel discussions, encounters with filmmakers, and additional cultural events. With the motto “world in flux, understand the world”, the 68th Nordic Film Days Lübeck are an invitation to discover new points-of-view, and enter into dialogue.