At the conclusion of the Finnish Film Affair during the Helsinki Film Festival, Naima Mohamud’s comedy “Halima” was awarded Best Fiction, marking a historic milestone as the first feature film in Finland directed by a Black woman. The project, which explores a young Somali girl’s attempt to integrate into 1998 Finnish society, secured the top prize from a jury comprising Jodi Hildebrand, Phoebe Hall, and Fernando Vasquez.
Judi Hildebrand, a former executive at Marvel Studios and Condé Nast, praised the director’s “energetic and authentic voice,” noting that the pitch promised a compelling lead performance. Vasquez described the film as a “90s tinged snapshot of a Finland we haven’t seen on screen before,” highlighting the emergence of a fresh Finnish creative talent.
Produced by It’s Alive Films, known for bold scripted content, “Halima” represents a departure for the production company. Co-founder Jani Pösö noted during the pitch that while It’s Alive is accustomed to producing films, this project is their first without co-owner Teemo Nikki. Pösö emphasized that the company’s ethos of delivering “entertaining takes on deadly serious subjects” aligned perfectly with Mohamud’s story, which was drawn from her own experiences growing up in Finland.
The feature, which also won Best Pitch at the 2024 Haugesund New Nordic Films, is currently in post-production with a scheduled release in autumn 2027. It is a co-production between Finland’s No-Office Films and Ireland’s Vico Films.
In other major categories, the €3,000 Best Nordic Film Award from the Amos Anderson Fund went to Norwegian suspense drama “11 Hours,” directed by Emilie Beck. Based on true events, the film depicts the traumatic hostage situation endured by a daycare director, her staff, and 11 children. An A-list Norwegian cast including Ingrid Bolsø Berdal and Jan Gunnar Røise stars in the production, which is slated for a domestic September 2027 release via Scanbox.
The inaugural Best Genre Project award, sponsored by Post Control Helsinki & Angel Films, was claimed by Teenu Niukkanen’s “Sauna Diplomacy.” Set against the backdrop of 1970s Cold War Finlandization, the comedy follows a civil servant whose interaction with a Soviet diplomat turns into a battle of wits. Niukkanen described the project as “very original, fun and commercially viable,” and it has already been pre-bought by Nordisk Film for the Nordic region, with production set to begin in 2028.
Additional accolades included the €3,000 AVEK Best Documentary Award for Anna Antsalo’s “Darkness Counts,” produced by Venla Hellstedt. The Midpoint Series Consulting Award went to Elin Grönblom’s comedy thriller “Body in the Closet,” while Hedda Mjøn’s courtroom drama “Big Deal” received the Midpoint Feature Consulting Award.
The event also recognized Aleksi Delikouras’s “Babyface” with the Producers Network Award from Marché du Film, and Josefina Rautiainen’s psycho-horror “Linden Lane 6” with the Göteborg Film Festival Award. Industry executives, including Searchlight’s Sydney Brumfield and Norwegian International Film Festival head Tonje Hardersen, praised the high quality of projects selected for the showcase.
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