Guests at the 68th Nordic Film Days Lübeck
Lübeck, October 29, 2026. A time for discovery, a time for dialogue – From November 4 to 8, the Nordic Film Days Lübeck will welcome filmmakers and creative talents from across Europe.
In just a few days, the 68th Nordic Film Days Lübeck will open with Ulya (2026, orig. title: Uļa) by Viesturs Kairišs, launching audiences on a voyage of cinematic discovery through northern and northeastern Europe. It is also an opportunity to get up close to discussions with film industry professionals. In 2026, the festival will once again welcome international guests, including directors, actors, producers, and key players in the European film industry.
To mention just a few, we will greet Anne Lajla Utsi, director of the International Sámi Film Institute and recipient of this year’s NFL honorary award, director Amanda Kernell – in Lübeck with Brace your heart (2026, orig. title: Garrat Du Váimmu, Narrative Competition) and Sámi Blood (2016, orig. title: Sameblod, Homage), and producers Elisa Fernanda Pirir (Árru, Narrative Competition) and Brynhildur Þórarinsdóttir (La belle année, Documentary). Also attending the festival will be directors Klaus Härö, a Lübeck regular, with Blue Baby (2026, orig. title: Hetki ennen valoa, Narrative Competition), Nils Gaup presenting Pathfinder (1987, OT: Ofelaš, Homage), Markus Lehmusruusu and The Squirrel (2025, orig. title: Orava, Narrative Competition), and the CEO of the Greenlandic Film Institute, Inunnguaq Petrussen.
Longtime NFL Friends and Renowned Talents from Germany
Many of the expected guests have been connected to the festival for many years and have repeatedly shown work in Lübeck. The Series section will also offer visitors a chance to meet the people behind the prize-winning TV productions. That includes the absorbing Finnish psychodrama set in the world of cross-country skiing, Guts (2026, orig. title: Kylmä kause), which won an award at the 2026 Canneseries and will be represented in Lübeck by series creator Jemina Jokisalo from Finland. Another new series is Harvest (2026, orig. title: Høst) by Danish director Martin Zandvliet, whose Land of Mine (2015, orig. title: Under sandet) was nominated for an Oscar®. All six series showing at the festival will be part of the online VoD programme Nordic Stream Days (see website for details).
Many guests from Germany are also expected in Lübeck, including directors Sigrun Koeppe, Monika Treut, and Lars Jessen, photographer Donata Wenders, and actors Jürgen Vogel and Johanna Gastdorf. Sigrun Koeppe will present the restored version of her film November Cats (1986, Specials), which premiered 40 years ago at the Berlin International Film Festival, and which shows Jürgen Vogel (Life is All You Get, Mercy) in one of his first roles. Monika Treut, an icon of feminist and queer cinema, will introduce Cooking Up Democracy (2026, Filmforum). Johanna Gastdorf can be seen in the film version of Kirsten Boie’s book series Christmas in Sommerby (2026, Filmforum). In the Filmforum section, director Lars Jessen (Mittagsstunde, Spaziergang nach Syrakus), born in Kiel, will celebrate the world premiere of Prange 2 – Man is ja jetzt Paar (2026). Another world premiere is The Painter (2026, orig. title: Der Maler) by Donata Wenders (Specials). The film installation will be part of a new permanent exhibition at the St. Annen Museum. The Lübeck Meetings series of industry events will also welcome top experts, including Jörg Winger, producer of Deutschland 83, 86, and 89. All events will be moderated. Guests who are on hand for the cinema screening will be available for a Q&A after the film.
From Prize-winning to Prize-worthy – Festival Season Highlights
Many of the films showing at the 68th Nordic Film Days Lübeck will be potential candidates for international awards in early 2027. The following films have been submitted for the 2027 Academy Award in the category Best International Feature Film: the NFL opening film Ulja (Latvia), as well as Fjord (Romania), The Squirrel (Finland), and Elephants in the Fog (Nepal). In addition, the narrative features Brace your heart, Fjord, The Guest (2026, orig. title: Gæsten), and the documentaries Amazomania and La belle année are on the short list for the 39th European Film Awards, which will be awarded in January 2027.
