Finland, Iceland & Sweden Compete For LUX Film Prize

On Sunday, the official selection for the 2017 LUX Film Prize was revealed at the 52nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Among them are Heartstone (Iceland), Sami Blood (Sweden), and The Other Side Of Hope (Finland).

Of the ten films in the official selection, three will be selected as finalists during Venice Days at the end of July. These are then subtitled into the 24 official languages of the European Union for screening in more than 40 cities across all 28 EU countries during LUX Film Days, and the winner will be announced on 15th November in Strasbourg.

Heartstone, by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, tells the story of two teenagers from rural Iceland getting to grips with their own identity and sexuality, as well as with the delicate and cruel transition to adulthood.

Sami Blood, by Amanda Kernell, tells the vibrant tale of a young Lapp girl who dreams of a different life and distances herself from her community with great anguish because of the racist attitudes they have to face.

The Other Side Of Hope, by Aki Kaurismäki, weaves together the stories of two men who have both struck out in search of a new life: an old Finnish man who buys a restaurant and a young Syrian immigrant who struggles to find a safe haven in Europe.

The LUX Film Prize was founded in 2007 by the European Parliament to cast an annual spotlight on the European public debate. The films selected help celebrate the universal reach of European values, illustrate the diversity of European traditions and shed light on the process of European integration.