Film “Ninjababy” wins big at this year’s Norwegian International Film Festival

At the annual Norwegian International Film Festival, the Amanda Award is given to the year’s best films. This year, “Ninjababy” came out on top.

“Ninjababy” steals the show

Yngvild Sve Flikke‘s Ninjababy, which is based on Inga H. Sætre‘s award-winning comic novel “Fallteknikk”, won big. As many as four Amanda Awards went to Flikke’s film. Before that, the film was already acclaimed both abroad and at home, winning a number of previous awards, too.

Ninjababy is about 23-year-old Rakel, who discovers she’s pregnant six months after a one-night stand. For it, Flikke also took away Best Director, while main actress Kristine Kujath Thorp won Best Female Actress. This is the first time Thorp, a 29-year-old shooting star, has won an Amanda Award.

“This is very overwhelming!” said Thorp receiving her award, before thanking her co-actors and everyone who worked on the film.

Nader Khademi also received his first Amanda statuette for the film, winning in the category of Best Supporting Actor.

Finally, Ninjababy also received a fourth prize: Best Screenplay. The script was written with Johan Fasting.

A night of firsts

Four actresses and actors in total received their very first Amanda Awards at the 2021 International Film Festival in Haugesund.

Among them was also Jakob Oftebro. The 35-year-old won the category of Best Male Actor for his role as Charles Braude in Den største forbrytelsen (Betrayed).

“I never thought this would happen. My God, I’m so incredibly bad at things like this. This is such a great honor,” said a clearly moved Oftebro.

The film, which is based on author Marte Michelet‘s book of the same name, follows the Norwegian-Jewish Braude family during the deportation of Norwegian Jews during World War II. It deals with how the Norwegian police played a central role in apprehending Jews in their homes around Oslo and Norway.

Den største forbrytelsen received a total of three awards, of which the other two went to actress Pia Halvorsen for Best Supporting Actress, along with the award for Best Production Design.

International acclaim

Director Benjamin Ree won the Amanda Award for Best Cinema Film of the Year with documentary Kunstneren og Tyven (The Artist and the Thief). The documentary has been hailed worldwide, and the film was also on the shortlist for the Oscars.

The people’s Amanda Award, given by the audience, went to Generasjon Utøya (Generation Utøya), which is about four Utøya survivors, including former AUF leader Ina Libak.

Musician Thomas Dybdahl won the award for Best Original Music for his efforts in the film Tottori – Sommeren vi var alene (Sisters: The Summer We Found Our Superpowers). Thus, he became the first composer to have won this award twice.

Film director Oddvar Bull Tuhus (80) was awarded the Amanda Committee’s honorary award. He dedicated the award to young filmmakers and actors who have not yet made an impact.

“You will take Norwegian film further. This is for you,” said Tuhus.

Source: ©️ NTB Scanpix / #NorwayTodayTravel

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