It has been some time since Nordic Watchlist last covered a festival dedicated to non-fiction storytelling, following previous coverage of industry touchstones like CPH:DOX and Sheffield DocFest. However, returning our focus to Nordic documentaries felt overdue. Although these films still face significant hurdles in securing UK and US distribution, championing the perspectives they share remains essential—particularly within today’s volatile global climate.
Now operating for over 35 years, Nordisk Panorama Film Festival continues to flourish as a vital platform for emerging talent. The team immersed themselves in this year’s documentary lineup; here are the standout discoveries from the festival.
Nordic Watchlist’s 8 Documentary Film Picks from Nordisk Panorama Film Festival
The Smuggler | Director: Lisbeth Gägg
Part documentary, part dramatised personal odyssey, The Smuggler follows Lisbeth Gägg’s deeply personal quest to understand the father she never truly knew. The film opens with a striking image: the reflection of a computer screen in Lisbeth’s glasses as she scrolls through images of guns online.
Lisbeth’s journey centres on a revolver once owned by her father, who attempted to take his own life with it during the Second World War. Convinced that possessing this object will somehow bring her peace, she embarks on a trip to Finland, retracing elements of her father’s wartime experience. Along the way she joins a “therapy bus” tour populated largely by older travellers, many of whom carry their own burdens connected to the war and its lasting impact on family life.
Nordic Watchlist Verdict: While it occasionally feels meandering, this is ultimately a compassionate and endearing meditation on war, memory and the enduring desire to connect with those we’ve lost
This is Not An Apple | Director: Nefise Özkal Lorentzen
Nefise Özkal Lorentzen’s This Is Not an Apple is a quietly extraordinary documentary that transforms a story of violence into a deeply human meditation on forgiveness, identity and second chances. It follows Palestinian siblings Reda and Yahya whose lives are profoundly altered after they are subject to a brutal stabbing by former friends. Rather than focusing solely on the attack itself – although the grainy CCTV footage of it is shocking – Lorentzen explores what comes afterwards: the long, difficult process of healing and the choices that determine who we become.
What makes the film so compelling is the philosophical approach the brothers bring to their experiences. Reda and Yahya reflect with remarkable honesty on who they were as young men, the anger and desire for revenge that followed the stabbing, and the people they hope to become. Their conversations never feel rehearsed or self-serving. Instead, they offer thoughtful insights into trauma, responsibility and the fragile line separating different life paths.
Central to their journey is Líf Laga, an apple-growing initiative run by Åsmund Gylder that provides not only practical work but a sense of purpose and belonging. The project takes on even greater significance when the brothers begin working with inmates in Norway’s Ullersmo Prison, confronting the reality that their lives could easily have followed a different course. These encounters become some of the film’s most powerful moments, encouraging reflection on justice, redemption and the possibility of change.
Nordic Watchlist Verdict: Lorentzen’s observational style allows these themes to emerge naturally, giving the documentary an authenticity that is both intimate and affecting. This Is Not an Apple is a profound and moving work that believes in the power of community, empathy and personal growth. In an age often dominated by cynicism, it offers something increasingly rare: genuine hope.
Almost Forever | Directors: Lia Hietala and Hannah Reinikaine
Almost Forever follows the lives of two teenagers over the course of five years, chronicling all of their trials and tribulations. Whilst this concept is often used in coming-of-age cinema, what always makes these projects so engaging and fresh comes down to their subjects.
In this instance, Philip and Jasmine are the central focus for director Julie Bezerra Madsen, alongside the friends who accompany them along the way. What also makes the film so fascinating is seeing the teenagers recalibrate after coming out of lockdown—a period that clearly had a profound impact on their development and relationships.
As the story unfolds, watching these teenagers mature amidst the broader chaos of the world provides a deeply interesting perspective. In one scene, the widespread accessibility of porn is discussed so calmly by Jasmine and her friend, offering just one of many candid insights we learn through these younger eyes.
Without spoiling anything, a pivotal event sends the pair down different narrative paths, and following their individual journeys remains consistently engaging throughout.
Nordic Watchlist Verdict: Seeing more of these contemporary youth documentaries makes you increasingly aware of the experiences of a younger generation that older audiences might not be fully privy to. Almost Forever opens up that perspective in a manner that never seeks to shock, but rather gently educates.
Island Nation | Director: Nikolai Galitzine
Positioned just north of the Icelandic mainland in the Arctic Ocean, the tiny island of Grímsey was once home to a thriving community. Today, however, its population has dwindled to just a handful of residents. Director Nikolai Galitzine crafts a deeply intimate portrait of this isolated enclave, blending archival footage of the island’s bustling past with modern vignettes of those who remain.
The visual storytelling is breathtaking as it captures both the stark, sweeping grandeur of the landscape and the quiet resilience of its inhabitants. Admirers of reflective, community-driven non-fiction (and anyone who adores Iceland) will find plenty to absorb in this moving elegy to a fading way of life,
Nordic Watchlist Verdict: An utterly stunning documentary that completely envelops you in its haunting cinematography and poignant human spirit.
Homesick | Director: Taekyung Tanja In Wol Sørensen
Director Taekyung Tanja In Wol Sørensen turns the camera on her own upbringing in this striking documentary. Tracing her journey from an orphaned baby in South Korea to her childhood with an adoptive family in Western Denmark, the film lays bare the endless trials and tribulations they faced along the way. It is a true testament to Sørensen’s bravery, confronting her past alongside the family members and relatives who lived it. What unfolds is a gripping, deeply emotional story, woven together with stunning artistic visuals and creative documentary techniques.
Nordic Watchlist Verdict: Without the glossy, “bubblegum” coating of a mainstream streamer, raw documentaries can sometimes be tough to connect with – but this masterfully crafted film hooks you from the very first frame.
Soap Fever | Director: Inka Achté
Soap Fever tells the story of how US TV series The Bold and the Beautiful became an unlikely source of escape and hope for the Finnish nation during the country’s recession in the early 90s. Told through a mixture of interviews with super fans, news footage and home movies, the documentary is a wonderful portrayal of how Finns became obsessed with a glamorous soap opera (that is largely unheard of in the UK). While the country dealt with the consequences of rapid financial deregulation and the collapse in trade with the Soviet Union, more than a million Finns a day were transfixed by the world of high fashion in LA, complete with big hair, smouldering looks and sizeable shoulder pads.
While the documentary is focused on a quirky, Finnish cultural phenomenon, it’s actually so much more than that. It’s an insight into how Finland dealt with a period of difficult and complex change, emerging as a surprise leader in mobile communications through the formation of Nokia. It’s sensitively revealing about ordinary, everyday life in a Finland that’s markedly different to today, and of the highly sceptical attitudes of some Finns to joining the EU.
Nordic Watchlist Verdict: A great slice of 90s culture, complete with the music, fashions and home interiors of the era. The footage of The Bold and the Beautiful actors being mobbed by fans ‘Beatlesmania’-style while visiting Finland also goes some way to explain Finland’s obsession with the camp glamour of The Eurovision Song Cont
In Cod We Trust | Director: Guro Saniola Bjerk
Selected as the festival’s opening documentary, In Cod We Trust sets an exceptionally high bar. Situated in Båtsfjord—at the northernmost reaches of Norway—one resident dryly observes, “It should be illegal to live here,” offering an immediate sense of the wild, unforgiving nature of its harsh winters. Director Guro Saniola Bjerk turns her lens on this unique frontier, exploring the bustling cod industry alongside the eclectic mix of locals, including the vibrant Tamil community that has made a home in this remote outpost.
Combining spectacular visuals with genuine warmth, the film effortlessly balances laugh-out-loud comedy with deeply tender moments. For those who connected with the remote community spirit of Island Nation, this feature serves as its ideal cinematic companion.
Nordic Watchlist Verdict: Sometimes the best soap operas are the ones happening in real life. Guro Saniola Bjerk captures the town’s delicate ecosystem in an engaging, humorous, and visually striking piece of non-fiction.
Frost Without Snow and Ice | Director: Asgeir Helgestad
Just when you think you’ve seen every wildlife documentary under the sun, along comes Asgeir Helgestad’s breathtaking film, Frost Without Snow and Ice. The cinematography is out of this world as Helgestad retraces the footsteps of Frost, a polar bear he first encountered years ago, tracking her journey across the far northern reaches of Svalbard. The scenery is unreal, serving as a backdrop to the deeply moving fate of the bears he follows. It is a thought-provoking piece that utterly hypnotises you from start to finish.
Nordic Watchlist verdict: Even if you feel you’ve seen every wildlife film under the sun, Helgestad’s intimate look at these polar bears is as devastating as it is gorgeous.
