OPENING NIGHT: THE EXALTED | NYBFF
2025-11-05 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! The festival kicks off on Wednesday, November 5, with the North American premiere of The Exalted (Cildenie, dir. Juris Kursietis, Latvia/Estonia/Greece, 2024). A talk with lead actor Juris Žagars follows the screening. The film will re-screen on Thursday, November 6, also with a talk by Žagars.
In this exquisite thriller exploring the boundaries of loyalty and greed, Anna (Johanna Wokalek), is an internationally renowned organist whose partner Andris (Juris Zagars) a successful CEO, is suspected of corruption. As Anna proceeds with a lavish birthday party in the countryside, she must navigate a crumbling reputation, moral dilemmas, false accusations, and religious uncertainty. The restless handheld camera draws us into her emotional turmoil, as the foundation of her life collapses alongside her partner’s arrest.
Established Latvian director Juris Kursietis‘ return to cinema is deeply atmospheric and character-driven, deftly intertwining Anna’s professional life with her personal crisis. The Exalted presents powerful commentary on loyalty, moral conflict, the weight of public perception and the intersection of personal and public turmoil.
“A bracing, sharp-toothed satire”—Wendy Id, ScreenDaily
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THE EXALTED | NYBFF
2025-11-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On Thursday, November 6, see The Exalted (Cildenie, dir. Juris Kursietis, Latvia/Estonia/Greece, 2024); a talk with lead actor Juris Žagars follows the screening.
The film also screens on opening night (Wednesday, November 5), also with a talk by Juris Žagars.
In this exquisite thriller exploring the boundaries of loyalty and greed, Anna (Johanna Wokalek), is an internationally renowned organist whose partner Andris (Juris Zagars) a successful CEO, is suspected of corruption. As Anna proceeds with a lavish birthday party in the countryside, she must navigate a crumbling reputation, moral dilemmas, false accusations, and religious uncertainty. The restless handheld camera draws us into her emotional turmoil, as the foundation of her life collapses alongside her partner’s arrest.
Established Latvian director Juris Kursietis‘ return to cinema is deeply atmospheric and character-driven, deftly intertwining Anna’s professional life with her personal crisis. The Exalted presents powerful commentary on loyalty, moral conflict, the weight of public perception and the intersection of personal and public turmoil.
“A bracing, sharp-toothed satire”—Wendy Id, ScreenDaily
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THE BLACK HOLE
2025-11-06 20:15 - 22:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On November 6, see the New York Premiere of the zany sci-fi parable The Black Hole (Must auk, dir. Moonika Siimets, Estonia/Finland, 2024).
The Black Hole is an absurdist, genre-blending comedic anthology that follows three interconnected stories in a suburban Estonian apartment complex, where residents encounter aliens and fantastical beings while grappling with everyday struggles like abuse, loneliness, and economic hardship. When a mysterious black hole appears among the lilac bushes of their district, accompanied by aliens, a giant spider, and a shorts-wearing Austrian, events begin to unfold that challenge the suburban residents’ hopes for a brighter future.
The film comprises a triptych following residents through their surreal encounters: Sirje (Anne Reemann) and Maret (Eva Koldits), dreaming of finding work abroad, end up in an extraterrestrial science experiment; Jüri (Ursel Tilk), still living with his mother, falls in love with his lustful neighbour, Gertrud (Jekaterina Linnamäe); Mariliis (Doris Tislar), who dreams of a world without abusive men, finds shelter at fearless bodybuilder Uma’s (Rea Lest) apartment full of giant spiders. The clever screenplay weaves together cosmic orgasms, an existential lust for desire, and ancient culinary wisdom – all inspired by Estonian short stories by Armin Kõomägi and Andrus Kivirähk. (115 min. In Estonian with English subtitles)
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THE MUTINY
2025-11-07 18:30 - 21:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On November 7, see the New York Premiere of the gripping historical miniseries The Mutiny (Dumpis, dir. Andrejs Ēķis, Latvia, 2025).
*Tonight’s in-person screening will include the first 4 episodes of the 7-part series; the full series will later be available virtually to all ticketholders. There will be a brief intermission between episodes 2 and 3. The screening will be followed by a film talk with producer Dita Cimermane.*
Based on the true story that inspired The Hunt for Red October, The Mutiny is set in 1975 Riga, where Soviet officer Valery Spagin has just been appointed Captain of the Third Rank of the Soviet naval ship Storozhevoy. He embraces the opportunity to serve his country and vows to uphold its communist ideals. But as Spagin and his family find themselves unwelcome among their new neighbors, he discovers widespread military abuse of power—forcing him to confront his own belief system. Facing mounting threats from a corrupt government, Spagin incites a riot aboard the ship, which soon becomes larger than intended. In fear of international disgrace, the Soviet authorities take drastic action.
Told from the perspective of both the Occupier and Occupied, The Mutiny is a harrowing story of humanity and justice in the twilight of a totalitarian regime. The seven-episode miniseries was showcased at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in the “TV Beats Screening Day” program. It later won Best TV Series at the 2025 Lielais Kristaps Awards, Latvia’s National Film Awards, where it received nine nominations. (In Latvian with English subtitles)
“A call to action against the Russian totalitarian regime” – Annika Pham, Variety
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MURMURING HEARTS
2025-11-08 13:00 - 14:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On November 8, see the North American Premiere of the powerful and tender documentary Murmuring Hearts (Murmančios Širdys, dir. Vytautas Puidokas, Lithuania/France/Norway, 2024). *This screening will be followed by a talk with film director Vytautas Puidokas.*
Matas, a 14-year old foster child, arrives at a Lithuanian rehab-farm where a group of men are recovering from addiction and aggression. Led by the charismatic Žanas, a former addict, the community follows a strict routine—praying, tending to animals, and making cheese—all to escape the troubled cycles of the past. As they work to heal from within, the men must also take responsibility for the boy, slowly but surely becoming problematic and complicated role models. Struggling with his own demons—abandonment, violence and loneliness—Matas evokes their own unresolved emotions, particularly for those who share a similar history. As dynamics shift, the fractured group slowly works through anger to become a dysfunctional family, bound by their shared struggles. Together, they face the challenge of holding together a community, clinging to the hope of brighter days ahead.
The winner of the Young Europeans Award at International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes (FIPADOC), Murmuring Hearts provides a candid glimpse into masculinity, trauma, and what it takes to heal. (80 min. In Lithuanian with English subtitles)
“A raw portrait of addiction” – Annika Pham, Variety
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BECOMING ROOSI
2025-11-08 15:15 - 17:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On November 8, see the deep, funny and provocative story of a girl navigating adolescence and climate crisis in the documentary Becoming Roosi (Siit ta tuleb, Roosi, dir. Margit Lillak, Estonia/Germany, 2025).
Filmed over a 10-year period, we first meet Roosi when she is eight years old, confronting the unusual conventions of her isolated childhood in an Estonian eco-village. Here, her mother Liina — a dedicated activist — is the frontwoman of the commune. Eight years later, Roosi finds herself following in her mother’s footsteps. Living far from the eco-village and fully immersed in the demands of cosmopolitan life, Roosi grapples with climate grief and guilt. With rare intelligence and outspokenness, she expresses raw truths about her generation’s existential concerns. She also struggles between two extremes: the pressure to inherit her mother’s battle, and the vital need to find her own identity through art, through her body, and through words. As she navigates the uncertain terrain of early adulthood, Roosi reveals the unexpected layers of growing up in today’s fluid, globalized world.
Becoming Roosi weaves together intimate archival moments from a singular childhood with a timeless coming-of-age story. With grace and emotional depth, this vibrant portrait explores the weight of climate anxiety, generational rifts and one young woman’s search for identity. (96 min. In Estonian/English with English subtitles)
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RENOVATION
2025-11-08 17:15 - 18:45 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On November 6, see the New York Premiere of the sharp, wistful relationship drama Renovation / Renovacija, (dir. Gabrielė Urbonaitė, Lithuania/Latvia/Belgium, 2025).
The feature directorial debut of Lithuanian writer-director Gabriele Urbonaite follows 29-year-old perfectionist Ilona (Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė) as she faces mounting pressure to feel successful and settled by age 30. A work-from home journalist in Vilnius, things are getting serious with her boyfriend boyfriend Matas (Šarūnas Zenkevičius). And they’ve just moved into what seems like an idyllic apartment — until a massive, noisy bout of renovation work begins. In the midst of repairs to the building’s Soviet-era façade, cracks reveal themselves in Ilona’s seemingly perfect life, particularly as she hits it off with Ukrainian construction worker Oleg (Roman Lutskyi). Their connection leads to new discoveries —after spontaneously telling him she’s a poet, she actually begins to write poetry. But it also deepens her uncertainty. Does she really want to settle down and start a family? (90 min. In Lithuanian with English subtitles)
A “satisfying relationship dramedy that jumps into the nuances of having one’s status quo shaken up,” Renovation shows millennials exposed to endless possibilities and the pressure to perform, while wrestling with lingering legacy of Russian oppression and the nearby war in Ukraine.
“Renovation is a curious, delightful beast” – Olivia Popp, Cineuropa
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SHOWCASE FILM & FILM TALK: ROLLING PAPERS | NYBFF
2025-11-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On Saturday, November 8, director Meel Paliale‘s “disarming” youth-centered comedy-drama Rolling Papers (Pikad Paberid, Estonia, 2024) makes its NYC Premiere. *The screening will be followed by a film talk with director Meel Paliale.*
Rolling Papers follows Sebastian (Mihkel Kuusk), who leads a monotonous life as a store clerk. He finds his ordinary workday shaken up when he meets Silo (Karl Birnbaum), a free-spirited wanderer. Together, they smoke weed, drift through the ephemeral Estonian summer, and dream of a one-way ticket to Brazil. Rolling Papers explores the complex lives of young adults, united by their uncertainty about the future and a shared longing for a purposeful existence. Rolling Papers confidently explores the universal themes of a coming-of-age film—struggling with the gap between adolescence and adulthood, trying to figure out where you belong, and the ever-present allure of escapism—while careening away from the typical rudderlessness of the stoner comedy. Instead, the film becomes a tender exploration of fleeting youthful connections and the spark of possibility. The winner of the Audience Award at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), Rolling Papers is Estonia’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards.

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TO BE CONTINUED: TEENHOOD
2025-11-09 14:00 - 15:45 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! On November 9, see the North American Premiere of the intimate documentary To Be Continued: Teenhood (Turpinājums: Pieaugšana, dir. Ivars Seleckis and Armands Zacs, Latvia, 2024).
The long-awaited sequel to the 2015 documentary To Be Continued, Latvian directors Ivars Seleckis and Armands Začs reunite with the five children featured in the original film—now 14 years old and on the cusp of adolescence. Zane, Kārlis, Anastasia, Gleb, and Anete—each from vastly different backgrounds across Latvia—find themselves at pivotal moments, navigating unique paths toward adulthood. Their everyday experiences reveal striking contrasts: while Zane’s only household duty is to tidy up her room, Anastasia is charged with stewarding the livestock and taking her little brother to kindergarten. While Kārlis’s mother checks his homework each evening and Gleb’s parents plan his daily routine, Anete spends an entire week alone in her family’s Riga apartment.
As the children grow up, the lives of the film’s protagonists increasingly reflect an intimate cross-section of Latvian society, highlighting ever-greater differences between city and countryside, between the wealthy and the less fortunate, and between the confident and the insecure. “A layered portrait of adolescence,” To Be Continued: Teenhood captures the world through the eyes of teenagers and observes how it also shapes their destinies. (96 min. In Latvian with English subtitles)
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SHORT FILMS | NYBFF 2025
2025-11-09 16:15 - 18:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! This year’s lineup includes a Short Films Session with screenings of six short films, two from each of the Baltic countries. Read the full lineup here.
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CLOSING NIGHT: THE VISITOR | NYBFF
2025-11-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November with the best new films from the Baltic region! The festival’s grand finale takes place on Sunday, November 9 with the U.S. premiere of The Visitor (Svečias, dir. Vytautas Katkus, Lithuania/Norway/Sweden, 2025).

Thirty-year-old Danielius has been living in Norway for over a decade. He has everything he needs — a job, a family, and friends. But when his father passes away, he is forced to return to his hometown in Lithuania to sell his childhood flat. Arriving at the end of summer, the small resort town feels like a temporary retreat, until he realizes that everything has changed. As Danielius reconnects with familiar places, old friends, and lingering memories, he is confronted by a quiet sense of loneliness, which he chooses to explore rather than resist. Between farewells and fleeting moments, Danielius embraces the present — immersing himself in the town one last time before finally letting go.
Praised as “an appealingly offbeat debut” (Guy Lodge, Variety) and “a cinematic meditation on solitude” (Georg Szalai, THR), The Visitor offers an unhurried, gentle journey through the strange comforts of nostalgia and the meaning of home.
“The theme of migration is so thoroughly mined in arthouse cinema, it is unusual to find a picture that has something fresh to say. But The Visitor… finds both a new angle and an original means of exploring it” —Wendy Ide, ScreenDaily

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VIRTUAL SCREENINGS — NYBFF 2025
2025-11-10 00:01 - 2025-11-16 23:59 | NY
The 8th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November continuing its tradition of bringing the best new films from the Baltic region to New York audiences. This year, we will be approaching the virtual portion of the festival differently: instead of screening the in-person lineup virtually after their premieres at Scandinavia House, the 2025 virtual offerings comprise a selection of picks from past festivals, bringing back Baltic films that have not had a chance to screen in the United States since their release.
Virtual films in the festival will once again be available to viewers all across the U.S. via the Elevent streaming platform November 10-16.
VIRTUAL SCHEDULE
Beginning Monday, November 10
Summer Survivors (dir. Marija Kavtaradze, Lithuania, 2018)
A psychology postgraduate student escorts two patients and their nurse to a seaside psychiatric clinic. Along their journey, they break through each other’s barriers, delve into the sources of their various traumas, and discover the lasting imprints left on their fragile souls. Hailed by Cineuropa as an “exceptionally sensitive and heart-warming film,” Summer Survivors first premiered at Scandinavia House as a part of the 2019 NYBFF; a new film co-written by Marija Kavtaradze, The Visitor, will close out the festival this year.
Remember to Blink (dir. Austėja Urbaitė, Lithuania, 2023)
This captivating drama explores cultural conflicts that arise from a French couple’s adoption of two Lithuanian children. The film skillfully unveils the characters’ multifaceted and irrational traits, weaving a tapestry of relationships that question the boundaries of identity, and exposes a form of “neo-colonialism” reflecting broader cultural conflicts. Remember to Blink first premiered at Scandinavia House as a part of the 2024 NYBFF; the film’s editor Gabrielė Urbonaitė will return this year to discuss her directorial debut Renovation.
The Tree of Eternal Love (dir. Meel Peliale, Estonia, 2021)
This “sardonic, charming comedy” follows Kiik, a young car Estonian mechanic haunted by a recent breakup, as he sets out to chop down the tree on which he once naively etched the initials of his former girlfriend. Bringing his best friend along for the quirky, colorful, and unpredictable road trip, the two find that the journey to the tree is not as straight as they think. The Tree of Eternal Love first premiered at Scandinavia House as a part of the 2022 NYBFF; the film’s director Meel Peliale will return this year to discuss his new feature Rolling Papers.
The Little Comrade (Seltsimees laps, dir. Moonika Siimets, Estonia, 2018)
Praised as “affecting and richly visualized” (Variety), this emotionally resonant historical drama, set in Stalinist 1950 Estonia, follows 6-year-old Leelo as she reels from the aftermath of her mother being sent to a Siberian prison camp. Remember to Blink first premiered at Scandinavia House as a part of the 2019 NYBFF; the film’s director Moonika Siimets will return this year to discuss her new absurdist anthology The Black Hole.
To Be Continued. (dir. Ivars Seleckis and Armands Zacs, Latvia, 2015)
Shot over the course of two years, this powerful documentary by acclaimed Latvian directors Ivars Seleckis and Armands Zacs intimately profiles seven children in various parts of their home country, all finding themselves at the intersection of various historical, social, and economic processes. To Be Continued, first premiered at Scandinavia House in 2019; the directors’ follow-up film, To Be Continued: Teenhood, will be screening in person as a part of this year’s lineup.
The Mutiny (dir. Andrejs Ēķis, Latvia, 2024) *North American Premiere*
This gripping historical miniseries follows a Soviet officer (Dainis Grube)’s struggle against the authorities in 1975 Riga that leads to a mutiny on the Soviet warship Storozhevoy. *All episodes will be available to stream following the in-person premiere of the first four episodes at Scandinavia House on November 7.*
Oleg (dir: Juris Kursietis, Latvia/Belgium/Lithuania/France, 2019)
This harrowing drama follows Oleg, a young Russian-speaking butcher from Latvia who travels to Brussels in search of better wage, where a series of misfortunes lead him to fall under the sway of a charismatic Polish criminal. “Gritty and uncompromising,” the film highlights the perilous situation that migrant workers and stateless citizens can quickly find themselves in as industrious criminals fill in the social systems’ gaps. Oleg first premiered at Scandinavia House as a part of the 2019 NYBFF; director Juris Kursietis’ new film, The Exalted, will be screening in person as a part of this year’s lineup.

SHUT UP /ORO JASKA
2025-11-22 13:30 - 15:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On November 22, Scandinavia House and the Consulate General of Norway present a special screening of the first two episodes of the International Emmy-nominated Sámi youth drama series Shut Up (Oro jaska). Series creators Silje Bürgin-Borch and Vegard Bjørsmo will be present with screenwriter Katherine Nedrejord for a panel after the screening.
Set in a small town in the heart of Sápmi, the cross-country region the Sámi people call home, Shut Up follows Elli Anne, a young Sámi woman whose intimate world collapses after a brutal rape. As she seeks justice within a tightly knit community bound by tradition and family loyalty, the narrative takes a gripping turn when Issat, a celebrated snow cross racer, is accused. The allegation not only threatens his reputation but forces him to confront his own closely guarded secret: that he is queer.
Praised as “powerful and timely,” Shut Up marks a historic first—it is the first Sámi TV drama of its kind to center social issues from within the community, told by Sámi voices. With a commitment to the guiding principle “Nothing about us without us,” the series was developed by a writers’ room composed entirely of young Sámi creatives, including queer voices. The series’ action is based on eight in-depth interviews conducted with Sámi women who have experienced abuse, and extensive research amongst Sámi who identify as queer.
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YALLA PARKOUR | NORDIC & BALTIC OSCAR CONTENDERS
2025-12-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On December 1, Scandinavia House presents a special screening and film talk of a Swedish qualifier for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards: the tender, deeply affecting documentary Yalla Parkour, followed by a Q&A with director Areeb Zuaiter.
Yalla Parkour
Dir. Areeb Zuaiter | Sweden/Qatar/Saudi Arabia/Palestine, 2024
When she was four, the filmmaker Areeb Zuaiter travelled to Gaza and saw the sea for the first time. That moment – the magic of the sea and the smile on her Palestinian mother’s face – had a lasting impact. When she sees a video of young men doing parkour on Gaza’s sandy shores, her nostalgia for this distant home resurfaces. The joy of the young athletes stands in stark contrast to the distant echoes of explosions. Longing to reconnect with her past, Areeb gets in touch with the parkour team and befriends Ahmed. Together, they navigate what is left of Gaza, exploring a cemetery, a run-down shopping center, and the remains of an airport.
As their relationship deepens, Ahmed reveals the harsh realities of life in Gaza, transforming Areeb’s initial curiosity into a profound awareness of the struggles he faces. Areeb grapples with feelings of guilt and conflict as she witnesses Ahmedʼs desire to escape the confines of his homeland, understanding the emotional void such a departure would entail. Framed as a narrated letter from Zuaiter to her mother, Yalla Parkour becomes not only a quest to reclaim memories but also an exploration of identity, belonging, and the haunting legacy of a home left behind.
“An interesting, subtle and poetic watch… a testament to the human spirit’s ability to continue and find light, even against all odds.” (Ola Salwa, Cineuropa)
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SNIPPED | NORDIC & BALTIC OSCAR CONTENDERS
2025-12-04 18:00 - 19:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On December 4, Scandinavia House presents a special screening and film talk of a Danish qualifier for Best Live-Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards: the sharp comedy Snipped, followed by a Q&A with director Alexander Saul and producer Rebecca Pruzan.
Snipped
Dir. Alexander Saul | Denmark, 2025 | 16 min
In Danish with English subtitles
“A darkly hilarious masterstroke with Oscar-Worthy comic timing”– A Jewish convert. A Muslim doctor. One holy snip and a whole lot of tension.
Hailed as “an absurdly poignant contender in the Oscar short film race,” the short follows Adam (Louis Bodnia Andersen)’s experience as a Jewish convert undergoing a ritual circumcision at a Muslim clinic in Copenhagen. Snipped explores the universal experience of coexistence through humor and shared rituals, with director Alexander Saul’s personal story and a unifying Muslim-Jewish score softening heavy themes into moments of laughter and trust.
Snipped‘s narrative unfolds in a cramped Danish clinic where a simple religious ceremony turns into an existential standoff. What begins as a sacred rite of passage quickly unravels into a study in discomfort, not just physical, but cultural, spiritual, and profoundly human. With a talented team including Oscar-nominated producer Rebecca Pruzan and Oscar-winning producer Kim Magnusson, the film already made a splash at this year’s HollyShorts Film Festival. Based on Saul’s own experience as a Jewish convert undergoing a ritual circumcision at a Muslim clinic, the film deftly navigates a minefield of cultural tension and bodily vulnerability, without ever losing its sense of humor.
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KON TIKI
2026-01-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“Seaworthy, and then some” —on January 7, see Kon Tiki and help bring our Silver Anniversary Rescreens into 2026! Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, this epic adventure film dramatizes Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl’s real-life 1947 expedition across the Pacific on a balsawood raft.
Norway’s most expensive production to date, Kon Tiki (Norway, 2013) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards, and was screened here at Scandinavia House as a part of our Nordic Oscar Contenders in 2013. Now, for our 25th anniversary, we return to Heyerdahl’s (Pål Sverre Hagen) epic gambit to prove that South Americans had settled in the Polynesian islands, a theory that remains a matter of debate, and to retrace their steps using only the resources available to potential pre-Columbian settlers.
Though he himself cannot swim or sail, he sets out on the treacherous 4,300-nautical-mile journey across the Pacific from Peru to Polynesia aboard the small raft– the Kon Tiki, named after the Inca sun god –along with his crew of five men (and a macaw named Lorita). Kon Tiki takes us through the exploits of Heyerdahl and the embattled crew as they embark on their three-month sail equipped with only a radio– facing down tidal waves, sharks, and demons of the deep.
“A ravishingly photographed, old-fashioned man-against-the-elements epic propelled by human-scaled heroics.” (RogerEbert.com)
“A rousing and thoroughly enjoyable Old Hollywood-style adventure…” (NPR)
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This program has been supported by the Monika and Charles Heimbold Fund for Exhibitions and Programs.

SOLD OUT — SENTIMENTAL VALUE | NORDIC & BALTIC OSCAR CONTENDERS
2026-01-14 19:00 - 21:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
*This event is now sold out.*
On January 14, Scandinavia House presents a special screening featuring Norway’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards: the poignant drama Sentimental Value, followed by a filmmaker panel featuring director Joachim Trier!
Sentimental Value
Dir. Joachim Trier | Norway, 2025 | 134 min
In Norwegian with English subtitles
“The best film of the year” (Vogue) —Sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård, in a remarkable performance), a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When she declines, Gustav casts an up-and-coming young Hollywood star (Elle Fanning) instead, forcing the family to confront long-buried tensions as the striving outsider becomes entangled in their fraught dynamic.
With Sentimental Value, Danish-Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier follows his critically acclaimed The Worst Person in the World (2021) with a magnetic comedy-drama about legacy, art, and the performances that bind—and divide—families. Trier’s insightful and captivating adult drama, which won the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, furthers the writer-director’s piercing exploration of the frayed ties that bind us to one another and to our creative selves.
“A transcendent, moving masterpiece” (IndieWire)
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A ROYAL AFFAIR | SILVER ANNIVERSARY RESCREENS
2026-02-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“Quietly magnificent” —on February 4, see A Royal Affair to continue our Silver Anniversary Rescreens! First screened at Scandinavia House in 2013 and nominated for an Academy Award that same year, this period drama chronicles the scandalous love triangle between an 18th-century Queen (Alicia Vikander), her German doctor (Mads Mikkelsen), and the mad King of Denmark.
As the halls of the European aristocracy struggle with the birth pangs of the Enlightenment, young Catherine Matilda of Britain feels adrift after her marriage to Denmark’s mad King, the erratic and unfaithful Christian VII. Johann Friedrich Struensee, a town physician and closet radical, accompanies the King on a year-long trip around Europe in the hope of treating his insanity, but finds himself drawn ever closer to the headstrong Catherine– and the prospect of using the King’s condition to amass power. Drawn together in the pursuit of freedom for their people, their high-flown idealism is undone by blind passion in this notorious true story of illicit love and political intrigue.
“A gripping chapter of European history is recounted with elegance, intelligence and clarity…” (The Hollywood Reporter)
“A slam dunk in the genre, satisfying every period piece craving.” (Mary Pole, Time)
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This program has been supported by the Monika and Charles Heimbold Fund for Exhibitions and Programs.

OPENING NIGHT | THE 2026 SÁMI FILM FESTIVAL
2026-02-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The Annual Sámi Film Festival returns to Scandinavia House and virtually nationwide! Now in its 8th year, the festival celebrates the rich storytelling traditions of the Sámi, an Indigenous people of the northernmost parts of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. This year’s program is curated by acclaimed director, writer, artist, and composer Elle Márjá Eira, whose work in mediums from TV to classical opera has captivated audiences across the globe, and whose directorial debut Stolen reached the Top 10 list in 71 countries following its Netflix premiere in 2024.
OPENING NIGHT FILMS
In My Hand (2025)
Dir. Liselotte Wajstedt & Marja Helander | 24 min.
Labelled a terrorist and left disabled, a Sámi activist paid a brutal price in 1982 while battling Norwegian authorities to protect his ancestral land. Masterfully blending archival footage and re-enactments, In My Hand retraces his battle and legacy, and challenges us to ask: Is it finally time to stop exploiting nature and start preserving it? Narrated by Niillas Somby, the film navigates between imprisonment, protests, and surreal encounters, providing a unique insight into one man’s journey of resistance, exile, and return.
Máhccan /Homecoming (2023)
Dir. Suvi West & Anssi Kömi | 76 min.
As museums worldwide are increasingly pressured to return cultural property, co-directors Suvi West and Anssi Kömi share a personal and insightful story about the return of Sámi artifacts, long held in a museum, to their homeland. Set at a turning point in which museums must grapple with their colonialist history—including the National Museum of Finland, which has now returned thousands of everyday objects to the Sámi—this “keenly observed film” (POV Magazine) tours museum vaults across Europe, where filmmaker unravels layers of history, grappling with questions of representation, exploitation and the intricate tapestry of her own cultural identity.
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DAY TWO | THE 2026 SÁMI FILM FESTIVAL
2026-02-06 19:00 - 21:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The Annual Sámi Film Festival returns to Scandinavia House and virtually nationwide! Now in its 8th year, the festival celebrates the rich storytelling traditions of the Sámi, an Indigenous people of the northernmost parts of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. This year’s program is curated by acclaimed director, writer, artist, and composer Elle Márjá Eira, whose work in mediums from TV to classical opera has captivated audiences across the globe, and whose directorial debut Stolen reached the Top 10 list in 71 countries following its Netflix premiere in 2024.
SCHEDULE — DAY 2
Stöld / Stolen (2024)
Dir. Elle Márjá Eira | 107 min.
Based on the novel by Ann-Helén Laestadius, Stolen follows the Sámi peoples’ struggle to defend their Indigenous heritage, and the woman who puts her life at stake to bring them justice. Ten years after witnessing the slaughter of her beloved reindeer, a young Sámi woman is determined to track down the killer– and confront the other forms of quotidian violence her community faces along the way. A “tense, thoughtful dramatic thriller,” Stolen is part coming-of-age story, part love song to a vanishing natural world, and part electrifying countdown to a dramatic resolution.
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DAY THREE | THE 2026 SÁMI FILM FESTIVAL
2026-02-07 14:00 - 17:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
The Annual Sámi Film Festival returns to Scandinavia House and virtually nationwide! Now in its 8th year, the festival celebrates the rich storytelling traditions of the Sámi, an Indigenous people of the northernmost parts of Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. This year’s program is curated by acclaimed director, writer, artist, and composer Elle Márjá Eira, whose work in mediums from TV to classical opera has captivated audiences across the globe, and whose directorial debut Stolen reached the Top 10 list in 71 countries following its Netflix premiere in 2024.
SCHEDULE — DAY 3
Oro Jaska / Shut Up (2025)
Dir. Silje Bürgin-Borch & Vegard Bjørsmo | 144 min.
Set in a remote town in the heart of Sápmi, Shut Up follows Elli Anne, a young Sámi woman whose intimate world collapses after a brutal assault. As she seeks justice within a tightly knit community bound by tradition and family loyalty, the narrative takes a gripping turn when Issat, a celebrated snow cross racer, is accused. The allegation not only threatens his reputation but forces him to confront his own closely guarded secret: that he is queer. Praised as “powerful and timely,” Shut Up marks a historic first—it is the first Sámi TV drama of its kind to center social issues from within the community, told by Sámi voices.
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SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD
2026-02-11 19:00 - 21:00 | NY
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, winner of the award for Best Documentary at the 2023 European Film Awards, returns to Scandinavia House on February 11 for National Sauna Week! Join us for director Anna Hints’ intimate delve into the cultural tradition of Vana-Võromaa’s smoke saunas in South Estonia (included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list) and see how they are unique spaces for healing and community. The film draws inspiration from the smoke saunas’ historical role in childbirth, where women gather to share secrets, connecting family and friends to cleanse the body and — more importantly — the soul, inside a place of peace and contemplation.
This documentary, which was the first Estonian film to win an award for directing at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, captures the essence of the smoke sauna experience with masterful cinematography, evoking Vermeer and Rembrandt. Hints authentically portrays women, delving into themes of trauma, healing, and sisterhood. The film concludes with a runic verse, “Thank You Song for Smoke Sauna,” performed by director Anna Hints and producer Marianne Ostrat, expressing gratitude to the spirit of the smoke sauna, the women in the film, and all those who contributed to bringing Smoke Sauna Sisterhood to life. The film has been selected as Estonia’s contender for next year’s Academy Awards.
“This is a film that records a little-known aspect of a little-known national identity…the visual poetry is magnificent”—(Jonathan Romney, Financial Times)
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THE UGLY STEPSISTER | NORDIC & BALTIC OSCAR CONTENDERS
2026-02-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On February 18, see Norwegian director Emilie Blichfeldt’s sinister reimagining of the Cinderella story, The Ugly Stepsister, a nominee for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards!
Elvira (Lea Myren) is preparing to earn the prince’s affection, at any cost. But in a kingdom where beauty is a brutal business, Elvira must compete with the beautiful and enchanting Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) to become the belle of the ball. The Ugly Stepsister is a chilling, visually stunning exploration of beauty, worth, and the societal systems that shape women’s lives (Norway, 2025).
“A fascinating exploration of beauty standards, and the way in which women are repeatedly placed into competition with one another” (THN).
“Emilie Blichfeldt blends the more brutal folktale elements with phantasmatic longing” (Sight & Sound).

SENTIMENTAL VALUE | LUX AUDIENCE AWARDS 2026
2026-02-20 19:00 - 21:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
See five of the shortlisted finalists for this year’s LUX Audience Awards this season at Scandinavia House! On February 20, we’ll be (re)screening Joachim Trier’s poignant drama Sentimental Value.
“The best film of the year” (Vogue) —Sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård, in a remarkable performance), a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When she declines, Gustav casts an up-and-coming young Hollywood star (Elle Fanning) instead, forcing the family to confront long-buried tensions as the striving outsider becomes entangled in their fraught dynamic.
With Sentimental Value, Danish-Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier follows his critically acclaimed The Worst Person in the World (2021) with a magnetic comedy-drama about legacy, art, and the performances that bind—and divide—families. Trier’s insightful and captivating adult drama, which won the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, furthers the writer-director’s piercing exploration of the frayed ties that bind us to one another and to our creative selves.
“A transcendent, moving masterpiece” (IndieWire)
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This event has been organized by the European Parliament in partnership with Scandinavia House. The LUX Audience Award is a joint initiative of the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in collaboration with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas. It is the largest audience award worldwide and the only film prize in the world where citizens together with Members of the European Parliament -with each group weighting 50% -can decide who the winner will be by rating the nominated films online. The LUX Audience Award fosters dialogue and engagement between politics and the public through the medium of film. The nominated films address European values and raise awareness about some of today’s main social and political issues such as mental health, poverty, climate change, freedom of expression, gender equality, LGBTIQ+ rights.

FLOWERS BEYOND THE DARK
2026-02-24 18:30 - 20:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“An artful exploration of the human side of war” — To honor the solemn anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, join us for a special screening of Flowers Beyond the Dark, a documentary offering three powerful perspectives on life in the Kyiv region following its de-occupation in 2022. Winner of the Best International Feature Film Award at the Carmel International Film Festival, the film is a raw eyewitness account of people maintaining the spirit of resistance despite facing the horrors of occupation in their daily lives — whether in church, at home, behind the artist’s canvas, or in armored vehicles.
Amid the chaos of Russia’s invasion, Natalia and Serhiy, an artist couple separated by occupation, quickly lose any contact. They feel paralyzed, drowning in helplessness and uncertainty. At the same time, the soldiers of the 72nd brigade of the Armed Forces, Vitaliy and Serhiy, build unity and find courage guarding “the road of life,” a planned evacuation route for civilians. Priest Andriy Halavin is tending to the region’s first mass burials on the territory of his church. Almost daily, he welcomes international delegations to share evidence of Russia’s atrocities, while continuing to be the source of healing for locals who survived the occupation.
This event has been organized by the Consulate General of Ukraine in partnership with Scandinavia House.
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IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT | LUX AUDIENCE AWARDS 2026
2026-02-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“A blast of pure anti-authoritarian rage” — See five of the shortlisted finalists for this year’s LUX Audience Awards this season at Scandinavia House! On February 27 we’ll be screening It Was Just An Accident, a bristling, raw political thriller by Azeri director Jafar Panahi. Praised by Rolling Stone as “one of the most deceptively profound movies of the year,” It Was Just An Accident reaffirms Panahi’s status as one of this century’s great cinematic heroes in perhaps his bravest film yet, a tale of revenge and impossible choice that won him the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
Vahid, an unassuming mechanic, is suddenly reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he has a chance encounter with Eghbal, a man he strongly suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, Vahid gathers several former prisoners, all abused by that same captor, to try and confirm Eghbal’s identity. Master filmmaker Panahi creates a deeply felt moral thriller, where high stakes tension combines with unexpected flurries of humor and thoughtful, sometimes devastating questions regarding persecution and revenge versus compassion and understanding. France’s official selection for Best International Feature at the 2026 Academy Awards.
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This event has been organized by the European Parliament in partnership with Scandinavia House. The LUX Audience Award is a joint initiative of the European Parliament and the European Film Academy in collaboration with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas. It is the largest audience award worldwide and the only film prize in the world where citizens together with Members of the European Parliament -with each group weighting 50% -can decide who the winner will be by rating the nominated films online. The LUX Audience Award fosters dialogue and engagement between politics and the public through the medium of film. The nominated films address European values and raise awareness about some of today’s main social and political issues such as mental health, poverty, climate change, freedom of expression, gender equality, LGBTIQ+ rights.

THE ACTIVIST
2026-03-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“A multifaceted and inventive crime thriller” – On March 3, see The Activist, the electrifying queer noir that’s already generated buzz across Baltic cinemas! Director Romas Zabarauskas will be present for a film talk and Q&A following the screening.
A masked intruder murders Deividas, Lithuania’s most influential human rights activist, just as the urban center Kaunas prepares for its first LGBTQ+ march. Only hours earlier, Deividas had clashed with his secret lover, Andrius, who is too afraid to come out or publicly support the fragile community. Consumed by grief and guilt, Andrius launches his own covert investigation, soon discovering that Deividas was surrounded by two-faced enemies. As the police stall and threaten to revoke the Pride march permit, the city seethes with hatred and fear. A ruthless neo-Nazi gang poses as the self-proclaimed defenders of civilization. With nothing left to lose, Andrius dares to play with fire: assuming a new identity as an idealist working at a printing house, he infiltrates the gang to uncover a disturbing truth.
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GIRL PICTURE | SILVER ANNIVERSARY RESCREENS
2026-03-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
On February 4, see Girl Picture to continue our Silver Anniversary Rescreens! First screened at Scandinavia House in 2022 as a part of our Nordic & Baltic Oscar Contenders, this tender coming-of-age film follows three young women as they try to defy the persistent winter darkness in Finland while navigating their adolescent dreams, reality, friendships, and relationships.
In this dramedy from the director of Force of Habit and Love & Fury, best friends Mimmi and Rönkkö have each other’s backs, always, aspiring for adventurous lives filled with experiences and passion. Emma, on the contrary, has given her whole life to figure skating — nothing gets between her and success. But when the girls meet, life opens new paths that send them rocketing in new directions. While Mimmi and Emma find themselves experiencing the earth-moving effects of true love, Rönkkö is on a quest to find pleasure. As new bonds form and others are tested over the course of three successive Fridays, the girls must navigate the complex paths of teenage desire.
“Haapasalo clearly understands that, when you’re young, desire can feel confusing or gratifying, thrilling or overwhelming…an affecting achievement that never feels less than loving”—The Film Stage
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This program has been supported by the Monika and Charles Heimbold Fund for Exhibitions and Programs.

RED CODE BLUE | SCREENING + FILM TALK
2026-03-05 18:30 - 21:30 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“A gripping Latvian crime epic” – on March 5, see Red Code Blue, director Oskars Rupenheits’s masterfully produced crime drama that accurately rewinds time to the Baltic region’s unsafe, frenzied, and uncertain 1990s. Under Rupenheits’ raw direction, intense chases, interrogations, and shootouts unfold among rival gangs, reckless punks, corrupt operatives, and ruthless policemen in lawless, chaotic Riga. A Q&A with producer Sintija Andersone, cinematographer Juris Pīlēns, and location manager Amanda Rēvalde will follow the screening.
A young, idealistic investigator, Romāns Skulte (Raitis Stūrmanis), struggles to find his footing in the cruel, callous labyrinth of newly independent Latvia from his very first shift. Drug traffickers and violent gangsters control the bleak streets under the invisible protection of high-ranking officers. Rookie cadets quickly learn they can trust no one, not even their closest friends, as traitors and informants lurk everywhere. Cunning Georgian smugglers are deeply embedded in a fearful society, while the aggressive Armenian mafia– headed by the mysterious crime lord known only as “The Armenian” (Robers Kosojans) –enters the scene without hesitation. Romāns must navigate this harsh world while trying to salvage his moral compass, coming to realize virtues like honesty and loyalty are punished in cold blood.
A hit at the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Red Code Blue is a slow-burning police thriller packed with suspenseful heists, double-crosses, blackmail, bribery, and relentless pursuit.
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LIONESS
2026-03-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, United States
“An affecting, spiky melodrama” (Lou Thomas, BFI) – on March 11, see Lioness, Estonian director Liina Triškina-Vanhatalo’s powerful psychological thriller exploring strength, family, and the courage (or madness) it takes to protect those we love.
Helena (Katariina Unt) is a steely paramedic in Tallinn known for her calmness and ability to handle crises. Off the clock, though, she struggles to connect emotionally with her volatile teenage daughter Stefi (Teele Piibemann), who has become rebellious and self-destructive. In a disastrous downward spiral, she skips school and finds herself wrapped up in a violent youth gang under the thrall of the charismatic Mariann (Elina Masing). One day, she disappears completely and her mother spends countless hours scouring the entire city for her. But when she learns that Stefi has ended up in the hospital after an overdose, a desperate and drastic plan forms in Helena’s mind to get her daughter back on her feet.
Picking up the Special Jury Award at last year’s Warsaw International Film Festival, Lioness delves into the collapsing boundary between Helena’s desperate imagination and Stefi’s reality, forcing them both to confront the blurred line between love, control, and delusion.
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