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.
In-person screenings will take place on Thursday, February 5; Friday, February 6; & Saturday, February 7 at Scandinavia House. Virtual screenings will be available nationwide from February 6 through 13. Other opening weekend in-person screenings will take place at the National Nordic Museum in Seattle.
SCHEDULE
OPENING NIGHT
THU—February 5—7 PM; $13 ($8 ASF Members)
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 the filmmaker unravels layers of history, grappling with questions of representation, exploitation and the intricate tapestry of her own cultural identity.
DAY TWO
FRI—February 6—7 PM; $13 ($8 ASF Members)
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.
DAY THREE
SAT—February 7—2 PM; $13 ($8 ASF Members)
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.
VIRTUAL FILMS
FRI—February 6 through THU—February 13
$20
Streaming options (available nationwide) include Máhccan /Homecoming (2023); In My Hand (2025); and Oro Jaska / Shut Up (2025).
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Sámi Film Festival originated as a partnership between the National Nordic Museum and Pacific Sámi Searvi in 2018. Since that time, it has become an onsite event drawing audiences from the East and West Coasts.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Elle Márjá Eira (b.1983) is a director, artist, writer and composer. She is based in Guovdageaidnu in Northern Norway, originally from Sámi reindeer herding district 26 Lákkonjárga. Eira directed the first Sami classical Opera, EATNAMAVÁIBMU, at the Royal Opera in Sweden 2025. She also directed episode 7 of the award winning NRK series POWER PLAY. In addition, Eira has directed and produced several short films and video installations. Eira has experience as an actress and composer at The Sámi National Theatre Beaivváš and collaborated with film composer Christophe Beck on the score for The 12th Man (2017). Her video installations VR360 EALLU and EALÁT were exhibited at the Venice Biennale and the Kochi Biennale in 2022. She has also worked as a co-composer on several film projects and has toured internationally with her music. Her music blends traditional joik with contemporary expression, cinematic soundscapes, and elements of pop and rock. She is the winner of Arctic Talent, Northern Norway’s largest music award. She is also the winner of the Ghost Rocket Song Contest at the Hollywood Independent Music Awards in collaboration with NASA and Andøya Space.
SUPPORT
The 8th Annual Sámi Film Festival is presented a partnership with The National Nordic Museum in Seattle. It is made possible by the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.
