Festival 2024, May 8 – 12

During the festival week, we will have many different events for the public and the interested filmmaker.

There will be films in different genres to suit different tastes. The films will also have a quality that makes them attractive to the discerning viewer. Films that you haven’t seen anywhere else. You will see new and interesting films by filmmakers from around the world!

Let yourself be drawn into the film’s fantastic world! Do not miss next year’s film fest!

In addition to great films, there will be workshops, debates, interviews, and other events. The Film Festival concludes with an awards ceremony.

Join us on this journey and help us make Västerås into a centre for great film!

 

History

Västerås Film Festival was founded in 2015 by Carlos Morén. The festival’s mission is to strengthen interest in quality film and production regionally, nationally and internationally. During the first round, we only received short films, both fiction and documentaries.

In 2016 we showed feature films for the first time. Best documentary, short film, directing, photography, female and male actors were divided up and are now also awarded to Swedish recipients.

In addition, three completely new prices were established; The New Star Award, which aims to find a new rising talent, as well as the Miniroom.se children and youth talent prize, to draw attention to a child actor who have particularly distinguished themselves that year.

The third prize that premiered was the Honorary Prize, which from this year onward has been awarded to fantastic Swedish actors. The first actor to be honoured was Lennart Jähkel.

For 2019 edition, we opened the doors for music videos, our own category in the field of film.

We are right now preparing the festival for its 8th edition. The festival will be held between Aug 19th to 26th., in 2023

The Contents of the Festival

  • Screening different genres of films in cinemas and different kinds of showrooms, such as galleries, libraries, etc.
  • Workshops covering different and various areas like screenwriting, acting, directing, etc.
  • Lectures and debates with different themes regarding filmmaking, films, business.
  • Social vulnerability is a recurring theme. Other themes focus on genres, film culture in different countries, and cultural policies.
  • Exhibitions with film themes.
  • Feature films, short films, documentaries, animated films, and music videos.
  • Parties and mingle.
  • Award ceremony for short films.
  • Award ceremony for feature films.

The Aims of the Film Festival

Stimulate filmmaking locally, nationally, and internationally.
Encourage the viewing of quality films in different genres regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Encourage and provide recognition for filmmakers by awarding prizes in various categories such as creative, qualitative and unique films at four levels; secondary level, regional level, national level and international level.

To give Västerås a place in the film world as a cultural city and carrier of film culture.

Prizes awarded

We have presented a lot of awards to talented and creative filmmakers and actors in our first seven years.

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2021
2022
2015

2015

Category Title Award winners Natly Note
Best International Documentary Mr. Joe Lives Alone Daneeta Jackson, Patrick Jackson USA Est. 2015
Best International Short Film Game of Life Agnès Vialleton Frankrike Est. 2015
Best International Animation Golden Shot Gökalp Gönen Turkiet Est. 2015
Best International 1-minut Film Water Cycle Ciril Mlinar Cic Slovenien Est. 2015
Best International Directing Zero David Victori Spanien Est. 2015
Best International Female Actor Airgirl Arielle Thomas AustralienSverige Est. 2015
Best International Male Actor The Anklet Benoit Thiebault Frankrike Est. 2015
Best International Photography Good Year Yuichi Nagata Japan Est. 2015
Best International Screenplay En Route Xu Zhang USA Est. 2015
Best International Sound The Red Thunder Guillermo Marin USA Est. 2015
Regional Prize Kryssningsmannen Linn Tinnerholm, Mary Atim, Simon Fältsjö Sverige Est. 2015
Jury Talent Prize The Egoist Emil Torneryd, Oscar Bergman Sverige Est. 2015
2016

2016

Category Title Award winners Natly Note
Best International Feature Film Blockbuster – A Life in Moving Pictures Vlado Priborsky Österrike Est. 2016
Best International Short Film 90 Degrees North Detsky Graffam Tyskland Est. 2015
Best International Documentary Along the Ice Joris Favraud Frankrike Est. 2015
Best International 1-minute Film Se upp för tåg Markus Helmersson Sverige Est. 2015
Best International Screenplay Show Business Alexander Tovar Spanien Est. 2015
Best International Directing Autumn Fall Jan Vardoen Norge Est. 2015
Best International Photography Tristan Tortuyaux Bästa internationella fotografi Frankrike Est. 2015
Best International Female Actor Sisters-Share Everything Winnie Böwe Germany Est. 2015
Best International Male Actor Mother Jakub Kotynski Polen Est. 2015
Best National Documentary De Blev Våra Mödrar Roland Persson Sverige Est. 2016
Best National Short Film Bröder i midnattssol Lars Persson Sverige Est. 2016
Best National Directing Svart Kung Ronnie Brolin Sverige Est. 2016
Best National Female Actor Höstmåne Åsa Älmeby Thorne Sverige Est. 2016
Best National Male Actor Höstmåne Thomas Hedengran Sverige Est. 2016
Jury Honorary Award Specialpris Lennart Jähkel Sverige Est. 2016
Regional Prize Specialpris Marcus Holmqvist, David Billström Sverige Est. 2015
The New Star Award Specialpris Matilda Tjerneld Sverige Est. 2016
Miniroom.se children and youth talent prize Specialpris André Persson Gintner Sverige Est. 2016
Jury Talent Award Specialpris Charlie Filmberg Sverige Est. 2015
2017

2017

Category Title Award winneers Natly Notering
Best International Feature Film Wilderness Neil Fox, Justin Doherty Storbritannien VFF-event
Best International Short Film Margherita Lorenzo Iannello Italien VFF-event
Best International Animation Below 0° Itai Hagage Costa Rica Åter instiftat pris 2017
Best International Documentary Standing with Standing Rock Bob Yothers Nederländerna VFF-event
Best International 1-minute Film Decay Matilda Wikingson Sverige VFF-event
Best International Screenplay Wilderness Neil Fox Storbritannien VFF-event
Best International Directing Wilderness Justin Doherty Storbritannien VFF-event
Best International Photography The Albino’s Trees Masakazu Kaneko Japan VFF-event
Best International Female Actor I did her wrong Catalina Lavalle USA VFF-event
Best International Male Actor In the Desert Tony Plana USA VFF-event
Best Nordic Feature Film Vykort Från Petrokemin Simon Borka Gunnarsson Sverige VFF-event
Best National Documentary Bondepoeten Roland Persson Sverige VFF-event
Best National Short Film Allting Föreställer, Ingenting Är Johan Skantze Sverige VFF-event
Best National Screenplay En Flickas Hämnd Max Marklund Sverige VFF-event
Best National Photography En Flickas Hämnd Anders Jacobsson Sverige VFF-event
Best National Directing Vykort Från Petrokemin Simon Borka Gunnarsson Sverige VFF-event
Best National Female Actor Allting Föreställer, Ingenting Är Amy Mattsson Sverige VFF-event
Best National Male Actor Vykort Från Petrokemin Lars Väringer Sverige VFF-event
Jury Honorary Prize Specialpris Maria Lundqvist Sverige VFF-event
Regional Prize Specialpris Robin Widell Sverige VFF-event
The New Star Award Specialpris Malte Myrenberg Gårdinger Sverige VFF-event
Miniroom.se children and youth talent prize Specialpris Thea Karmgård, Linnéa Lundström Sverige VFF-event
Jury Talent Award Specialpris Fredrik Hellqvist Sverige VFF-event
2018

2018

Category Titel Award winners Natly Note
Best International  Feature Film Goliath Dominik Locher Schweiz VFF-event
Best International Short Film The Nine Billion Names of God Dominique Filhol Frankrike VFF-event
Best International Animation The Robot Butler Jens Broström Sverige VFF-event
Best International Documentary Claudio Fasoli’s Innersounds Angelo Poli Italien VFF-event
Best International 1-minute Film Memory of our Peers Brice Veneziano Frankrike VFF-event
Best International Screenplay Goliath Dominik Locher Schweiz VFF-event
Best International Directing Goliath Dominik Locher Schweiz VFF-event
Best International Photography The Nine Billion Names of God Athys de Galzain Frankrike VFF-event
Best International Female Actor The Forest Natalya Rychkova Ryssland VFF-event
Best International Male Actor Goliath Sven Schelker Schweiz VFF-event
Best Nordic Feature Film Bride Price VS Democracy Reza Rahimi Sverige VFF-event
Best National Documentary The Rocking Barber of Hisingen Tomas Haglund Sverige VFF-event
Best National Short Film Dreamlife Anna Mercedes Bergion Sverige VFF-event
Best National Screenplay Bride Price VS Democracy Reza Rahimi, Amir Abbas Payam Sverige VFF-event
Best National Photography Eisodus Axel Adolfsson, Troels Rosenkrantz Andersen Sverige VFF-event
Best National Directing Bride Price VS Democracy Reza Rahimi Sverige VFF-event
Best National Female Actor Dreamlife Michaela Berner Sverige VFF-event
Best National Male Actor Bride Price VS Democracy Ashkan Ghods Sverige VFF-event
Jury Honorary Prize Specialpris Rolf Lassgård Sverige VFF-event
Regional Prize Specialpris Jamshed Khan Sverige VFF-event
The New Star Award Specialpris Emil Algpeus Sverige VFF-event
Miniroom.se children and youth talent prize Specialpris Nike Ringqvist Sverige VFF-event
Jury Talent Award Specialpris Erik Kammerland Sverige VFF-event
Årets publikpris 2018 Specialpris Trädgårdsgatan Sverige Est. 2018
2019

2019

Category Title Award winners Natly Note
Best International Feature Film A Picture with Yuki Lachezar Avramov Bulgarien VFF-event
Best International Short Film Amaro Fabian Döring Tyskland VFF-event
Best International animation The Tree of Poison Andrey Fedorov Ryssland VFF-event
Best International documentary Servais Rudy Pinceel Belgien VFF-event
Best International 1-minute Film I Just Need Love Jake J Meniani Storbritannien VFF-event
Best International Screenplay A Picture with Yuki Dimitar Stoyanovich Bulgarien VFF-event
Best International Directing A Picture with Yuki Lachezar Avramov Bulgarien VFF-event
Best International Photography Two Times You Beto Casillas Mexiko VFF-event
Best International Female Actor No News Silvia Espigado Spanien VFF-event
Best International Male Actor Dream State Karim Theilgaard Danmark VFF-event
Best International Music Video “Imagination” av Jordan Corey Roth Rind USA VFF-event
Best Nordic Feature Film Lantisar Malin Dahl Sverige VFF-event
Best National Documentary Kindertransports to Sweden Gülseren Sengezer Sverige VFF-event
Best National Short Film Cancel Sebastian Johansson Micci Sverige VFF-event
Best National Screenplay Bunden Göran Parkrud Sverige VFF-event
Best National Photography Finding Alice Iga Mikler Sverige VFF-event
Best National Directing Lantisar Malin Dahl Sverige VFF-event
Best National Female Actor Bunden Susanna Helldén Sverige VFF-event
Best National Male Actor Lantisar Peter Sjöquist Sverige VFF-event
Jury Honorary Prize Specialpris Helena Bergström, Colin Nutley Sverige VFF-event
Regional Prize Specialpris Robert Reinholdsson Sverige VFF-event
The New Star Award Specialpris Therese Eriksson Sverige VFF-event
Miniroom.se children and youth talent prize Specialpris Miranda Grassman Sverige VFF-event
Jury Talent Award Specialpris Sune Eskelinen Sverige VFF-event
Årets publikpris 2019 Specialpris 438 Dagar Sverige Est. 2018
2021

2021

Category Title Award winners Natly
Best International Feature Film Elsa’s Land Julia Kolesnik Ryssland
Best International Feature Film Actor Next Station: Russia Anton Adasinsky Ryssland
Best International Feature Film Actress The Silent Party Jazmin Stuart Argentina
Best International Feature Film Cinematography I Am Free Anna Rozetskaya Ryssland
Best International Feature Film Screenplay Elsa’s Land Julia Kolesnik Ryssland
Best International Feature Film Director Elsa’s Land Julia Kolesnik Ryssland
Best International Short Film The Swing Samara Sagynbaeva Kyrgystan
Best International Short Film Director The Swing Samara Sagynbaeva Kyrgystan
Best International Short Film Screenplay The German King Adetokumboh M’Cormack USA
Best International Short Film Cinematography GABRIEL Lucas Tucknott Spanien
Best International Short Film Actor The Bare Knuckle Gentlemen Doctor Hayes USA
Best International Short Film Actress GABRIEL Isabel Ordaz Spanien
Best International Animation Tobi and the Turbobus Verena Fels Tyskland
Best Web/New Media Any Creative Form — Series Daniel Fazio Storbritannien
Best International Short Documentary The Caledonian Bruce H. Gill Storbritannien
Best International Feature Documentary Killing the Shepherd Tom Opre USA
Best International 1-Minute Film Space Oddity Seyhmus Altun Turkiet
Best International Music Video Johnny and the Devil” av Handsome Johnny Matty Jorissen Nederländerna
Best Nordic Feature Film Oslo — Copenhagen Jan Vardøen Norge
Best Nordic Feature Film Cinematography Oslo — Copenhagen John Christian Rosenlund Norge
Best Nordic Feature Film Screenplay Oslo — Copenhagen Jan Vardøen Norge
Best Nordic Feature Film Director Oslo — Copenhagen Jan Vardøen Norge
Best Nordic Feature Film Actor Oslo — Copenhagen Lars Berge Norge
Best Nordic Feature Film Actress One Half of Me Olga Temonen Finland
Best Nordic Feature Film Editing Without Skin Lars Bergbom, Christian Johansson Sverige
Best Nordic Feature Film Sound Victim of Love Peter Seeba Danmark
Best Nordic Short Documentary Wasteland Daniel Milton Sverige
Best Nordic Feature Documentary They Call Us Greasers! Matz Eklund Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Mannen som inte ville gråta Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Screenplay Mannen som inte ville gråta Björn Boström Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Cinematography Tack för att du väntar Anders Jacobsson Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Director Jag är pedofil Johanna Ställberg Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Actress Jag är pedofil Annika Hallin Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Actor Jag är pedofil Olle Sarri Sverige
Årets hederspris 2021 Specialpris Christina Schollin Sverige
2022

2022

Category Title Award winners Natly
Best International Feature Film Mother of Apostles Dmytro Ovechkin Ukraine
Best International Feature Film Actor The Ugly Truth Marcus Grüsser Germany
Best International Feature Film Actress Shadow Ana Moreira Portugal
Best International Feature Film Cinematography The Ugly Truth Christoph Wieczorek Germany
Best International Feature Film Screenplay Mother of Apostles Ratha Makeenkova, Zaza Buadze Ukraine
Best International Feature Film Director Mother of Apostles Zaza Buadze Ukraine
Best International Short Film Accomplices Miguel Monteagudo Spain
Best International Short Film Director Accomplices Rubén Guindo Nova Spain
Best International Short Film Screenplay Accomplices Rubén Guindo Nova, Nuria Cabezas Spain
Best International Short Film Cinematography Dora Sabine Lancelin, Arnaud Alain, Lara Legendre France
Best International Short Film Actor The Dog Josean Bengoetxea Spain
Best International Short Film Actress Dora Mireille Roussel France
Best International Animation One Last Wish Galia Osmo Israel
Best Web/New Media Any Creative Form — Series Daniel Fazio Storbritannien
Best International Short Documentary I Won’t Remain Alone Fariba Arab, Yaser Talebi Iran
Best International Feature Documentary Wild Prairie Man Carol Andrews, George Tsougrianis Canada
Best International 1-Minute Film Road to Hell Donal O’Dea Ireland
Best International Music Video “Remember Me” by Marloe. Michael Hudson Storbritannien
Best Nordic Short Documentary They go gentle into that night work Soile Mottisenkangas Finland
Best Nordic Feature Documentary Longing for Áhkká Johanna Lindborg Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Debut Johan Stavsjö Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Screenplay Debut Marcus Fahey Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Cinematography Volvo Villa Whisky Mikael J Boson, Per Larsson, Sune Eskelinen Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Director Debut Johan Stavsjö Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Actress Volvo Villa Whisky Louise Åkerman Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Actor Naturens Palett Pelle Holmström Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Scenography The Partisan Nina Rose Markvadsen, Freja Sande, Katrine Langgard Denmark
Best Nordic Short Film Editing Saga Jakob Åsell Sverige
Best Nordic Short Film Sound Matilda & William Theresia Billberg Sverige
Årets hederspris 2021 Specialpris Christina Schollin Sverige

Film School Awards

Category Title Award winners Natly
1-10 min Films Bruce Stockholm Filmschool Sverige
10-20 min Films Queen NSKI Høyskole Norge
20-30 min Films The Dreams Of Lonely People Warsaw Film School Polen

Special Awards

Category Title Award winners Natly
Nordic Social Vulnerability Award Bruce Irene Altagracia Perez Lopez, Linn Moser Hällen, sociologist Sverige
Best Artistic Film Living in a Bubble Natalie MacMahon, Nikola Drvoshanov Germany
Barn- och Ungdomstävlingen Rädda Jorden Saga Reinholdsson Sverige