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The competitions of Tampere Film Festival culminated on the evening of Saturday, 8 March, with the Award Ceremony at Olympia, where the winners of the film competition categories were announced. Awards were given in the National and International Competitions as well as the Generation XYZ Competition for genre films.
During the evening, the audience favourites were also recognized, and the Sustainability Award Verso focusing on the ecological sustainability of film productions was presented. Additionally, the Sylvi Prizes, presented by the Writers Guild of Finland for the best TV series and film, were awarded for the second time at Tampere Film Festival’s Award Ceremony during the event.
International Competition
The Grand Prix of the International Competition was awarded to the Chilean feature film El canon (Chile, 2024) by Martín Seeger. The jury was impressed by the film’s original and unexpected take on the subject of colonialism in which the filmmaker plays with the idea of our relationship with the other in a very sarcastic but deeply touching way.
The film Being John Smith (UK, 2024), an experimental documentary by John Smith, was chosen as the Tampere Candidate for the European Film Academy’s European Short Film – Prix Vimeo Award 2026. According to the jury, the film shows us that being a well-known filmmaker doesn’t mean that you are always comfortable with yourself, and sure of what you are doing and why.
The award for Best Documentary in the International Competition went to Dom strom (Slovakia, 2024) by Katarína Gramatová. Best Animation was awarded to Zima (Poland, 2023), directed by Tomek Popakul and Kasumi Ozeki. The Best Fiction Award went to He Ma (China, 2025), directed by JJ Lin. The Audience Award for the International Competition went to O (Iceland, Sweden, 2024) by Rúnar Rúnarsson.
The jury for the International Competition included Gabrielė Cegialytė, Oskar Forstén, Fariba Haidari, Ivan Ramljak, and Ariunaa Tserenpil.
National Competition
In the National Competition, the Main Prize for films under 30 minutes was awarded to Underdog (Finland, 2024) by Marjo Levlin. According to the jury, with humility and profound respect for the audience and the cinematic art form, the director skillfully crafts an experience that neither manipulates nor confines, but rather liberates us through an innovative and mesmerizing approach. Effortlessly bridging intimate childhood memories and passing through the darkest corridors of human thought, the film invites us into a deeply resonant reflection on our shared humanity.
The Special Prize in the same category went to Peppermint Diesel 20% (Finland, 2024) by Mariangela Pluchino. The film was described as a refreshing take on the classic rape and revenge motif. The film shows how girls can have fun and take visual pleasure in narrative genre films.
The Award of the Youth Jury for films under 30 minutes went to Muistokirjoitus / Saarelaiset (Finland, 2024) by Matleena Jänis. The jury praised the film for its personal subject matter, emotional impact, artistically inspiring triptych form and effortless storytelling. The film also received a Special Mention in the National Competition.
In the National Competition for films over 30 minutes, the Main Prize was exceptionally awarded to two films. The joint award went to the documentaries Two Forests (dir. Jan Ijäs, Finland, 2024) and Sirkus Tuomento (dir. Veli Granö, Finland, 2025). According to the jury, Ijäs’ film captivates through its meticulous form and subtle camerawork, while Granö’s film brings us face to face with the ever-relevant cycle of family violence perpetuated across generations and its consequences, and examines art’s role in an individual’s life. Granö’s film also received the Church Media Foundation Prize.
The Special Prize for films over 30 minutes in the National Competition was given to Kurkien äiti (Finland, 2024), a feature documentary by Iiris Härmä. The film was described as a gentle portrait in which the filmmaker captures the unique intelligence of an adventurous woman and her faith in the power of nature and joy.
The Finnish Film Foundation’s annual Risto Jarva Prize was given to Veera Lamminpää’s animation Mereneläviä (Finland, 2024). The jury noted that the film stood out for its freedom of expression, as neither the content nor the form limits its creativity. The film shines with a sense of freedom in filmmaking while making sharp yet gentle use of dark humour.
Lamminpää’s film also won several other awards. In the National Competition, it was awarded a Special Mention and the Student Award. Additionally, it was chosen as the Tampere Nominee for the European Short Film Audience Award. The entire production team was awarded the Sustainability Award Verso (City of Tampere, Audiovisual Producers Finland – APFI, Tampere Film Festival) for the ecological sustainability of the film’s production.
The Golden Shade Equipment Rental Prize For Cinematographer (Valofirma – The Light House, Kamerafirma – The Camera House) went to cinematographer Máté Papp for the film My Name is Hope (Finland, 2025). The Audience Award for the National Competition went to Sopeutumaton (Finland, 2025), a feature documentary by Miikka Poutiainen.
The National Competition jury consisted of Sawandi Groskind, Tuija Halttunen, and Mara Marxsen.
Generation XYZ
The Best Genre Film Award went to The Eggregores’ Theory (Italy, 2024) by Andrea Gatopoulos. According to the jury, the film literally illustrates a distorted mirror image of our distorted world, discussing the political trends and artificial intelligence with evocative power. It is, in a very unique and lyrical way, elegantly entwining the content and the form.
A Special Mention in the Generation XYZ Competition went to La Pecera (Mexico, 2023) by Victoria Garza. The Audience Award went to Parasomnia (Spain, 2024), directed by Daniel Noblom.
The jury for Generation XYZ was Salomé Crickx, Johanna Sinisalo, and Niina Virtanen.
Sylvi Prizes
The Writers Guild of Finland has awarded the Sylvi Prize for the best screenplay since 1985. Numerous leading Finnish screenwriters have won the award. The prize is given based on the script, not the film or series. This year, the Sylvi Prizes were presented once again at the Tampere Film Festival Award Ceremony.
The Sylvi Prize for the Best Film Script was given to Tuuli Kanervankallio and Hannele Lampela for Prinsessa Pikkiriikki (Finland, 2024). The screenplay was described as cohesive and dense, neither attempting to expand beyond its scope nor flirting with various styles. The events of the story are simultaneously familiar and constantly surprising. As a screenplay, Prinsessa Pikkiriikki is a refreshingly bold and personal tribute to imagination and play.
The Sylvi Prize for the Best TV Series Script was awarded to Laura Suhonen for Sekunnit, a carefully written drama series. The jury praised the series for its depth and carefully crafted plot, with compelling characters and well-paced narrative tension.
Awarded Films Screenings on Sunday at Finnkino Cine Atlas
The award-winning films will be screened on Sunday, 9 March, starting at 10:30 at the Finnkino Cine Atlas cinema. Tickets for the Awarded Films screenings can be purchased via lippu.fi online store and ticket outlets, as well as at the festival’s own ticket outlet at Finnkino Cine Atlas.
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