The Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF) is a film festival held annually in October in Bergen, Norway since 2000, and is the largest film festival in the nation in number of films. The 11th edition of the festival in 2010 featured 150 films in the program, a new record. The festival leader is Tor Fosse, and BIFF is owned by Bergen Cinema.
The festivals main venue is Bergen Cinema's Magnus Barefoot Cinema Centre, with additional screenings taking place at the local art film theatre at Georgernes Verft and at the student cinema at Kvarteret.
In 2000, Bergen was a European Capital of Culture. Due to the occasion, Bergen Cinema arranged Bergen International Film Festival, with the most important films from the festival circuit of the year and many sneak previews of movies already picked up for Norwegian distribution. BIFF was one of the most successful events to take place during the celebration of the Cultural City with almost 20,000 visitors, and was arranged again the year after.
Over the years the festival has grown to be one of the biggest in Norway, with more than 160 films and 57,000 admissions in 2015.
Bergen International Film Festival is organised in various sections:
Checkpoints, the main program at BIFF, hosted with the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, consisting of documentaries focusing on human rights. Since 2010, a jury has selected a winner.
International Documentary Program, with a special selection competing for the best international documentary award.
Norwegian Documentary Program, with a special selection competing for awards for best Norwegian documentary and best Norwegian short documentary.
Norwegian Short Film Competition, a special program of short films, where filmmakers have to apply before being accepted.
BIFF and education
Bergen International Film Festival has an extensive program for high school and junior high school students in Bergen. BIFFs offers schools in the area to participate in two different programs:
The festival offers free showing of documentaries that covers important subjects in history, democracy and human rights. BIFF also tries to bring filmmakers and even the characters the films portray to the screenings, making it possible for the students to converse with the talent afterwards. In 2010, former mayors of Bogotá, Antanas Mockus and Enrique Peñalosa held strong appeals to students of the power of local democracy after the showings of Bogota Change.
BIFF also offers a crash course film school for junior high schools, with professional filmmakers holding seminars. The festival then make camera and editing stations available for the students, and award one school each year for best student film.
Awarded since 2010 and one of the main prizes at BIFF, selected by a jury from a competition program consisting of films focusing on human rights.
2010: Budrus, directed by Julia Bacha Israel
2011: The Last Mountain, directed by Bill Haney United States
2012: Sons of the Clouds: The Last Colony, directed by Alvaro Longoria Spain
2013: The Act of Killing, directed by J. Oppenheimer Indonesia
2014: Drone (2014 film), directed by Tonje Hessen Schei Norway
2015: The Hunting Ground, directed by Kirby Dick United States
Awarded since 2004, after BIFF started to shift its focus more over to documentaries. The prize is 50,000 NOK, since 2013 awarded by NRK.
2004: The Master and His Pupil, directed by Sonia Herman Dolz Netherlands
2005: The Boys of Baraka, directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady United States
2006: God Grew Tired of Us, directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn United States
2007: Forever, directed by Heddy Honigmann Netherlands
2008: War Child, directed by Christian Karim Chrobog United States
2009: Afghan Star, directed by Havana Marking United Kingdom
2010: The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu, directed by Andrei Ujică Romania
2011: Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl United States
2012:
2013: The Unknown Known, directed by Errol Morris United States
2014: Waiting for August, directed by Teodora Ana Mihai Belgium Romania
2015: Pervert Park, directed by Frida Barkfors and Lasse Barkfors Denmark Sweden United States
Awarded since 2011. The prize is 40,000 NOK, since 2013 awarded by NRK.
2011: Folk ved fjorden, directed by Øyvind Sandberg
2012: De andre, directed by Margreth Olin
2013: Banaz A Love Story, directed by Deeyah Khan
2014: Drone, directed by Tonje Hessen Schei
2015: Voldtatt, directed by Linda Steinhoff
Awarded since 2011. The prize is 10,000 NOK, since 2013 awarded by NRK.
2011: Selger 327, directed by Kari Anne Moe
2012: Havets sølv, directed by Are Pilskog
2013: Du velger selv, directed by Kajsa Næss
2014: Dette er Kabul, directed by Sadaf Fetrat, Sahar Fetrat, Nargis Azaryun, Anders Sømme Hammer and Christoffer Næss
2015: Asylbarna: Farida, directed by Ragnhild Sørheim og Christer Fasmer
2000: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee China
2001: Das Experiment, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel Germany
2002: Bowling for Columbine, directed by Michael Moore United States
2003: Kill Bill Vol. 1, directed by Quentin Tarantino United States
2004: Oldboy, directed by Park Chan-wook South Korea
2005: Sirkel, directed by Aleksander Nordaas Norway
2006: The Queen, directed by Stephen Frears United Kingdom
2007: Fashion Victims, directed by Ingo Rasper Germany
2008: Young@Heart, directed by Stephen Walker United Kingdom
2009: Bring Children from Streets, directed by Espen Faugstad and Eivind Nilsen Norway
2010: World Peace and Other 4th Grade Achievements, directed by Chris Farina United States
2011: Bully, directed by Lee Hirsch United States
2012: Beasts of the Southern Wild, directed by Benh Zeitlin United States
2013: Søsken til evig tid, directed by Frode Fimland Norway
2014: Good Girl, directed by Solveig Melkeraaen Norway
2015: Voldtatt, directed by Linda Steinhoff Norway
Awarded by the University of Bergen since 2014 to the best science documentary. The prize is 25,000 NOK.
2014: How I Came to Hate Math, directed by Olivier Peyon France
2015: Ice and the Sky, directed by Luc Jacquet France
A prize awarded since 2004 by a jury consisting of high school students that choose from the films that is a part of the BIFF for Schools program.
2004: Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, directed by Robert Greenwald United States
2005: Lost Children, directed by Oliver Stoltz Germany
2006: A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash, directed by Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack Switzerland
2007: Sharkwater, directed by Rob Stewart Canada
2008: Yodok Stories, directed by Andrzej Fidyk Norway
2009: The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos United States
2010: Bogota Change, directed by Andreas Møl Dalsgaard Denmark
2011: Bully, directed by Lee Hirsch United States
2012: 5 Broken Cameras, directed by Emad Burnat & Guy Davidi Palestine
2013: The Human Scale, directed by Andreas Dalsgaard Denmark
2014: We Are the Giant, directed by Greg Barker United States
2015: The Mask You Live In, directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom United States
Awarded since 2004.
2003: Fear Less, directed by Therese Jacobsen
2004: The Bible, directed by Bjørn Amundlien
2005: Drømme kan du gjøre senere, directed by Thomas A. Østbye
2006: Drømmehuset, directed by Øystein Mamen
2007: Bo jo cie kochom (Fordi jeg elsker deg), directed by Gine Therese Grønner
2008: Ekornet, directed by Stian Einar Forgaard
2009: Skylappjenta, directed by Iram Haq
2010: Jenny, directed by Ingvild Søderlind
2011: Asyl, directed by Jørn Utkilen
2012: Å vokte fjellet, directed by Izer Aliu
2013: Money Back Please, directed by Even Hafnor
2014: Ja vi elsker, directed by Hallvar Witzø
2015: Small Talk, directed by Even Hafnor
Awarded since 2005, with a prize of 20,000 NOK.
2005: Aleksander Nordaas
2006: Morvary Samaré and Astrid Schau-Larsen
2007: Tor Kristian Liseth
2008: Olav Øyehaug
2009: Espen Faugstad and Eivind Nilsen
2010: Kedy Hassani
2011: Frida Eggum Michaelsen
2012: Are Pilskog
2013: Mads Andersen
2014: Kjell Mathiesen
2015: Hildegunn Wærness
The former main award at Bergen International Film Festival, awarded to the best feature film 2000-2011. The prize has had its present name since 2007. 2000-2005 it was called The Jury's Award, and 2006-2007 it was named The Norwegian Film Institute's Import Award, with the prize being Norwegian distribution.
2000: Luna Papa, directed by Bakhtyar Khudojnazarov Tajikistan
2001: Lagaan, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker India
2002: Dog Days, directed by Ulrich Seidl Austria
2003: Blind Shaft, directed by Li Yang China
2004: Mysterious Skin, directed by Gregg Araki United States
2005: Frozen Land, directed by Aku Louhimies Finland
2006: The Minder, directed by Rodrigo Moreno Argentina
2007: Silent Light, directed by Carlos Reygadas Mexico
2008: The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, directed by Stefan Komandarev Bulgaria
2009: No One's Son, directed by Arsen Anton Ostojić Croatia
2010: Le Quattro Volte, directed by Michelangelo Frammatino Italy
Best Scandinavian Music Video (discontinued)
Awarded 2010-2013.
2010: Torgny - "The Only Game", directed by Emil Trier Norway
2011:
2012: Todd Terje - "Inspector Norse", directed by Kristoffer Borgli Norway
2013: The Knife - a Tooth for an Eye, Sweden
Only awarded once, by the film journalists attending the festival in 2003.
2003: A Good Lawyer's Wife, directed by Im Sang-soo South Korea
2003 Bergen International Film Festival
2009 Bergen International Film Festival
2010 Bergen International Film Festival
