The Nominees for the 2025 Ingmar Bergman Competition

The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award was established in 2007 by Ingmar Bergman himself, together with Göteborg Film Festival, when he served as the festival’s Honorary Chairman. The award celebrates innovation and artistic courage in filmmaking and is presented to a debut that captures the spirit of Bergman’s groundbreaking and existentially explorative artistry.

This year’s eight nominees represent an impressive range of perspectives, themes, and styles, featuring stories from various parts of the world. The selection group focuses on identifying the most exciting and personal debuts and favorites – some freshly completed, others having premiered in recent months.

The jury includes Dea Kulumbegashvili, film director from Georgia; Kaltrina Krasniqi, a director from Kosovo and 2022 Bergman Award winner with Vera Dreams of the Sea; and Silje Riise Næss, Chair of the Board of The Bergman Estate on Fårö Foundation.

The nominees for the Ingmar Bergman Competition will be spotlighted during one of the evenings at Studio Draken, the festival’s talk show.

This Year’s Nominees

Cactus Pears Rohan Parashuram Kanawade / Then, the Fog Martín Sappia / The Land of Morning Calm Park Ri-woong / Gülızar Belkis Bayrak / On Falling Laura Carreira / Crocodile Tears Tumpal Tampubolon / The Last Romantics David Pérez Sañudo / Hanami Denise Fernandes

The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award 

The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award was established in 2007 to honor Bergman’s creative legacy and his impact on film history. The prize is awarded annually to a debut or second feature film distinguished by its originality, artistic quality, and bold exploration of existential themes. It is presented by Göteborg Film Festival in collaboration with the Bergman Foundations – the Bergman Center on Fårö, the Ingmar Bergman Foundation, and the Bergman Estate on Fårö Foundation.

Previous winners include Andrea Arnold (Red Road), Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine), Emma Dante (A Street in Palermo), Fernando Guzzoni (Dog Flesh), and Alice Rohrwacher (Corpo Celeste).