The Good Life, Over There was also good for Izer Aliu in Grimstad

For the second year in a row, Norwegian director Izer Aliu has won the Golden Chair – the top prize – at the Norwegian Short Film Festival in Grimstad, which ends today (17 June).

“Aliu’s The Good Life, Over There demonstrates the art of not giving away too much or too little. With a brilliant use of dialogue, expert acting and assured instruction, we are surprised and entertained by a voice we look forward to hearing more from,” said the jury at Sunday’s ceremony in Grimstad’s Culture House.

Last year, Aliu’s graduation film from the Norwegian Film School, To Guard a Mountain, received the first prize and added, among others, an Amanda – Norway’s national film prize – to its kudos. And the jury will certainly hear more from him: Aliu is currently in post-production with his feature debut, Hunting Flies.

Fifty-four Norwegian shorts, 23 international shorts, 11 Norwegian documentaries and 20 music videos were screened in the festival programme, where Dutch director Sam de Jong’s Marc Jacobs came first in the international competition. Special focuses covered Women’s Stories and French author Marguerite Duras.

FULL LIST OF AWARDS:

The Golden Chair for Best Norwegian Short: The Good Life, Over There, Izer Aliu

The Golden Chair for Best Norwegian Documentary: No Word for Worry, Runar Jarle Wiik

The Golden Chair for Best International Short: Marc Jacobs, Sam de Jong (The Netherlands)

The Terje Vigen Award: Upside Down Everything Is Abstract … My Father Said, Anne Haugsgjerd

The Music Video Award: Kaja Gunnufsen - Faen ta, Thea Hvistendahl

The Hourglass Award (from the Writers’ Guild Norway, for Best Screenplay): The Good Life, Over There

The Technical Award (from the Norwegian Film Workers Association): Helle le Fevre and Bent Holm, for editing and sound design on Amazon, directed by Marianne Ulrichsen

The Norwegian Critics’ Award for Best Norwegian Short: How Do You Like My Hair?, Emilie Blichfeldt

The Filmpolitiet Short Film Award: Sing lingeling, Aaslaug Vaa and Anders Øvergaard

Aust Agder County’s Youth Award: As Long as Shotguns Remain, Caroline Poggi (France)