Here are the winners of the Stockholm International Film Festival 2025

During this evening’s award ceremony at the Rigoletto cinema, the winners of the Stockholm International Film Festival 2025 were presented. This year’s Bronze Horse for Best Film goes to Slovakia’s Oscar submission Father, by Tereza Nvotová.

The Slovak film Father has made a strong and lasting impression on the Stockholm Film Festival jury, managing to take home two major awards at this year’s festival. With its masterful depiction of the aftermath of parenthood’s deepest fears, Father is therefore awarded Best Film. Best Screenplay also goes to Father, where director and screenwriter Tereza Nvotová, together with Dusan Budzak, has crafted a story that both grabs hold and lingers.

The award for Best Director goes to Mascha Schilinski for her work on the acclaimed film Sound of Falling. Best Cinematography goes to Evgenia Alexandrova for her color-saturated and retro-scented cinematography in Brazil’s Oscar submission The Secret Agent. For the role of I-Ann in the warm film Left-handed Girl, Shih Yuan Ma receives the award for Best Actress, while Best Actor goes to Harry Melling for his role as the love-hungry Colin in the queer drama Pillion.

The jurys motivation for the Best Film award to Father reads:

“This unflinching story – inspired by real events – invites us into a family’s collapse and offers a devastating study in guilt and the complexity of forgiveness. The lead actor delivers unforgettable realism and raw vulnerability. With long, intense takes and a camera that sometimes feels like a silent witness, the film forces us to ask whether absolution – legal or moral – is ever possible. For its fearless storytelling, its endlessly unpredictable dramatic progression, gripping performances, and masterful artistry, the award for Best Film goes to Father.”

Best Documentary goes to the powerful Ukrainian war portrayal 2000 Meters to Andriivka by Oscar-winning director Mstyslav Chernov. The international film critics’ jury FIPRESCI has named No Other Choice by renowned South Korean director Park Chan-wook as Best Film. The award for Best Debut goes to Iraqi director Hasan Hadi for the acclaimed The Dictator’s Cake. Actor Nils Wetterholm, most recently seen in The Dance Club, is crowned this year’s TV4 Rising Star.

For more information about our awards, click here.

Winners at the Stockholm Film Festival 2025:

STOCKHOLM XXXVI COMPETITION
Best Film: Tereza Nvotová for Father
Best Director: Mascha Schillinski for Sound of Falling
Best Debut: Hasan Hadi for The Dictator’s Cake
Best Screenplay: Dusan Budzak and Tereza Nvotová for Father
Best Actress: Shih Yuan Ma in Left-handed Girl
Best Actor: Harry Melling in Pillion
Best Cinematography: Evgenia Alexandrova for The Secret Agent

STOCKHOLM XXXVI DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Best Documentary: 2000 Meters to Andriivka by Mstyslav Chernov

STOCKHOLM SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Best Short Film: Skin on Skin by Simon Schneckenburger

STOCKHOLM NORDIC SHORTS COMPETITION
Best Short Film: Sorry I’m Late (But I Brought a Choir) by Håkon Anton Olavsen

THE INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS’ AWARD – FIPRESCI
Best Film: No Other Choice by Park Chan-wook

TV4 RISING STAR AWARD 2025
This year’s TV4 Rising Star Award is awarded to Nils Wetterholm

1 KM FILM 2025
This year’s winner of 1 KM FILM: Johan Stavsjö for the project Work Ethics – receives production support valued at 400,000 SEK

1KM FILM TorinoFilmLab Script Development Award: Dea Saračević for the project Silence

1KM FILM Honorable Mention: Balder Ljunggren for the project LOUD

NORDIC WAVE
Karim Fakih for the project 8 sqm – receives production support valued at 400,000 SEK from Tint

NIKON SHORT FILM COMPETITION (60 sec)
Karim Fakih with the short film DIJA

For motivations and images, please see the attached files in the press release on Mynewsdesk. Earlier during this year’s festival, several awards have already been presented. Director Benny Safdie received the Stockholm Visionary Award, actor Alexander Skarsgård was granted the Stockholm Achievement Award, and this year’s guest of honor Isabella Rossellini was finally presented with her previously awarded 2020 prize, the Lifetime Achievement Award. For more information about the jury, click here.