SELECTIONS 2026

PROJECT DAD

When their mother is deported from Denmark, 23-year-old Malik suddenly finds himself responsible for his three younger siblings. Forced to navigate adulthood overnight, he must keep the family together while facing the constant threat of separation by social services.

Project Dad is an intimate and emotionally resonant coming-of-age drama that explores responsibility, resilience, and the strength of family bonds under extraordinary circumstances. Without sentimentality, the film captures the quiet courage required to become a parent before having the chance to fully become an adult, offering a moving portrait of love, sacrifice, and hope.

SYNCHRONICITY AT SEA

What shapes our choices—free will or invisible algorithms?

A chance encounter aboard a ferry brings together two strangers from completely different worlds: a technology-driven entrepreneur and a free-spirited woman whose outlook on life challenges everything he believes. As artificial intelligence begins to blur the boundaries between coincidence and destiny, their unexpected journey becomes an exploration of connection, identity, and possibility.

Blending romance with philosophical reflection, Synchronicity at Sea offers a playful yet thought-provoking look at human relationships in the age of intelligent technology.

STAY WITH ME

Young pianist Noah lives between two emotional worlds. While caring for his mother, whose dementia slowly erases their shared past, he unexpectedly finds hope in a budding relationship with singer Luna. Torn between duty and desire, Noah must decide whether love can coexist with responsibility.

Driven by music and understated performances, Stay With Me is a delicate meditation on memory, loss, and the difficult choices that shape adulthood. It is a film about finding harmony when life itself seems determined to fall out of tune.

SAFE ZONE

Hidden beneath the ruins of a besieged city, a mother and her young daughter struggle to survive in silence. When a humanitarian aid package lands just beyond their hiding place, hope and danger become inseparable as a single desperate decision places them in the sights of a waiting sniper.

Inspired by the lived experiences of humanitarian workers in conflict zones, Safe Zone transforms the realities of war into a gripping animated survival drama. Through striking black-and-white imagery and the absence of unnecessary dialogue, the film creates an atmosphere of unbearable tension while reminding us that, even in the darkest moments, humanity endures.

LAST NIGHT A BJ SAVED MY LIFE

HAIR!

What begins as an ordinary business trip takes an unexpected turn when two colleagues spend a night at Reykjavík's only queer bar. As conversations grow more honest and assumptions begin to unravel, an evening of glitter, laughter, and vulnerability becomes an exploration of identity, friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves about others.

Funny, tender, and refreshingly authentic, Last Night a BJ Saved My Life celebrates the liberating power of queer spaces while gently challenging stereotypes through warmth, humour, and genuine human connection.

Three Iranian-Canadian sisters gather for what has become a cherished family ritual: tea, conversation, and the monthly battle against unwanted body hair. As generations of women share laughter, arguments, memories, and long-buried emotions, an ordinary afternoon transforms into an unforgettable celebration of family, identity, and womanhood.

Balancing comedy with emotional honesty, HAIR! captures the beauty of cultural traditions passed between generations while exploring belonging, heritage, and the intimate spaces where women shape each other's lives.

REVERSE

A relationship unfolds before the audience in a single uninterrupted take, revealing how easily love can become entangled in misunderstanding. As words fail and emotions collide, the smallest moments carry the greatest weight.

Minimalist in form yet emotionally powerful, Reverse demonstrates how simplicity can become its greatest strength. Through precise performances and elegant visual storytelling, the film offers an intimate reflection on communication, vulnerability, and the fragile balance that sustains every relationship.

BARISTAS VS BILLIONAIRES

Across the United States, a new generation of Starbucks employees challenges one of the world's most recognizable corporations in an unprecedented struggle for workplace dignity and the right to unionize. What begins in a single coffee shop soon evolves into a nationwide movement driven by determination, solidarity, and the belief that meaningful change is still possible.

Directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Mark Mori, Baristas vs Billionaires is a compelling portrait of contemporary labour activism. Through intimate access to the people behind the movement, the documentary explores economic inequality, corporate power, and the courage required to stand together in pursuit of justice.

THE DISSIDENT

Chinese poet Hua Liu arrives in France hoping to spend her retirement surrounded by family. But when her writings attract the attention of those determined to silence dissent beyond national borders, a joyful reunion slowly gives way to fear and uncertainty.

Blending intimate family drama with political tension, The Dissident explores exile, memory, and the enduring cost of defending freedom of expression. Beneath its quiet surface lies a powerful meditation on identity, belonging, and the invisible reach of authoritarian power.

A TRIBE CALLED LOVE

Farah and Halima have loved each other since childhood, but the divisions within their Somali community threaten to keep them apart. Years after life forces them onto separate paths, fate offers them a second chance—only to confront the same cultural barriers that once tore them apart.

Combining youthful energy with emotional depth, A Tribe Called Love reimagines the timeless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet through the lens of the Somali-Canadian diaspora. Rich in humour, music, and visual style, the film explores identity, belonging, and the courage required to challenge traditions that divide communities. It is both an intimate love story and a powerful reflection on the possibility of breaking cycles that have endured for generations.

BALAGAN

On the night before her grandmother's house passes into new hands, a young woman secretly returns for one final visit. Wandering through familiar rooms filled with echoes of the past, she searches for a memory that refuses to disappear along with the family home.

With remarkable sensitivity and visual elegance, Balagan reflects on memory, inheritance, and the emotional landscapes we carry within us. The house becomes more than a physical place—it transforms into a living archive where generations, identities, and untold stories continue to coexist long after the doors have closed.

WILL POWER

United States | 2026 | 69 min | Documentary | Biography / Human Resilience

Director: Lauro Rocha
Language: English | Subtitles: English

Days before achieving international success, a devastating stroke leaves acclaimed performer Alex Sparrow unable to walk, speak, or sing. Over the following years, the camera quietly accompanies his long and unpredictable rehabilitation, capturing not only physical recovery but a profound transformation of identity.

Rather than presenting a conventional inspirational story, Will Power offers an intimate portrait of perseverance, creativity, and the extraordinary capacity of the human spirit to redefine itself. Patiently observed and deeply moving, the documentary asks a universal question: when everything that once defined us disappears, what remains—and who do we choose to become?

SENSE

Netherlands | 2026 | 30 min | Documentary | Sports / Coming of Age

Directors: Tim Schiphorst & Bob van Unnik
Language: Dutch | Subtitles: English

Professional street snowboarder Cees Wille has spent his life chasing bigger tricks, greater risks, and the next impossible challenge. Yet beyond the mountains and competitions lies a more difficult journey: discovering who he is when snowboarding alone can no longer define him.

Beautifully photographed and emotionally honest, Sense is far more than a sports documentary. It explores ambition, identity, vulnerability, and mental wellbeing through the story of an athlete learning that the greatest challenges often begin after the applause has faded. The result is an inspiring coming-of-age portrait about finding balance between passion, relationships, and self-discovery.

SCIFF 2026 – Official Selection

With this year's Official Selection, the Scandinavian International Film Festival presents a diverse collection of independent cinema from across the world. From intimate family dramas and psychological thrillers to powerful documentaries, experimental works, animation, and bold new voices, the programme reflects SCIFF's ongoing commitment to artistic excellence, cultural diversity, and fearless storytelling.

Representing filmmakers from Europe, North America, Africa, and beyond, the 2026 Official Selection celebrates cinema's unique ability to inspire dialogue, challenge perspectives, and connect audiences across cultures. Whether exploring personal identity, social change, historical memory, or the complexities of contemporary life, each film offers a distinctive cinematic vision and contributes to the vibrant spirit of independent filmmaking that defines SCIFF.

We warmly welcome audiences to discover these remarkable works and celebrate the filmmakers whose creativity and passion continue to shape the future of world cinema.