The Norwegian drama "Elskling" (Loveable), directed by Lilja Ingolfsdottir, has been awarded with the Danish Church Film Prize "Gabriel" 2025.
The award was presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Parish Councils on June 13, 2025.
The film is about Maria and Sigmund, who fall head over heels in love, get happily married and have two children. While Maria navigates between her career, children and home, Sigmund is often away on tour as a musician. Slowly, the love and happy days seep out of everyday life and are replaced by frustration and accusations. The film is a story about love and everything that happens to and within us when it breaks down. In many ways, it is a modern film about all the unexpected paths that life and love can take.
Jes Nysten from Kirke og Film, who is a member of the Gabriel jury, explained the motivation for the award: "This story focuses on a break-up between two lovers and how this break-upcan make us wiser about ourselves. How do you take care of yourself when others constantly need you? It is a rich and profound film with many layers. Everyone will be able to recognise and relate to the emotional layers that are presented."
Director Lilja Ingoftsdottir expressed her gratitude for the award, saying: "It is a great honour to receive this award. I hope the film gives people something to think about and talk about. It is a very personal film, which arose from a crisis I had with my husband, who is the film's cinematographer. It is very close to my heart, and I think about the process of making it and how you shouldn't waste a good crisis."
The film already won the awards of the ecumenical juries at the International Film Festival Karlovy Vary 2024 and the International Film Festival in Miskolc 2024.