The Tromsø International Film Festival celebrated its 36th edition from January 19–25, 2026. TIFF offers filmmakers and audiences a wonderful experience the International festival becoming a very important part of the darkest time in the city.
The Faith in Film Award jury selected Kaj ti je deklica (Little Trouble Girls), by Urška Djukić as the award winner. The film is an honest portrait of a young girl discovering her sexual identity, inviting reflection on personal dignity, desire, and authentic faith.
La petite dernière (The Little Sister), by Hafsia Herzi, received special mention from the jury. This coming-of-age drama explores how different aspects of identity often struggle to coexist, examining faith not as doctrine but as the courage to believe in oneself.
Little Trouble Girls (Kai ti je deklica, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Serbia, 2025)
Lucija, a 16-year-old girl, joins her school choir at a Catholic institution. On a weekend trip to a countryside convent, she finds herself drawn into an unexpected friendship with Ana Maria. A girl who embodies many things that Lucija is curious about.
‘Little Trouble Girls’ by Urška Djukić is a quiet film that offers insight into the main character's inner world. The film does not shout its themes but whispers them, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in Lucija's inner world through the visual composition, sound design, and sensitive performances of the actors. The music adds emotional depth to the narrative and enriches the film's reflection on how teenagers discover their own sexuality.
The Little Sister (La petite dernière, France, Germany, 2025)
Fatima, a French-Algerian Muslim girl, starts to study philosophy in Paris. She begins to explore her sexual identity. She discovers her attraction to women. The film, directed by Hafsia Herzi, raises the following questions: How do we remain in relationship with communities that shaped us while also claiming autonomy? How do we reconcile conflicting identities? What does faith in oneself mean when that self contradicts family expectations?
The Faith in Film Award
The Faith in Film Award was established in 2017 by the Centre for Art, Culture and Church, Norwegian Church Academies and Tromsø Church Academy, in collaboration with the Tromsø International Film Festival. The Faith in Film Award is organized by the Norwegian Church Academies and Tromsø Church Academy. The winning film of the Faith in Film Award should encourage viewers to reflect critically on how religion functions within society and shapes individual lives.
Nominated Films for the Faith in Film Award 206
Six films were nominated for the award, next to the two winners ‘Raptures’ (Rörelser, Jon Blåhed, Sweden, 2025), ‘Renoir’ (Chie Hayakawa, Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, 2025), ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ (Mona Fastvold, United Kingdom, 2025), and ‘The Virgin of the Quarry Lake’ (La Virgen de la Tosquera, Laura Casabe, Argentina, Spain, Mexico, 2025).
What struck the INTERFILM member of the Faith in Film Jury
Special about the Film Festival is that the program celebrates cinema from the High North and indigenous Sámi perspectives. The Arctic setting profoundly shaped how the festival felt and how films landed. The Tromsø Film Festival brings life and light to the darkest time of the year. It marks the seasonal threshold - the moment when the sun begins its return. Tromsø International Film Festival gathers people in communal spaces when isolation is greatest. It shows that culture, art, and human encounter are necessities, especially in conditions of darkness and cold.
The city is bustling with visitors who move from one cinema to the next. On the streets and in cafés, people chat about the films they have seen. It is easy to strike up a conversation with strangers. The film festival is present throughout the city, with posters hanging everywhere and even an outdoor cinema in the city centre, admission is free. More than 350 volunteers work at the film festival, and in 2026, over 70,000 tickets were sold. The queues in front of the cinemas are long, and if you don't book your ticket in time, you won't get one.
Tromsø is the European Youth Capital for 2026, and you could feel that spirit during the Film Festival 2026. Many young people greatly enriched the Film Festival and influenced the program. The organization was particularly good. The Norwegian coordinators took care of everything and made it easy for the jury members to feel at home.
Conclusion
The 36th Tromsø International Film Festival demonstrated why Arctic cinema and film festivals are important in winter. In an age of increasing individualization and global conflicts, TIFF invites people to connect, gather, watch outstanding films together, and engage in conversation during the darkest time of the year.