'FLEE' IS NOMINATED FOR THREE OSCARS

For the very first time in Oscar history, a documentary has been nominated in three categories – And we are absolutely thrilled to announce that the well-deserved honour is all ‘Flee’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen and produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen. A huge congratulations to the whole team behind the film and everyone who made it possible.

‘Flee’ tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The award ceremony will be held on the 27th of March 2022.

To see the full list of nominees, go to oscars.org

'A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS' WINS BEST NORDIC DOCUMENTARY AT GOTEBORG FILM FESTIVAL

We are very proud to announce that the Dragon Award Best Nordic Documentary at Göteborg Film Festival went to director Simon Lereng Wilmont for ‘House Made of Splinters’.

In the statement of motivation, the jury expressed their considerations in selecting Wilmont’s film:

The jury has been challenged by a wonderful selection of documentaries that have surprised us, made us cry and provoked us with a wide range of stories and ways of storytelling that truly has made us proud of the filmmakers of the Nordic region. 

The award goes to an exceptionally beautiful film. A film that with its presence and despair is more urgently burning than ever possible. With poetically unforgettable images, it gives a voice to the children’s heartbreaking stories, with a brutal war in the background. The story and the images that carry so much weight, sometimes feel light, like a soap bubble floating carefree in a room. In its total darkness, there is a little shimmer, a spirit of warmth and hope. 

The award ceremony was held 28th January and lasted until 6th February.
To see the full list of nominees, go to goteborgfilmfestival.se.

'FLEE' WINS FOUR CATEGORIES AT ROBERT AWARDS 2022

‘Flee’ had quite the night at the Robert Awards – Having been nominated for Score of the Year; Best Sound Design; Best Editing; and Best Documentary, the film won all four prizes! We are so incredibly proud of the film and everyone who made it possible.

‘Flee’ tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The award ceremony was held on the 5th of February 2022.

To see the full list of winners and nominees, go to robertprisen.dk

PRODUCER MONICA HELLSTROM WINS IB AWARD AT ROBERT AWARDS 2022

A huge congratulations to producer Monica Hellström for winning the Ib Award at this year’s Robert Awards! The Ib Award is an external award occasionally delegated by Danish Film Directors to “brave, innovative, risk-taking, anarchic – and incredibly tenacious – entrepreneurs, with no fear of unpopularity, and most of all, with a great beating heart for films and the whole difficult gang of self-inflated egos that necessitate films.” (Danish-English translation from the official description on robertprisen.dk).

The award ceremony was held on the 5th of February 2022.

To see more information about the Robert Awards, go to robertprisen.dk

'FLEE' NOMINATED FOR TWO BAFTAS

It is with great excitement that we announce the nomination of ‘Flee’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmusssen and produced by Monica Hellström and SIgne Byrge Sørensen in not one, but two categories at this year’s BAFTA awards! ‘Flee’ is in great company in the categories of Best Documentary and Best Animated Film.

‘Flee’ tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The award ceremony will be held on the 13th March 2022.

To see the full list of nominees, go to bafta.org

'FLEE' WINS A GULDBAGGE FOR BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Pictured is producer Monica Hellström and Co-Producer Charlotte Most

A big congratulations to the ‘Flee’ team for winning the Guldbagge award in the category of Best international Feature Film last night! 

‘Flee’ is directed by Jonas Poher Rasmusssen and tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The Guldbagge Awards are Sweden’s leading film awards and have been presented since 1964 for outstanding contributions to Swedish film over the past year.

The award ceremony was held January 24th 2022.

To see the full list of nominees, go to filminstitutet.se

'FLEE' NOMINATED FOR BODIL PRIZE 2022

It is our great pleasure to announce that Flee, directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, has been nominated for the Bodil Prize in the category of Best Documentary.

‘Flee’ is produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen for Final Cut for Real and Charlotte de la Gournerie for Sun Creature.

‘Flee’ tells the extraordinary true story of Amin who, on the verge of marriage, is compelled to uncover his past for the first time – one that he has kept secret for over twenty years and which has continuously threatened the life he has built for himself since making the journey as a child refugee from Afghanistan to Denmark. Told mostly through animation, ‘Flee’ weaves together a stunning tapestry of images and memories which tell the affecting story of a young man grappling with his traumatic past in order to discover his true self and the meaning of home.

The prestigious Bodil statuettes have been given out yearly by the Association of Danish Film Critics since the first Bodil award ceremony in 1948. This year the award ceremony will take place on the 19th of March in Folketeatret, Copenhagen.

To see the full list of nominees for this year's Bodil, visit: www.bodilprisen.dk (in Danish)

'PRESIDENT' NOMINATED FOR BODIL PRIZE 2022

We are very proud to announce that ‘President’ directed by Camilla Nielsson and produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen (Final Cut For Real) and Joslyn Barnes (Louverture Films) has been nominated for a Bodil Prize in the category of Best Documentary.

The documentary follows the presidential campaign trail in Zimbabwe during the decisive 2018 election. As the new leader of the opposition party MDC, Nelson Chamisa, challenges the old guard, ZANU-PF, represented by the acting president Emmerson Mnangagwa, the election will be the ultimate test for the country’s democratic practice in the post-Mugabe era – has Zimbabwe turned a new corner or is history bound to repeat itself? Read more about ‘President’ here.

The prestigious Bodil statuettes have been given out yearly by the Association of Danish Film Critics since the first Bodil award ceremony in 1948. This year the award ceremony will take place on the 19th of March in Folketeatret, Copenhagen.

To see the full list of nominees for this year's Bodil, visit: www.bodilprisen.dk (in Danish)

3 'BEST DOCUMENTARY' NOMINATIONS FOR TVPRISEN 2022

We are excited to announce that three films from Final Cut for Real have been nominated for Tvprisen 2022 along with five other nominees. 

In the category for Best Documentary, the jury has nominated the following films: He’s My Brother directed Cille Hannibal and co-directed Christine Hanberg; Raising a School Shooter directed by Frida & Lasse Barkfors; and Songs of Repression directed by Estephan Wagner & Marianne Hougen-Moraga. 

Tvprisen is an annual event arranged by the Danish Producers’ Association. An award show where the TV-industry acknowledges and celebrates the best Danish TV-programmes of the year.

The 2022 awards will be presented on March 26th at Tivoli Hotel & Congress Center in Copenhagen.

To see the full list of nominees click here.

‘PRESIDENT’ NOMINATED FOR DANISH FILM ACADEMY AWARD

It is with great pleasure that we announce the nomination of President directed by Camilla Nielsson and produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen (Final Cut For Real) and Joslyn Barnes (Louverture Films) for the Robert Award in the category of Best Documentary. 

The documentary follows the presidential campaign trail in Zimbabwe during the decisive 2018 election. As the new leader of the opposition party MDC, Nelson Chamisa, challenges the old guard, ZANU-PF, represented by the acting president Emmerson Mnangagwa, the election will be the ultimate test for the country’s democratic practice in the post-Mugabe era – has Zimbabwe turned a new corner or is history bound to repeat itself?

The annual award ceremony is hosted by the Danish Film Academy in celebration of the best Danish film and television of the year gone by. The Robert Award nominees and winners are selected by the over 2000 members, all of whom are members of the Danish film and TV industry.

The award ceremony will be held on February 5th 2022.

To see the full list of nominations, visit www.filmakademiet.dk

'PRESIDENT' SHORTLISTED FOR FEATURE DOCUMENTARY ACADEMY AWARD

We are so overjoyed and grateful that Camilla Nielsson’s documentary film President has been shortlisted for the Feature Documentary Academy Award.

The shortlist contains 15 films, which will be narrowed down to 5 nominated films on February 8, 2022, and the 94th Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on March 27, 2022.

So we’ll keep our fingers crossed for the next couple of months!

President is produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen for Final Cut for Real, and Joslyn Barnes for Louverture Films (US). The film is co-produced by Anne Köhncke and Anita Rehoff for Sant & Usant (NO) for Sant & Usant (NO).

Executive Producers are Thandiwe Newton, Susan Rockefeller, Danny Glover and Tone Grøttjord-Glenne.

The film is produced with the support of The Danish Film Institute, Danida, International Media Support, EU’s Media Program Creative Europe, The Norwegian Film Institute, Fritt Ord, Nordisk Film og TV Fond, Enterprise Fund, Ford Foundation, Bertha Foundation, Sundance Documentary Program, DR, SVT, NRK, ZDF Arte, BBC, VPRO, ERR, RTV & Ceska TV.

Read more about ‘President’ here.

Click here to see the full shortlist announcement

'FLEE' SHORTLISTED FOR FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AND INTERNATIONAL FEATURE ACADEMY AWARDS

We are so very honoured that Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary film Flee has been shortlisted for both the Feature Documentary and International Feature Film Academy Awards.

The shortlist for both awards contains 15 films, which will be narrowed down to 5 nominated films on February 8, 2022, and the 94th Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on March 27, 2022.

So we’ll keep our fingers crossed for the next couple of months!

Flee is produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen for Final Cut for Real, and Charlotte de la Gournerie for Sun Creature Studios. The film is co-produced by Charlotte Most for Most Films (SE), Maria Ekerhovd for Mer Film (NO) and Mathieu Courtois and Jean-François Le Corre for Vivement Lundi.

Executive Producers are Philippa Kowarsky (Cinephil), Danny Gabai, Natalie Farrey & Jannat Gargi (VICE Studios) and Hayley Pappas & Matt Ippolito (RYOT Films).

The film is produced with the support of the Danish Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Nordic Film and TV Fond, West Danish Film Fund, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Région Bretagne, Région Hauts De France/Pictanovo, CNC, Procirep + Angoa, DR, SVT, YLE, The Animation Workshop, Fritt Ord, Movistar+, I Wonder Pictures, ERR, RTV Slo.

Click here to see the full shortlist announcement

'PRESIDENT' U.S. THEATRICAL RELEASE IN NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES

On December 16 Camilla Nielsson’s Sundance-winning documentary President, produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen and Joslyn Barnes, had its U.S theatrical premiere, distributed by Greenwich Entertainment.

The film was warmly received by the press, reviewed by The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, both highlighting the film as riveting and outstanding, being “one of the year’s best nonfiction films”!

Each of the reviews can be found here:
The New York Times
Los Angeles Times

'FLEE' WINS AT EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS 2021

Flee directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen and produced by Monica Hellström has received two prizes at this weekend’s European Film Awards!

The awards ceremony took place in Berlin on Saturday, December 11, 2022. Due to Covid-restrictions, Jonas received the awards for Best Documentary and Best Animated Feature virtually. It is possible to watch the entire awards ceremony and see Jonas’ speech here.

The European Film Awards have been presented annually since 1988 by the European Film Academy to recognise excellence in European cinematic achievements. We are all super proud and happy at Final Cut for Real!

'A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS' SELECTED FOR SUNDANCE 2022

We're so happy to announce that Simon Lereng Wilmont’s new feature documentary A House Made of Splinters, produced by Monica Hellström, will have its world premiere in January, as part of the World Documentary Competition at Sundance Film Festival 2022. The film has been selected along with 9 other documentaries from around the world. This year Sundance will be a hybrid between online and in-person attendance taking place from January 20 to January 30 2022 in Salt Lake City, US.

A House made of Splinters is a follow-up to Wilmont’s debut feature The Distant Barking of Dogs, both films showing the lives of children in war-torn Eastern Ukraine. The film from 2017 won a string of ​​awards, including for best first film at IDFA. A House Made of Splinters follows a small group of strong-willed social workers who strive tirelessly in a special kind of orphanage to create an almost magical safe space for kids to live in while the state authorities and courts decide the future fate of the children and families.

Click here to browse through the full lineup at the Sundance website.

Or read DFI’s coverage about this exciting news here!

'FLEE' WINS GOTHAM AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY

We are so excited that Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s animated documentary film ‘Flee’, produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Rasmussen has won the Gotham Award for Best Feature Documentary Monday night at the awards ceremony in New York City.

‘Flee’ wasn’t the only Final Cut for Real production represented at the awards ceremony. Camilla Nielssons's award-winning film ‘President’ was competing in the same category. We wish both of our directors a huge congratulations on their honorable achievements!

The Gotham Awards ceremony was held on November 29 and is one of the leading honors for independent film and television and provides acknowledgment to groundbreaking independent films and television series.

CHAIRMAN OF THE FINAL CUT FOR REAL BOARD, JANUS BILLESKOV JANSEN, TURNS 70

Hip hip hooray and congratulations to, Janus Billeskov Jansen, who is turning 70 today!

Debuting in the 1970’s, Janus has for more than five decades been among the best Danish editors and a key figure in the Danish film industry. With more than 100 film titles on his resume and an impressive share of prominent film awards and nominations, Janus is a true gem and an inspiring colleague for all of us at Final Cut for Real. Through his long career he has collaborated with leading film directors such as Nils Malmros, Bille August, Søren Kragh-Jacobsen and Joshua Oppenheimer on both feature and documentary films. Lately he has been editing this year's Danish Oscar candidate ‘Flee' by Jonas Poher Rasmussen.

We wish him the most wonderful birthday!

‘FLEE’ AND ‘PRESIDENT’ AT THE CINEMA EYE HONORS 2022

We are super proud that ‘Flee’ directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, produced by Monica Hellström & Signe Byrge Sørensen is nominated in nothing less than seven categories at the 15th annual Cinema Eye Honors!

Furthermore, Camilla Nielsson’s ‘President’ produced by Signe Byrge Sørensen is nominated in the category for Outstanding Achievement in Production!

The Cinema Eye Honors are recognizing outstanding artistry and craft in nonfiction or documentary filmmaking and include awards for the disciplines of directing, producing, cinematography and editing. The ceremony will take place at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens on January 13, 2022.