Byron Talks: Scandinavian Film Festival Director Elysia Zeccola

The 2025 Hurtigruten Scandinavian Film Festival is just around the corner, promising an exciting selection of films from the Nordic region. As the festival celebrates its 11th year, it brings to the screen the best in Scandinavian cinema, showcasing a diverse array of dramas, comedies and thrillers that highlight the unique and powerful storytelling traditions of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. We caught up with the festival director Elysia Zeccola to explore what makes Nordic cinema stand out, what we can expect from this year’s lineup and how the festival is introducing audiences to this distinctive genre.

Here’s what she had to say about Nordic cinema, its growing popularity in Australia and the future of the festival.

The 2025 Hurtigruten Scandinavian Film Festival promises a captivating lineup. What do you believe makes Nordic cinema stand out from other global film industries?

Nordic cinema stands out for its unique blend of atmosphere, storytelling and realism - there’s a quiet intensity that comes from the stark landscapes, minimal dialogue and contemplative tone. A perfect example of this is THE LAST PARADISE ON EARTH set on the Faroe Islands, an absorbing drama about a young man working in a fishery that’s struggling due to overfishing by larger companies, but, unlike his friends who want to move to the cities on the mainland (Denmark) to find new jobs, he has a strong connection to the island, it’s a real Faroese gem.

With films hailing from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, how do you ensure the festival captures the diversity of Nordic storytelling while showcasing the region's most influential filmmakers?

By attending the Nordic Film Market at the Goteborg Film Festival every year, I see films from established filmmakers, as well as films from emerging talent, they are often showcased in the “Works in Progress” sessions and I follow the project through, to bring the best contemporary Nordic cinema to Palace Cinemas each year. I try to strike a balance between the numbers of films from each country, and their own themes and characteristics shine through.

The festival is celebrating its 11th year with a fantastic selection of genres, including dramas, comedies and thrillers. What are some of the standout themes or recurring elements you've noticed in this year’s films?

I would say recurring elements are strong, character-driven relationship dramas like BEGINNINGS starring Trine Dryholm and Joachim Trier’s highly anticipated drama SENTIMENTAL VALUE and THE MOUNTAIN starring Isadora Barney (Bjork’s daughter!).

WWII is always a popular theme in the festival with three war dramas including Opening Night spy thriller NUMBER 24, Erikke Poppe directs QUISLING: THE FINAL DAYS and also NEVER ALONE from Klaus Härö – all three are based on true stories.

It wouldn’t be Scandi without some black humour, and we are closing with the aptly named GRAND FINALE, Iceland’s #1 box office hit, for audiences looking for laugh.

With the festival's long-standing success, how do you see the future of Nordic cinema evolving in Australia, and what role do you think the festival plays in introducing new audiences like Byron Bay to this genre?

I think the future of Nordic cinema in Australia is really exciting. Over the years, audiences here have developed a real appreciation for the kind of storytelling that comes out of the Nordic region - whether it’s the gritty thrillers, the dry humour, or those beautifully shot, emotionally layered dramas. There's definitely a growing appetite for it, and I think the festival has played a big part in that.

Byron Bay has such a creative and open-minded vibe so it makes sense that the Byron Bay audience would be interested in being a part of a cultural experience, seeing the world from a different perspective, and opening their minds to a different way of storytelling.

For festival-goers new to Nordic cinema, what films or experiences would you recommend to fully immerse themselves in the power and depth of Scandinavian storytelling?

I want to recommend everything, but I don’t know how much space you have and there is such a diverse range of films from 5 different countries, so to make only a few more recommendations…:

For people looking for a typically Scandinavian-style, internationally recognised, well-reviewed and highly awarded option, you can’t go past SENTIMENTAL VALUE starring Stellan Skarsgård.

For a fast-paced, hospital-set, raw and real character driven drama, see SECOND VICTIMS.

For a funny Finnish example of offbeat comedy, see the hilarious drunken sisters in 100 LITRES OF GOLD.

And if you are a bit bored with your husband/wife/partner, open marriages are up for discussion in SUDDEN OUTBURSTS OF EMOTIONS – take them along for a conversation starter!