Overview
Oslo Pix Film Festival is Oslo's international film festival. The 9th edition runs August 24 to 30, 2026, across venues including Vega, Klingenberg, and Cinemateket in Oslo, with additional events across the city. The festival is organized by The Oslo Festival Agency (Stiftelsen Festivalkontoret) in partnership with Nordisk Film Kino.
Oslo Pix focuses on Nordic cinema while programming international features and documentaries. The festival's main competitions are the Grand Pix Nordic Fiction (9 films, NOK 75,000 prize) and the Grand Pix Nordic Documentary (7 films, NOK 50,000 prize, sponsored by VGTV). The 2025 edition (8th) opened with Sentimental Value (dir. Joachim Trier), the Cannes Grand Prix winner, with Trier and cast members including Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgard in attendance. Over 7,000 people attended the free outdoor Oslo Trilogy screening at St. Hanshaugen the weekend before the festival.
The 2026 edition will feature an outdoor screening of Sentimental Value (dir. Joachim Trier) at St. Hanshaugen on August 23, the day before the festival opens. Trier's film, a Norwegian-German-Danish-French-Swedish-British co-production, won enormous international success including a historic Oscar victory. The festival screened Trier's Oslo Trilogy at St. Hanshaugen Park in 2025.
Submission Details
Oslo Pix accepts film submissions of feature-length fiction and documentary films (over 60 minutes). Submissions are accepted through the festival website at oslopix.no/en/submit-a-film.
Submission process:
- The programming process is ongoing with no set deadline, but the festival recommends submitting early
- Submissions must include: director's name, synopsis (max 300 words), contact information, and a screening link
- The festival does not use FilmFreeway; submissions are handled directly through the festival website
- The submission deadline listed by international festival databases is May 1, 2026
Eligibility requirements:
- Feature-length fiction and documentary films over 60 minutes
- The festival programs Nordic cinema as its competition focus, with international films in sidebar sections
- Specific premiere requirements are determined during the programming process
Key Sections
- Grand Pix Nordic Fiction Competition - 9 fiction films from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland competing for NOK 75,000
- Grand Pix Nordic Documentary Competition - 7 documentary films from Nordic countries competing for NOK 50,000, sponsored by VGTV
- OsLOpitch - pitch competition for Norwegian screenwriters, with NOK 100,000 development prize presented by SpareBank 1 Ostlandet
- Seriedagene (Series Days) - Norway's largest industry day for TV series, held in connection with the festival
- Free Outdoor Cinema - screenings at St. Hanshaugen and Deichman Bjorvika
- Industry Program - professional events and networking for film professionals, with discounted industry pass
What Filmmakers Should Know
Nordic filmmakers should target the Grand Pix competitions, which offer NOK 75,000 (fiction) and NOK 50,000 (documentary) plus industry exposure. The 2025 fiction winner My Eternal Summer (dir. Sylvia Le Fanu) was a debut from a Norwegian Film School graduate, proving the competition platforms first-time directors alongside established names. International filmmakers screen in sidebar sections, not competition.
The key trade-off: Oslo Pix does not use FilmFreeway. Submissions go through the festival website with no set deadline, which means less standardized tracking but also no platform fees. The festival's partnership with Nordisk Film Kino gives access to premier cinema venues. Norway's well-funded public film financing system, anchored by the Norwegian Film Institute, creates useful co-production connections for international filmmakers seeking Nordic partners.
The Industry Pass (NOK 825, application required) provides access to professional events including Seriedagene, Norway's largest industry day for TV series.
Awards / Accreditation
Oslo Pix holds no FIAPF accreditation and is not Oscar-qualifying in any category. The festival's prizes are cash awards funded by sponsors and the festival organization.
Grand Pix Nordic Fiction
- Grand Pix Nordic Fiction: NOK 75,000 (2025: My Eternal Summer, dir. Sylvia Le Fanu)
- Honorable Mentions: selected by the jury (2025: Flophouse America, dir. Monica Stromdahl; Acts of Love, dir. Jeppe Ronde)
Grand Pix Nordic Documentary
- Grand Pix Nordic Documentary: NOK 50,000, sponsored by VGTV (2025: The Dialogue Police, dir. Susanna Edwards)
Audience Award
- Audience Award: voted by festival audiences (2025: Tre Fedre / Three Fathers, dirs. Even G. Benestad and August Baugsto Hanssen)
OsLOpitch
- OsLOpitch Winner: NOK 100,000 for project development, presented by SpareBank 1 Ostlandet (2025: Marte Germaine Christensen for "Makt og hjelp")
Festival History
Oslo Pix Film Festival was first organized in 2017. The festival was created to fill a gap in Oslo's cultural landscape: despite Norway's well-funded film industry and politically engaged audience, the capital lacked a dedicated international film festival with a Nordic competition focus. The first edition programmed 60 titles from North America and Europe, with a special focus on Nordic cinema.
The festival is a partnership between Nordisk Film Kino, Norway's largest cinema chain, and The Oslo Festival Agency (Stiftelsen Festivalkontoret). This partnership gives Oslo Pix access to Klingenberg and Saga, two of Oslo's premier cinema venues in the city center. The festival has grown from its inaugural edition to a seven-day event programming features, documentaries, and shorts across multiple venues.
The 2024 edition awarded the Grand Pix Nordic Fiction to When the Light Breaks (dir. Runar Runarsson) and the Grand Pix Nordic Documentary to Punishment (dir. Oystein Mamen). The 2025 edition marked the festival's 8th year, with the 9th edition confirmed for August 24 to 30, 2026.
Norway's oil wealth has funded one of the world's most generous public film financing systems through the Norwegian Film Institute, making Norwegian cinema one of the best-supported national industries in Europe. Oslo Pix provides the Norwegian public with an annual presentation of Nordic cinema alongside international programming, operating in close relationship with the Norwegian Film Institute.
Past Winners
2025 (8th edition):
- Grand Pix Nordic Fiction: My Eternal Summer (dir. Sylvia Le Fanu, Denmark). Le Fanu's debut feature premiered at San Sebastian's New Directors competition. The film follows a 15-year-old girl spending a final summer with her dying mother.
- Grand Pix Nordic Documentary: The Dialogue Police (dir. Susanna Edwards, Sweden). The film follows a Swedish police unit that mediates conflicts through dialogue. It premiered at the Gothenburg Film Festival in January 2025.
- Honorable Mentions (Fiction): Flophouse America (dir. Monica Stromdahl), Acts of Love (dir. Jeppe Ronde)
- Audience Award: Three Fathers (dirs. Even G. Benestad and August Baugsto Hanssen)
2024 (7th edition):
- Grand Pix Nordic Fiction: When the Light Breaks (dir. Runar Runarsson, Iceland). The film opened the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2024. It follows a young art student navigating love and grief over a single summer day in Iceland.
- Grand Pix Nordic Documentary: Punishment (dir. Oystein Mamen, Norway). The documentary follows 4 inmates in a Norwegian maximum-security prison during a 3-week silent retreat. It premiered at Slamdance 2024.
- Opening film: Armand (dir. Halfdan Ullmann Tondel, Norway). The film won the Camera d'Or for best debut at Cannes 2024. Renate Reinsve stars in the lead role.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- Sentimental Value (dir. Joachim Trier) opened Oslo Pix 2025 as the Norwegian premiere. The film won the Grand Prix at Cannes 2025. It received a 19-minute standing ovation at its Cannes world premiere. Trier and cast members including Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgard attended the Oslo Pix screening.
- Armand (dir. Halfdan Ullmann Tondel) opened Oslo Pix 2024. The film won the Camera d'Or for best first feature at Cannes 2024. IFC Films distributed it theatrically in the US starting February 7, 2025. Renate Reinsve stars, following her breakout role in The Worst Person in the World.
- When the Light Breaks (dir. Runar Runarsson) won the 2024 Grand Pix Nordic Fiction. The film opened the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2024. The Party Film Sales handled international distribution. It received a US theatrical release through Limelight.
- My Eternal Summer (dir. Sylvia Le Fanu) won the 2025 Grand Pix Nordic Fiction. The film debuted at San Sebastian's New Directors competition. TrustNordisk handled international sales. It received a Danish theatrical release on February 27, 2025.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
- Oslo Pix does not use FilmFreeway. Submit directly through the festival website at oslopix.no/en/submit-a-film. Include a synopsis (max 300 words), director's name, contact information, and a screening link.
- The festival programs Nordic cinema as its competition focus. Only films from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland compete in the Grand Pix competitions. International films screen in sidebar sections.
- Feature-length films over 60 minutes are eligible. Short films are not part of the competition program.
- The festival recommends submitting early despite having no set deadline. The international festival database lists May 1, 2026 as the submission deadline.
- Norwegian filmmakers should consider the OsLOpitch competition. The NOK 100,000 development prize is open to Norwegian screenwriters.
- The Industry Pass (NOK 825, application required) provides access to Seriedagene, Norway's largest industry day for TV series. Apply early as space is limited.
Industry Reputation Notes
Oslo Pix is a young festival, founded in 2017. It has positioned itself as Oslo's primary international film festival with a Nordic competition focus. The partnership with Nordisk Film Kino gives it access to premier cinema venues including Klingenberg and Saga.
Compared to the Tromso International Film Festival (TIFF), which runs in January and focuses on Arctic cinema, Oslo Pix programs a broader Nordic competition in late August. Compared to the Gothenburg Film Festival, which is older and larger with its Nordic Competition and Dragon Award, Oslo Pix is smaller but benefits from its Oslo location and proximity to the Norwegian Film Institute.
The festival's industry value rests on its Grand Pix competitions and the OsLOpitch development prize. The 2025 opening film Sentimental Value (dir. Joachim Trier) brought international stars including Elle Fanning and Stellan Skarsgard to Oslo. The 2024 opening film Armand won the Camera d'Or at Cannes. These opening selections demonstrate the festival's ability to attract high-profile Norwegian and Nordic premieres.
The festival does not have an attached film market. Its industry function is as a national premiere platform and Nordic competition showcase. The Seriedagene industry day has grown into Norway's largest TV series industry event.
Watch
See Also
For festival circuit planning and premiere strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. To calculate the financial return of festival submissions, see the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator. For Nordic cinema and European film markets, see International Film Markets. For the Gothenburg Film Festival, another major Scandinavian festival, see Gothenburg Film Festival.
