Michael Noer´s NORTHWEST has won the International Film Critic´s Awards, the FIPRESCI Prize "for its solid acting performances and its balanced and realistic portrayal of a young man's descent into a criminal world." (FIPRESCI jury´s motivation statement).
This was announced during the closing ceremony of Gothenburg´s International Film Festival, where NORTHWEST screened in the competitive section Dragon Awards for Best Nordic Film. Described by Screen´s chief film critic Mark Adams as "a tough, absorbing and watchable crime drama", NORTHWEST stars newcomers and real-life brothers Gustav Dyekjær Giese and Oscar Dyekjær Giese in the leads and it´s produced by Tomas Radoor and Rene Ezra, who were also behind the awardwinning A HIJACKING (Lindholm, 2012). A HIJACKING won the Audience Award at Gothenburg International Film Festival.
NORTHWEST was also selected for Rotterdam International Film Festival new competition The Big Screen. Additionally, the film will screen at the European Film Market (EFM):
THU 07 16:55 CINESTAR 4
SUN 10 14:30 CINESTAR 4
NORTHWEST depicts a criminal nest of gang related activities feeding on honor, territorial discipline and pride. The title refers to one of the most impoverished multi-ethnic areas of Copenhagen; Nordvest, where 18-year-old Casper is living with his mother, younger brother and little sister, struggling to make ends meet.
Director Michael Noer´s first feature film R (2010), co-directed by Tobias Lindholm and starring Pilou Asbæk (BORGEN, 2010-), won several of prizes and along with his documentaries VESTERBRO (2007) and THE WILD HEARTS (2008) it marked him as one of the most talented directors of his time. Born 1978, Noer graduated from The National Film School of Denmark´s documentary programme in 2003. NORTHWEST is Noer´s second feature film.
Executive producers of NORTHWEST are Henrik Zein, Lena Haugaard and Thomas Heinesen from Nordisk Film Production. Editor is Adam Nielsen has edited films such as BROTHERS (Bier, 2004), GHOST OF CITÉ SOLEIL (Leth, 2005), R (Lindholm and Noer, 2010) and A HIJACKING (Lindholm, 2012). Cinematographer is Magnus Nordenhof Jønck, DFF, who also shot A HIJACKING (Lindholm, 2012). NORTHWEST is supported by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, (DR) and The Danish Film Institute. Budget is EUR 2.1m. Domestic distributor Nordisk Film releases NORTHWEST April 2012 and TrustNordisk handles international sales.