Berlin International Film Festival has announced the winners of this year's Panorama Audience Awards, and the audience has spoken - HOME SWEET HOME by Frelle Petersen takes 3rd Prize in the Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature film.
22 February, Copenhagen – We are overjoyed to share that HOME SWEET HOME, the heartfelt and genuine drama directed by Frelle Petersen, has won the 3rd prize in the Panorama Audience Award at this year's Berlinale, held from 13 - 23 February 2025.
This recognition reflects how the film has resonated deeply with audiences, offering a poignant and emotional portrayal of a compassionate homecare worker. Through its subtle yet powerful storytelling, HOME SWEET HOME sheds light on the often overlooked realities of caregiving and the system that surrounds it.
During the Berlinale, all cinema-goers are invited to rate the films in the Panorama section on a voting card. This year at Panorama a total of 33 titles competed from 28 production countries, ten of them in Panorama Dokumente. In total over 28,300 votes were cast and evaluated, adding extra weight to this recognition.
Director, Frelle Petersen, comments on the achievement:
"We had an incredible response from the audience here in Berlin, and that means everything to us. We make films to touch, move, and connect with people, and this Audience Award really shows that our story connects with an international audience and that for me, is the most important thing as a filmmaker. Thank you to everyone who watched, felt and voted."
The internationally acclaimed director Frelle Petersen is known for his visionary yet deeply naturalistic approach to storytelling. He is the creator of the critically acclaimed features UNCLE (2019), which won the Tokyo Grand Prix Award, and FOREVER (2022), which premiered in Competition at the San Sebastian Film Festival. With HOME SWEET HOME earning 3rd prize at the Panorama Audience Award at Berlinale, Petersen is set to continue captivating audiences worldwide.
Synopsis:
HOME SWEET HOME follows the story of 32-year-old Sofie, a divorced mother determined to start anew. She takes a job as a home care aide in a rural Southern Jutland community in Denmark, where she lives with her 10-year-old daughter, Clara.
Sofie quickly forms strong bonds with the elderly residents she cares for and her coworkers, finding fulfillment in making a difference. However, she soon becomes acutely aware of the immense pressures faced by home care workers. When Sofie is confronted with an unjustified complaint from a relative of one of the elderly residents, it triggers a series of challenges that put her commitment to both her work and her role as a mother to the ultimate test.
HOME SWEET HOME is written and directed by Frelle Petersen and produced by Jonas Bagger for Zentropa Entertainments3 with support from the Danish Film Institute by commissioning editor Kalle Bjerkø, Den Vestdanske Filmpulje and Tønder Kommune in cooperation with TV 2 Denmark. Developed with the support from Creative Europe MEDIA of the European Union. Domestic distribution by Nordisk Film Distribution. International sales handled by TrustNordisk.
The film is set to premiere in local cinemas on June 19 2025.