From debut director Elle Sofe Sara, the powerful, music-filled new drama Árru follows a family of Sàmi reindeer herders whose fight to protect their Indigenous lands from a proposed copper mining project exposes long-buried family secrets. Single mother Maia (Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska), her daughter Áilin (Ayla Nutti) and her brother Dánel (Simon Issát Marainen) live and work the starkly beautiful lands of Sápmi, northern Scandinavia, but their community and way of life face existential threat from the encroaching mining project. As protests rise, Maia turns to her long-absent uncle, charismatic lawyer Lemme (Mikkel Gaup), for help. But his presence soon reopens old, deeply buried family wounds, forcing Maia into an impossible reckoning between kinship and conscience. Weaving together grounded drama with bursts of traditional song (joik) and movement, the singular Árru draws on Sámi cultural expression to explore a breathtakingly genuine connection to the environment. It is a fierce and cathartic tale about resilience, reclaiming one's voice and standing firm for the land that endures.

Written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen (Riders of Justice) The Last Viking is a humorous, intriguing, and devious tale about identity starring Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round) and Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Department Q) alongside a stellar ensemble. Anker (Lie Kaas) is released from prison after a fifteen-years sentence for robbery and plans to go somewhere sunny on a never-ending holiday. He just needs the money from the heist, which was buried by his brother Manfred (Mikkelsen), near their mother’s home. Only Manfred knows where the money is, but unfortunately since Anker has been imprisoned, Manfred has developed an alter ego, none other than The Beatles frontman John Lennon, and has completely forgotten all about the money! With help from a psychologist, together the brothers embark on an unexpected journey to jog Manfred's memory, locate the heist money and discover who they really are. Reuniting writer-director Anders Thomas Jensen with Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas in their sixth project together, The Last Viking is a dark, yet reflective comedy filled with unpredictable twists and turns.

This brilliant new film from award-winning writer/director Hlynur Pálmason (Godland, A White, White Day), tenderly and amusingly captures a year in the life of a family of five, as the parents navigate their separation. Though they are splitting up, Anna and Magnus still spend time together for the sake of their three children, Ída and twins Þorgils and Grímur (played by the three real-life children of director Pálmason). Magnus works at sea, infrequently returning to land, where he asserts himself as the patriarch with limited efficacy. Anna is an artist whose vast works fail to receive suitable recognition. In their interactions, there is the familiarity of a long-held love and a glimmer of a chance of reconciliation. Pálmason's film conveys deep affection for its characters and the gorgeous Icelandic environment, delivering a soulful look at the importance of family and shared memories amidst the changing seasons. Special mention must also go to Pálmason's sheepdog, Panda, who stars in the film and was awarded winner of the prestigious Palme d’Og award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Inspired by a true story, this Italian box office hit from Riccardo Milani (A World Apart IFF24) sees two different sets of ideals collide on an unspoiled stretch of coastline in southern Sardinia. Efisio is a solitary shepherd who lives in the small house where he was born, a silent guardian of a time that seems to no longer exist. Meanwhile Giacomo (Diego Abatantuono), the president of a powerful Milanese real estate group, is determined to transform the picturesque coast into a luxury resort alongside construction site manager Mariano (Aldo Baglio) who is tasked with convincing Efisio to sell his land. Caught between these irreconcilable worlds is Efisio’s daughter Francesca (Virginia Raffaele), who is torn between the call of change and her deep attachment to her homeland. But when Efisio refuses yet another multi-million offer, negotiations turn into a legal battle. As pressure mounts and the community fractures, Efisio’s unwavering ‘no’ takes on collective meaning in this David versus Goliath tale about courage, cultural identity and the environment.

How far would you go for friendship? Best Friends Forever is a contemporary Greek comedy about friendship and the choices we make when we try to help the people around us, even when that means things might spiral out of control. A wedding goes off the rails before it even begins, a well-meaning favor turns into a trip to Crete filled with misunderstandings and family tensions, and a series of “innocent” errands entangle people and relationships, setting off a chain of unpredictable, laugh-out-loud, and heartfelt situations. How far would you really go for your friends? What would you be willing to risk to get them out of a difficult situation? And how many unexpected turns could follow from simply trying to help? As the stories unfold, Best Friends Forever raises questions we have all faced, allowing audiences to recognize themselves — and their own group of friends — through characters and situations that feel instantly familiar. The film follows parallel stories of friendship that converge around a wedding completely out of control, turning the best intentions into chaos, misunderstandings and ultimately plenty of laughter and emotion.