REYKJAVÍK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
RIFF – Reykjavik International Film Festival – is one of the largest and most diverse cultural events in Iceland. RIFF is an independent and non-profit festival. The RIFF staff works year-round in preparation, but as the festival approaches, numerous volunteers from all over the world join in, and the festival owes much to them.
For eleven days every autumn, Icelanders flock to the cinema to see the best and freshest in international filmmaking. Furthermore, guests are invited to engage in discussions with directors about their works, attend seminars, lectures, concerts and art exhibitions, and watch films under unconventional conditions – in a swimming pool, a cave, or even in the living room of a renowned filmmaker!
The program highlights young filmmakers and progressive cinema. For example, the festival’s main award, the Golden Puffin, is dedicated to a filmmaker for their first or second film.
RIFF is also a significant platform for Icelandic filmmakers to showcase their works to the world. Many foreign journalists and industry professionals attend the festival annually, and their interest in Icelandic films is evident.
The festival strives to feature the past year’s productions, premiere the latest films, and elevate Icelandic short filmmaking. The best Icelandic short film receives an award from RÚV, which purchases its broadcasting rights, while the Golden Egg is awarded to the best short film participating in the RIFF Talent Lab.
At RIFF, we believe that cinema can change the world. Documentaries are increasingly prominent in the festival program, and feature films that particularly address human rights, quality of life, and environmental issues are given substantial space.
See you at the movies!
RIFF ALLT ÁRIÐ
RIFF heldur úti starfsemi 12 mánuði ársins – viðburðir og verkefni hátíðarinnar eiga sér stað allan ársins hring víða um land.
RIFF leggur sérstaka áherslu á kvikmyndir sem fræðsluefni fyrir börn og unglinga. Árlega býðst leik- og grunnskólum landsins að taka þátt í ókeypis skóladagskrá, sem samanstendur af fimm stuttmyndapökkum fyrir fimm aldurshópa – allt frá tveggja ára leikskólabörnum upp í 15 ára nemendur. Hver pakki inniheldur fjölbreyttar stuttmyndir ásamt stuðningsefni um tungumál, umhverfismál, jafnrétti og menningarlega fjölbreytni. Alls eru sýndar um 30 stuttmyndir á hverju ári, og allt að 50.000 börn um land allt hafa aðgang að þessum myndum. RIFF sér einnig um að texta myndirnar sem eru aðgengilegar á skólavefnum Norden i Skolen, en þær eru í boði fyrir íslenska skóla allt árið.
RIFF hefur á síðustu árum haldið kvikmyndasmiðjur og námskeið fyrir börn og unglinga víða um land, meðal annars í Reykjavík, Reykjanesi, Borgarnesi, Múlaþingi, Egilsstöðum, Hveragerði, Ísafirði, Flateyri og Suðureyri.
Ásamt skólastarfi heldur RIFF kvikmyndasýningar á fjölmörgum stöðum utan höfuðborgarsvæðisins, meðal annars á Akureyri, Seyðisfirði, Sauðárkróki, Ísafirði og Akranesi. Þá hefur The RIFF movie trailer tvívegis farið í kvikmyndatúr um landið með viðkomu í skólum víða.
Sérstakir viðburðir swimming pool, cave cinema and bílabíó eru einnig haldnir reglulega. RIFF stendur einnig fyrir opnum sýningum á kvikmyndum sem eiga erindi við samtímann, líkt og myndin 21 Sena frá Gottsunda, sem sýnd var nemendum á unglingastigi í Álfabakkabíói vorið 2025.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND LOCATION
HISTORY
The Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) was founded in 2004 by Hrönn Marinósdóttir and a group of film enthusiasts. They envisioned a festival that could bridge cultural gaps, promote Icelandic cinema on an international stage, and create a space for young talent to showcase their work and skills. This dream has now come true. RIFF has grown rapidly to become one of Iceland’s largest cultural festivals, attracting filmmakers and film enthusiasts from all over the world.
In just over two decades, RIFF has welcomed numerous esteemed honorary guests, including famous directors such as Milos Forman, Werner Herzog, Darren Aronofsky, and Jim Jarmusch. Many world-class talents have thus contributed to building the festival's reputation as a key event for innovative and progressive films.
The Oscar-winning film "Poor Things," directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, is an artistically and emotionally impactful work that garnered acclaim from critics and audiences worldwide. The film had a special premiere at RIFF, a festival particularly favored by the Greek director.
In addition to these renowned guests, RIFF has, year after year, brought together a diverse group of filmmakers, actors, and professionals from the film industry, creating a vibrant and fertile community. This community has fostered valuable connections and laid the groundwork for successful collaborations.
One of RIFF's unique features is its emphasis on creating memorable and different experiences for guests. This is evident in the festival’s various special events and screenings held in unconventional locations, such as swimming pools, natural settings, historical sites, and even private homes. These unique screenings and the exceptional team that brings them to life make RIFF a distinctive cultural festival.
LOCATION
The hub of RIFF in 2024 is Háskólabíó, a historic cinema in Reykjavík that was built in 1961. Háskólabíó provides the perfect setting for the festival's diverse program. The cinema has long been a cornerstone of the cultural life in Reykjavík’s West side, hosting a wide range of events from film screenings to concerts and various special events.
In addition to Háskólabíó, RIFF offers screenings and events at various locations throughout the city. The Nordic House, designed by the world-renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, is another key venue for the festival, hosting special events in the heart of the city with unique proximity to nature in Vatnsmýri wetland park. Libraries and nursing homes are also utilized as screening and event venues, ensuring that RIFF fulfills its mission of providing cinema for everyone and reaching a broad and diverse audience.
RIFF is committed to ensuring accessibility for as many people as possible by hiring an accessibility officer, implementing a new accessibility policy, and developing a sustainability policy. The RIFF Around Town project is part of this effort to increase access to the festival, with screenings traveling to locations such as libraries, nursing homes, and even prisons.
Skrifstofa RIFF er til húsa að Tryggvagötu 26, 101 Reykjavík, 3. hæð.
HONORARY GUESTS 2025
ANTON CORBIJN
Few artists have reshaped the dialogue between photography, music, and cinema as profoundly as Anton Corbijn. Corbijn has become one of the most influential visual voices of the past half-century. His raw, intimate portraits of musicians have defined how entire generations see music. But Corbijn’s artistry extends far beyond the still image. Over the last 40 years, he has directed some of the most iconic music videos ever made, as well as feature films that bear his unmistakable signature: a visual style where mood and atmosphere are as crucial as the story itself. In an age defined by speed and fleeting impressions, Corbijn offers something radical: stillness, reflection, and emotional resonance that lingers long after the image fades. He doesn’t just show us appearances—he reveals essence, the part of a person visible only when no one else is watching.
KIM NOVAK
Kim Novak is one of the true icons of Hollywood’s golden age, an actress whose presence has left an indelible mark on cinematic history. Born in Chicago in 1933, she began her career in the early 1950s and quickly rose to fame—not only as a symbol of beauty and enigmatic glamour, but as an artist capable of expressing fragility and humanity beneath Hollywood’s dazzling surface. Her career spans a wide range of unforgettable performances, but she is perhaps most celebrated for her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958), where she created one of the most haunting and layered female characters in film history. Novak also worked with directors such as Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder, and Sidney Lumet, consistently proving her versatility and artistic depth. More than a movie star, Kim Novak embodies an era when cinema was both a grand art form and a stage for the imagination. Her work continues to inspire generations, reminding us that behind the myths and the glamour, there is always the human core.
URSULA MEIER
Ursula Meier is one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Swiss cinema. Born in Besançon, France, in 1971, she has long worked across borders, blending the traditions of French and Swiss filmmaking into a singular artistic vision. Meier’s films combine intimacy and political depth, exploring family, society, and the individual with a rare mix of warmth, wit, and social critique. She has also been widely recognized for her short films and documentaries, earning numerous awards and influencing a new generation of filmmakers. With her keen eye for detail and sensitivity to human vulnerability, Meier creates cinema that moves audiences while holding up a mirror to our times.
MOHSEN MAKHMALBAF
Mohsen Makhmalbaf is a seminal figure in Iranian cinema, celebrated both for his bold storytelling and for his role in shaping the internationally renowned Iranian New Wave. A self-taught filmmaker and former political activist, Makhmalbaf has built a career on poetic works that blend humanist vision with a resonant political undercurrent. His acclaimed films include The Peddler (1987), Gabbeh (1996), and Kandahar (2001), the latter of which brought him worldwide recognition. Throughout his career, Makhmalbaf has been a passionate advocate for freedom of expression, harnessing the power of cinema as a force for change. This stance has often placed him at odds with the authorities in his homeland, and his family has lived in exile since the mid- 2000s. His more recent films, such as The President (2014), continue to bear his signature qualities: allegorical storytelling and moral urgency. Honored at Cannes, Venice, and Berlin, Makhmalbaf remains one of contemporary cinema’s most vital and uncompromising voices.
MARZIYEH MESHKINY
Marziyeh Meshkiny is a leading voice in Iranian cinema and one of the most influential female directors in the Middle East. She began her career within the Makhmalbaf Film House, the family-run collective founded with her husband, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and their children. Her debut feature, The Day I Became a Woman (2000), premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won awards and wide critical acclaim for its lyrical storytelling and incisive social vision. The film is now regarded as a landmark of the Iranian New Wave. Since then, Meshkiny has established herself as an artist unafraid to confront sensitive issues—women’s rights, gender roles, and the struggle for self-determination. Her second film, Stray Dogs (2004), drew international attention for its powerful portrayal of children in war-torn Kabul. Her work combines intimacy and empathy with sharp critiques of injustice and oppression. Now living in exile with the Makhmalbaf family, Meshkiny continues to work internationally. She stands as a vital voice in contemporary cinema—and as an inspiration for a new generation of women filmmakers.
APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL
Apichatpong Weerasethakul, who will be honored at RIFF this year for his artistic excellence, is among the most original and radical filmmakers of our time. Born in Bangkok in 1970 and raised in northeastern Thailand, he first studied architecture before pursuing film in Chicago, where he developed a distinctive style centered on memory, emotion, and spiritual exploration rather than conventional, linear storytelling. Though Apichatpong—affectionately called Joe by admirers—may appear apolitical at first glance, his films often reflect underlying tensions: censorship, social constraints, and Thailand’s repressed histories. Rather than making overt statements, he conveys through mood and atmosphere—his cinema often resembling elusive, half-remembered dreams.
RAMON & SILVAN ZÜRCHER
Twin brothers Ramon and Silvan Zürcher represent a new generation of Swiss filmmakers who have captured international attention with their singular vision and artistic boldness. Born in 1982, the brothers have collaborated from the very beginning of their careers, developing a cinematic language where the smallest details hold the greatest weight, and everyday moments reveal mystery, emotion, and humor. Their debut feature, The Strange Little Cat (2013), premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and quickly became a cult phenomenon, praised for its inventive approach and meticulous composition. With The Girl and the Spider (2021), they further refined their unique style, winning major recognition including the award for Best Director at Berlinale 2021. The Zürcher brothers’ films capture the invisible currents of human interaction— the fleeting gestures, silences, and spaces where meaning resides. Their cinema is at once delicate and playful, showing us how the smallest things can unfold into profound cinematic experiences.
AWARDS & JURIES
NEW VISIONS
Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Mohsen Makhmalbaf is one of the most influential voices of the Iranian New Wave, with a career spanning four decades, over 20 feature films, and more than 30 books. His internationally acclaimed works have premiered at major festivals such as Cannes and Venice, earning him over sixty prestigious awards and honors. Beyond cinema, Makhmalbaf is also a writer and human rights activist, recognized for his cultural and humanitarian work in Iran, Afghanistan, and beyond.
Giona A. Nazzaro
Giona A. Nazzaro is the Artistic Director of the Locarno Film Festival and a longtime programmer, curator, and critic. He has previously worked with Venice Critics’ Week, IFFR, and Visions du Réel, and is the author of several books on cinema, including pioneering studies of Hong Kong film in Italy.
Saga Garðarsdóttir
Saga Garðarsdóttir is an actress, screenwriter and a hilarious stand up comedian. She graduated from the Icelandic University of Arts and has since appeared in multiple tv shows and films and received awards for her brilliant screenplays. Her latest role was Anna in Hlynur Pálmason's The Love That Remains which premiered at Cannes 2025.
A DIFFERENT TOMORROW
Jónas Margeir Ingólfsson
Jónas Margeir Ingólfsson is an Icelandic writer, producer, creator, and lawyer. He is the CEO of the Reykjavík-based production company ACT4 and has previously advised many of Iceland’s largest film and TV productions. His credits include Death of a Horse, Reykjavík Fusion, The Minister (seasons 1 & 2), Thin Ice, and Stella Blómkvist 2.
Fiorella Moretti
Fiorella Moretti is the President and co-founder of Paris-based Luxbox, an international sales company known for its strong catalog and distinctive roster of world cinema. With a background at Mantarraya, one of Latin America’s leading production companies, she brings deep experience in distribution, programming, and collaboration with acclaimed filmmakers.
Pipaluk K. Jørgensen
Pipaluk Kreutzmann Jørgensen is an award-winning Greenlandic Inuk director, writer, and producer. Her feature debut Anori (2018) was the first Greenlandic feature by a female director and won multiple international awards. She co-directed the Oscar-nominated short Ivalu and founded the Nuuk International Film Festival, championing Arctic and Indigenous cinema.
INTERNATIONAL SHORTS
Daniel Hadenius-Ebner
Daniel Hadenius-Ebner is an Austrian culture manager and curator with over 20 years of experience shaping the short film landscape. As co-founder and longtime director of VIENNA SHORTS, he champions sustainable cultural development and European collaboration through projects like Eleven Minutes, TALKING SHORTS, and the streaming platform THIS IS SHORT.
Erlendur Sveinsson
Erlendur Sveinsson is an award-winning Icelandic filmmaker and Fulbright scholar whose short films have screened at over 100 festivals worldwide. A Berlinale Talents and Nordic Talents alumnus, he is also known for his acclaimed music videos with artists such as Laufey and Of Monsters and Men.
Kahina Ben Amar
Kahina Ben Amar is a graduate of La Résidence de la Fémis and the director of multiple short films. She has led film education workshops, including the CNC’s Enfants des Lumières program, and is currently developing her first feature, which she began during her residency at the France-Korea Film Academy.
ICELANDIC SHORTS
Lisa Hoen
Lisa Hoen is the Festival and Program Director of Tromsø International Film Festival and Tromsø Silent Film Days, with over a decade of experience in media, communications, and culture. She began her career launching a culture and lifestyle magazine in Tromsø and studied media and philosophy.
Hjördís Jóhannsdóttir
Hjördís Jóhannsdóttir is an Icelandic director and screenwriter. She has written and directed several short films in Iceland and Los Angeles, which have screened at acclaimed festivals internationally. She holds an MFA in Film Directing from CalArts.
Francisco Dias
Francisco Dias is a Portuguese filmmaker and programmer at Curtas Vila do Conde, where he oversees the industry program and serves on the international competition selection committee. He has also worked in international sales and distribution at Luxbox in Paris and has directed several short films.
THE GOLDEN EGG
Rúnar Guðbrandsson
Rúnar Guðbrandsson is an Icelandic actor and acting teacher with extensive screen and stage experience, including The Deep, Black’s Game, Fractures, and IceGuys. He was the first Professor of Acting at the Iceland Academy of the Arts and led the acting program at the Icelandic Film School, training a generation of Icelandic actors.
Gunnar Björn Guðmundsson
Gunnar Björn Guðmundsson is an experienced film director and screenwriter, He has directed four feature films, written and directed multiple shorts and television shows and hundreds of television commercials. He has also worked in theatre where he has directed over forty stage productions.
Ólöf Birna Torfadóttir
Ólöf Birna Torfadóttir is an experienced screenwriter and director with two feature films and a television series to her name. She is the director of How to Be a Classy Tramp and Top 10 Must, and the screenwriter of the series Skvíz. She is currently writing for multiple television projects, with new productions expected to go into filming in the coming years.
THE YOUNG PEOPLE´S JURY
Elín C. H. Ramette
Elín Ramette has worked on more than 30 short films. Her path moves between large-scale productions and grassroots culture, with experience in international film festivals such as Les Arcs and RIFF. Balancing artistic vision with technical expertise, she values emotion and the elusive over virtuosity.
Brynjar Daðason
Brynjar Daðason (b.1999) is a composer, multi instrumentalist and sound engineer. Alongside having released his own music and being an active member of the experimental scene he has worked in the music departments for films, both as composer and producer.
Isaac Hinriksson
Ísak Hinriksson is an icelandic filmmaker who has directed and worked on films, television shows, stage productions, and music videos. His short film Sjoppa premiered at RIFF 2023 and was later screened at the Bamberg Short Film Festival. He is currently working on two documentaries, one of which he will present as a work-in-progress at the RIFF Industry Days this year. In addition, he has several other projects in development.
