History

Kosmorama Trondheim International Film Festival was established in 2004 at the initiative of Trondheim municipality and was held for the first time on 12 - 17 April 2005. The festival aims to strengthen the film industry in Central Norway, as well as contribute to innovation at the intersection between culture and industry. In addition to being an audience festival, Kosmorama will offer visitors exciting and interesting discussions with guests from the industry.

The word Kosmorama means a perspective rendering of the world's sights. The festival has been named after one of Trondheim's first large cinemas: Kosmorama Theater, which was established in 1910 by Paul Kraüsslich. In addition to being a cinema manager, Kraüsslich was a keen cinematographer. In 1906, he filmed the coronation of King Haakong and Queen Maud in Trondheim, and already three hours later he was able to show the film to the people of Trondheim. In 1908, he received the honorable commission to show films for the royal family in Stiftsgården in Trondheim. Film pioneer Kraüsslich has been a source of inspiration for us as we now, over 100 years later, work every day to create our own Kosmorama.

The idea and motivation behind the name and the festival is that we should offer our audience something more than light-hearted entertainment. There is a general impression that there is a growing desire for knowledge in the population and we want to contribute with an offer where you can go to the cinema to learn something new about the world. Therefore, Kosmorama offers films from all over the world, and gives a different insight into current topics, in the form of both fiction and documentary. By promoting filmmakers from all over the world, including from Central Norway, we get a completely unique selection of films: Films that address themes and tell stories that people think are important where people live - from the Gaza Strip to Grong.

The Kanon Award

The Kanon award was created by Kosmorama and has been a permanent part of the festival since its inception in 2005. The name is inspired by the cultural term 'canon'.

The Kanon award pays tribute to the best Norwegian films in the chronological film year that has passed between each festival. The prize was previously awarded at the Kosmorama Trondheim International Film Festival in March.

It was awarded in different subject categories: director, producer, writer, cinematographer, editor, sound designer, production designer, composer and actors. The winners of the various categories are chosen by the film workers themselves through voting among members of the various industry organizations within Norwegian film production according to the principle "one member - one vote". The award is therefore sometimes called "Norway's answer to the Oscars".

In 2021 and 2022, the Kanon award was not held due to the pandemic.

I 2023 the board of directors of Kosmorama decided that the festival was to be organised without the traditional Kanon Award. The reason for this being changes in the economical situation of the festival. As the festival lost specific funding that had previously been received since 2018 for organising the Kanon award event. It was decided that significant new funding would be necessary in order to reinstate the award show in 2023, and thus it has been decided to postpone the Kanon award event until further notice.


Earlier festivals

  • Kosmorama 2023

    Poster - Program

    Opening film: Norwegian Dream

    Final film: The Eternal Daughter

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Falcon Lake (Charlotte Le Bon)

    Winner of the Audience Award: The Quiet Girl (Colm Bairéad)

  • Kosmorama 2022

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Alle hater Johan

    Final film: Belfast

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Scarborough (Shasha Nakhai og Rich Williamson)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Boiling Point (Philip Barantini)

  • Kosmorama 2021

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: The Father

    Final film: Minari

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Madly in Life (Ann Sirot og Raphaël Balboni)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Luzzu (Alex Camilleri)

  • Kosmorama 2020

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Charter

    Final film: Maryam

    Winner of the New Directors Award: A Son (Mehdi Barsaoui)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Onkel (Frelle Petersen)

  • Kosmorama 2019

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Ut og stjæle hester

    Final film: On the Basis of Sex

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham)

    Winner of the Audience Awardn: Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham)

  • Kosmorama 2018

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Trondheimsreisen

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Find This Dumb Little Bitch and Throw Her Into a River (Ben Brand)

    Winner of the Audience Award: The Cakemaker (Ofir Raul Graizer)

  • Kosmorama 2017

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Kjempen

    Final film: Denial

    Winner of the New Directors Award: In Between (Maysaloun Hamoud)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Sameblod (Amanda Kernell)

  • Kosmorama 2016

    PosterProgram

    Åpningsfilm: Carol

    Final film: Eddie the Eagle

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Let Them Come (Salem Brahimi)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Under sandet (Martin Zandvliet)

  • Kosmorama 2015

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Kvinner i for store herreskjorter

    Final film: Dirk Ohm – Illusjonisten som forsvant

    Guest of honour: Toralv Maurstad

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Far From Men (David Oelhoffen)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Wild Tales (Damián Szifrón)

  • Kosmorama 2014

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Tusen bitar

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Gjenforeningen (Anna Odell)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Still Life (Uberto Pasolini)

  • Kosmorama 2013

    Poster

    Opening film: Trance

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Beyond the Hills (Cristian Mungiu)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Broken (Rufus Norris)

  • Kosmorama 2012

    Poster Program

    Opening film: Rabat

    Winner of the New Directors Award: Where Do We Go Now (Nadine Labaki)

    Winner of the Audience Award: Rabat (Victor Ponten, Jim Taihuttu)

  • Kosmorama 2011

    PosterProgram

    Opening film: Hjelp, vi er russ!

    Guest of honour: Alexander Payne

    Winner main competition: Certified Copy (Abbas Kiarostami)


  • Kosmorama 2010

    Poster

    Opening film: En helt vanlig dag på jobben

    Final film: I Love You, Phillip Morris

    Guest of honour: Hans Petter Moland

    Winner main competition: Blessed (Ana Kokkinos)