News - Winners 2026 - Oulun kansainvälinen lasten- ja nuortenelokuvien festivaali

The Children's Jury gave the Children’s Film Competition Award, sponsored by Oulun Energia, to the director of the best film in the Children's Film Competition. The award consists of 2000 euros.

The winner of the Children's Film Competition is Norbert Lechner for his Austrian-Luxembourg-German film THE SECRET FLOOR.

Jury statement: “The parents of the story’s protagonist, Karl, have bought an old hotel in the countryside, which serves as a successful setting for a new renovation project and as a 1930s-era world found in the building.

The plot moves between the past and the present, along with the creaking and jamming lift. The tension, which begins with the lift’s very first movement and the expression on the boy’s face, persists throughout the film and is heightened, for example, by the technique used in the escape scene along the external wall and the winding corridors.

The intriguing setting of the secret top floor, along with the actions, mannerisms, clothing and speech of the skilfully portrayed characters, evoke a bygone era.

There, Karli makes friends with Hannah, who lives in the hotel with her father, and George, the shoe-shiner, who both are the same age as Karl. When the children begin to investigate the strange behaviour of the restaurant pianist, Karli finds old newspapers on his floor and looks up historical information on the phone. Through these, it eventually becomes clear that, even before the war, the old hotel had served as a temporary refuge and a collection point for funds to help people flee abroad, with the assistance of the hotel staff.

It is sad that the story is based on real historical events, although this does make the film all the more interesting. What is frightening is that similar things are still happening, which is why it is important that such issues are also addressed in children’s films. Here, this has been done in an interesting and original way."

Director Norbert Lechner: "Thank you for this wonderful award! I accept this award and would like to speak about the connection between Finland and Germany. I come from a Boy Scouts background, and at the Scout camps of my youth, we used yurts similar to the ones you use here in Lapland. There, we spent time together and formed friendships. The Secret Floor also speaks to this sense of togetherness and connection. So I thank Finland for this great gift."

HONOURABLE MENTION: PIXIE: THE NEW BEGINNING

The Children’s Jury’s Honourable Mention goes to the Polish-Czech film PIXIE: THE NEW BEGINNING directed by Krzysztof Komander.

"The film tackles a subject with which many can identify: bullying. For the main character, Hania, the situation is made more difficult by her mother’s death, moving to a new environment without any friends, and her strong belief in the pixies her mother had researched.

She befriends Michel, who is bullied because of his interest in technology and who wants to help prove that pixies really exist. However, following a dangerous incident, he is forced to admit that he has built a moving pixie figure and made matters worse, even though he only wanted to help.

The story is relatable and offers a different perspective on the dangers of bullying, as well as the importance of being able to apologise and learn to accept differences."

Director Krysztof Komander's message to the festival: "I would like to sincerely thank the festival, the jury, and the audience for this wonderful recognition. It means a lot to me and our entire crew, especially because this film was created by a group of debutants. It is not only my feature debut, but also the debut of our producer, cinematographer, production designer, first assistant director, and all the young actors you see on screen. We are also extremely happy to see that our story resonates with audiences internationally. It means so much to us to know that the emotions, characters, and themes of our film can be understood and appreciated by people from different countries and cultures. Once again, thank you to the festival and the jury for this wonderful honor. We are truly happy, proud, and grateful. Kiitos!"

ECFA AWARD: THE SECRET FLOOR

The ECFA Award was founded by the European Children's Film Association in 2010. It is given to the best European film in the Children's Film Competition by the International Jury: Tiia Hyvälä from Oulu, an all-rounder in film education; film educator Eva-Maria Schneider-Reuter from Germany; and film director Sunniva Eir Tangvik Kveum from Norway..

The winner is THE SECRET FLOOR directed by Norbert Lechner.

Jury statement: “Some stories are bigger than a lifetime. They need to be told again and again, so that we never forget their lessons — especially in our divided times.

With a touch of cinematic magic, an intriguing detective story, and wonderful performances by its young cast, the film takes us on an adventure that gradually reveals a much darker reality. It masterfully weaves family entertainment with the weight of history, making a difficult chapter of our past accessible without ever becoming preachy. At its heart, there is a moving story of friendship, where children learn to look beyond their differences.

While subtly echoing the unsettling developments of our own time, the film leaves us with hope. Because sometimes the characters of the past come to remind us of the courage and importance of the big and small acts of kindness and standing up for humanity - and we can never let it go out of date.

The winner of the ECFA award is THE SECRET FLOOR."

Director Norbert Lechner: "When we started making this film six years ago, we didn’t think the film would be so timely. Anti-Semitism is on the rise again, and I’m often worried that this kind of politics is gaining a foothold in Europe. In this day and age, we need films that offer hope. I am deeply grateful for this award."

ECFA SHORT FILM AWARD: WHEN I GET RICH

ECFA Short Film Award was founded by the European Children's Film Association in 2018. It is given to the best European short film by the same International Jury.

The winner is the Dutch film WHEN I GET RICH directed by Lucas Camps.

Jury statement: ”We often long for what we don't have, forgetting that someone else might be longing for what we do have. So, what if we shared?

The film selected by the jury combines the boundless imagination of childhood with the magic of filmmaking, reminding us how encounters with the unfamiliar can spark curiosity and friendship.

The jury was captivated by the young actors, whose natural and effortless performances bring playfulness and authenticity to the screen. The director creates a space where their imagination can unfold freely, making every moment feel spontaneous and alive.

With a playful cinematic language, the film speaks to its youngest audience without talking down to them. It makes us laugh while touching on themes that feel especially important in today's divided world.

This is a film that reminds us that what we lack may be exactly what someone else takes for granted – and that friendship can begin when we open our worlds to one another. Because sometimes, the things that make us different are exactly what can bring us together.

The winner of the ECFA Short Film Award is WHEN I GET RICH."

Director Lucas Camps: “It is an honour and a privilege to win the ECFA Short Film Award at your beautiful festival. I made this film to show that children and adults can value things very differently. What is "rich" from the perspective of a child? I thank the jury for appreciating all the efforts that went into the making of this film and I hope the film will continue to find new audiences around the world.”

YOUTH FILM COMPETITION —

GLOBAL FUTURE PRIZE: SKIFF

Awarded by The Finnish 4H Organization's Association in Oulu, the Global Future Prize is given by a jury of young people to the best youth film in the festival. The jury members were Lotte Dorner, Konstantin Marx and Emilia Pegler from Berlin; Benjamin Härkönen, Milla Lyytinen, Kaisla Pitkälä and Caroliina Tennivaara from Oulu. The winner is Belgian-Dutch-Swedish film SKIFF directed by Cecilia Verheyden.

Jury statement: ”As we have hinted, the winner of this year’s GLOBAL FUTURE PRIZE paints an outstanding portrait of a young search for identity. It traces a desperate cry for belonging across moral borders and does so in a visually beautiful way. The recurring motive of the main characters hobby lets the audience get close to their inner world. The sibling relationship, the great music and beautiful camera work built a story you really get drawn into and we felt seen by. This is why the winner of this year’s GLOBAL FUTURE PRIZE is: SKIFF by Cecilia Verheyden."

Director Cecilia Verheyden: “I woke up this morning to the wonderful news that our film has received this beautiful prize at the Oulu Intl Children’s & Youth Festival. Thank you so much. We are truly honoured and very happy.

I hope this award will help the film travel even further. I believe it is important to tell stories about young people who are searching for their identity. We live in a time when there is less and less room for those stories, especially for queer people. My hope is that young people who see the film recognise themselves in the characters, or recognise a friend or a classmate, and that it helps them understand themselves and the people around them a little better.

I would also like to give a special thanks to Femke van Hove, who plays Malou, our main character. She carried the film on her young shoulders, and she did an extraordinary job.”

HONOURABLE MENTION: NIÑXS

"Growing up means challenging the restrictions that the world imposes on you. It means confronting the violence. This year we had the great privilege to join forces and form the first international youth jury at the Oulu International Children’s and Youth Film Festival. We had the opportunity to reflect on and compare our experiences from different corners of Europe. In the light of violent pushbacks against queer visibility all across Europe it might not be surprising, but was still a surprise, that it were the stories questioning gender norms that resonated with us most deeply.

The film we awarded for this years honorable mention did just that. It was inspiring to hear a young woman describe her journey trough this maze. We were taken in by the light, humoristic and interesting autobiography of both protagonist and director. Seeing them develop together over eight years of hope, love and debating with parents. But it was just in these arguments that we could see all the love that made up their family.

It is a positive story which leaves a warm feeling of belonging.

Boy or girl or something in between? Niña, Niño, Niñx?

This years honorary mention goes to NIÑXS by Kani Lapuerta."

FINNISH FILM COMPETITION —

LOOK AT ME... AWARD: GAP

The Media Foundation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland grants a 1500-euro award to a Finnish feature or short film at the festival. This year the recipient was chosen by Juha Rajamäki. The award goes to director Malin Nyqvist for her film GAP.

Comments by Juha Rajamäki: ”This year’s Oulu International Children’s and Youth Film Festival has featured a diverse selection of both short and feature-length films in its domestic competition. What they all have in common is an endeavour to convey universal human experiences to us all, either through documentary-style storytelling or fiction, whilst taking the target audience into account. I believe that there has been something in each of them with which viewers can identify. It is wonderful that the selection has included also two artistically outstanding Christmas films, which are sure to find new audiences for many years to come.

This year’s winner of the Church Media Foundation’s ‘Look at Me…’ award, despite its brevity, highlights the current challenges faced by so many children and young people, particularly in the context of social media. How does messaging via various apps create pressure to project an image of oneself that does not necessarily correspond to reality but rather forces one to construct a self-image that desperately seeks the approval of others.

When the film’s main characters, on both sides, are able to acknowledge their own imperfections and shatter the illusion they have sought to create of themselves in their interactions with one another, and to forgive one another, they discover a connection that frees them to be exactly as they are and to accept one another, even with those flaws they would rather not admit to the other.

The 2026 Church Media Foundation’s ‘Look at Me…’ Award is presented to director Malin Nyqvist for her short film GAP."

Director Malin Nyqvist: "Thank you very much for the award. Remember, social media isn't dangerous, but the people in it may be. Do also remember meeting people IRL."

A BETTER WORLD AWARD: JUKKA HAVERI

The award is given to an individual, an organisation, or, for example, a team, who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of children's and youth cinema. The fourth A Better World Award goes to media educator Jukka Haveri for his decades of valuable work in promoting film education in Finland amongst children, young people and adults alike.

Jukka Haveri: "My work would not have been possible without the interest and enthusiasm of those hundreds of teachers – and, of course, thousands of pupils – in the subject at hand: audiovisual media, both as a learning aid and as a subject in its own right. I see myself more as a facilitator of learning than a teacher, by providing space for pupils to express their own voices in media workshops. Nor would this work have been possible without the trust placed in me by my employer regarding the value and significance of the work, enabling the regular organisation of media workshops that foster activity, creative production and critical thinking. In this regard, I have also been grateful to the City of Tampere and, prior to that, to my time working at YLE, where the foundations for these functional media workshops were laid through the Mediabussi initiative. The pupils’ own observations form the basis for insights. The functional nature of media workshops develops sustainable skills, such as initiative, the ability to interact and make decisions – skills that will not be lost as technology changes."

The University of Tampere published a study this autumn entitled Audiovisuaalisen mediakasvatuksen toteutustapoja (Methods of Implementing Audiovisual Media Education), in which the authors examined the impact of media workshops on pupils and teachers. A common theme in the research findings was an increase in confidence. I would therefore urge that, in these uncertain times, we encourage pupils to take on the role of active citizens, rather than, as is often the case, merely that of consumers of services (including digital ones). Pupils’ voices are needed to build a better and more democratic future."

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Festival director Mika Anttolainen

mika.anttolainen@oufilmcenter.fi

Festival producer Marja Seppänen

producer@oufilmcenter.fi

Oulu Film Centre (www.oulunelokuvakeskus.fi)

Pikisaarentie 15 B, FI-90100 Oulu, Finland

CHILDREN’S FLM COMPETITION AWARD: THE SECRET FLOOR