Midnight Sun Film Festival awarded with the EFFE prize

Midnight Sun Film Festival has been acknowledged with the first EFFE Award as "one of the twelve trend-setting festivals in Europe". The prize was handed in the award ceremony held in Paris on the 27th of September. It was the first time the umbrella organization of 760 festivals from 31 countries awarded year's finest cultural events. The uniqueness of the award was emphasized by the fact that the Midnight Sun Film Festival was the only film festival among the winners.

Criteria for the EFFE Award (Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe) said: “The Midnight Sun Film Festival boasts one of the most unusual atmospheres of any festival in the world: top directors, up-and-coming talent, an international audience and the common person on the street come together under the midnight sun. Created by leading artists in the field (acclaimed filmmakers the Kaurismäki brothers), this is a distinctive and surprising film festival”.

Mandated by the Midnight Sun Film Festival the award was received in the Paris ceremony by the Finland Festivals executive Kai Amberla. Midnight Sun Film Festival wants to dedicate the prize to its founders Anssi Mänttäri, Aki and Mika Kaurismäki, as well as the first artistic director of the festival Peter von Bagh, who passed away last year.