These are the winners of the Noorderkroon Awards 2025

During the film festival, the Noorderkroon and the accompanying award ceremony provided a platform for filmmakers from the northern region. A three-member jury assessed the entries on quality, originality, topicality, and creativity, and selected a winner in each category. This year marked the tenth edition of the Noorderkroon Awards.

The winners per category

Best feature film – Vlam (Directed by: Daphne Lucker)

Vlam is a bold and layered film about the complex and toxic bond between mother and daughter. The film shows not only the pain of that relationship, but also the love, loyalty, and nuance. The choice to use dance as a language of emotion is remarkable: movement becomes a form of speech where words fall short. That physical expression, initially closed and introverted, gradually grows into a convincing, confident dance with which the character literally lets in the light.

Best documentary – Yn myn dreamen hear ik dy (Directed by: Murk-Jaep van der Schaaf)

This documentary stands out for its universal perspective on a seemingly minor subject: the value of minority languages. In Yn myn dreamen hear ik dy, language, landscape, and identity are naturally intertwined. The film shows how words are rooted in soil, community, and culture, and how language can be a source of resilience and connection. The images exude the rhythm and uniqueness of each region, while the personal stories are incorporated into the whole in a natural way, making the characters’ motivations palpable.

Best student film – Super Duper Mega Fan (Directed by: Sarah van der Pers)

An imaginative, colorful film bursting with energy and visual ideas. Super Duper Mega Fan is over-the-top in form, but sincere in feeling. The film depicts a dreamlike journey that revolves around social anxiety and the desire for connection. The art direction and production design are distinctive and carefully thought out; you can sense that the creator knew exactly how the film should look. Although the narrative leaves room for growth, the film demonstrates a strong sense of atmosphere, rhythm, and visual language. A sympathetic, visually compelling work that shows that style can also convey emotion.

Best short fiction film – Pocongdorie (Directed by: Jasper ten Hoor & Ivan Hidayat)

Pocongdorie is a surprisingly fresh film that effortlessly switches between horror, humor, and drama. The play with genres is playful, but also meaningful: the film uses horror not as a gimmick, but as a mirror for identity, loss, and cultural heritage. With a keen sense of irony and warmth, the film shows the conflict between brother and sister, between embracing and rejecting one’s roots. The cultural layers, the Indonesian perspective, and the human humor elevate Pocongdorie far above the genre. A film that is both exciting and moving.

Best short documentary – Met huid en haar (Directed by: Jasper van Leeningen)

A moving, subtle documentary that takes a fresh look at taxidermy. The combination of off-screen interviews and images of animals being prepared results in a film that is never morbid, but rather human and warm. The emotions of the interviewees contrast beautifully with the calm sobriety of the taxidermists, and together they give meaning to holding on to what has been lost. Met huid en haar is carefully crafted and shows how something that seems lost can be given new life in an unexpected way.

Best new maker – Écht? (Directed by: Jonathan Bergsma & Jonathan Sipkema)

A film that stands out for its idiosyncratic approach and strong personal signature. Écht? relies heavily on music, but is more than that: it is a cinematic experience in which the filmmaker clearly dares to show his own style and gives us insight into the psyche of the main character. The film shows how music and images closely match the content. This film stood out for us because of its bold choices and original expression, exactly what you look for in a new filmmaker.

Greatest upcoming talent – Koud Water (Directed by: Ayan Egal & Alexander Roux)

Koud Water is a beautifully filmed sketch of friendship, masculinity, and a world on the brink of violence. The film captures the atmosphere of the city of Groningen with an eye for detail and turns the urban environment into a cinematic backdrop that feels fresh. The use of the hooligan atmosphere as an arena is particularly successful, convincingly showing what the characters get out of that existence. The friendship between the boys feels authentic, while peer pressure and loneliness are also portrayed subtly and aptly. An impressive calling card from two promising filmmakers.