ÁRRU
Directed by: Elle Sofe Sara
Cast: Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Simon Issát Marainen, Ayla Gáren Nutti, Mikkel Gaup
Written by: Elle Sofe Sara, Johan Fasting
Produced by: Elisa Fernanda Pirir, Mimmi Spång, Jani Pösö, Elle Sofe Sara
Production Company: Stær
Release year: 2026
Country: Norway, Sweden, Finland
Genre: Sámi joik Drama
Language: Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, NorthSámi
Status: Completed
Duration: 95 min
Synopsis:
Amid the breathtaking landscapes of Sápmi, reindeer herder Maia fights to protect her ancestral lands from a looming mining project. As protests rise, she turns to her charismatic uncle Lemme for help, but his presence reignites deep-buried traumas. Maia must choose: save the land at the cost of her family or surrender it to break the silence.
FIRST PRESS REACTIONS
”Elle Sofe Sara’s striking debut feature sets a universal story within the distinctive culture of the Sámi people”
”The result is a compelling family drama with bracing originality, not least in its use of traditional music and Sara’s background as a choreographer”
”A world premiere in Berlin’s Panorama should serve notice to distributors seeking to support exciting new voices in international cinema.”
Allan Hunter - Screendaily
”it is above all through its style that the film stands out, as the filmmaker succeeds in her bold wager to integrate, in a wholly organic way, joik ritual chants, traditional dances and even a fascinating dreamlike sequence into a highly realistic narrative”
”The Sámi spirit and cosmology do more than merely hover over this debut feature, which strikes the right note by perfectly conveying the modesty and depth of a people’s existence, resilient within a harsh and visually striking natural environment”
Fabien Lemercier - Cineuropa