Mika Gustafson awarded The Orizzonti Award for Best Director in Venice

Mika Gustafson’s Paradise is Burning won The Orizzonti Award for Best Director at the Venice International Film Festival. The film is produced by Nima Yousefi at HOBAB in co-production with Film i Väst and with support from the Swedish Film Institute.

Paradise is Burning is about sisters Laura, Mira and Steffi, who live alone in a working class housing estate in Sweden, as their mother often disappears for lengthy periods. When Social Services demands a meeting, Laura is obliged to find someone to play their mom, to avoid the sisters being placed in foster care and separated.

Paradise Burning had its world premiere in Venice and is also selected for Toronto International Film Festival. Script writers Mika Gustafson and Alexander Öhrstrand .

Mika Gustafson was also awarded Authors under 40 Award, Best Directing.

Other awards for Film i Väst co-production in Venice:

• Queer Lion Award to Goran Stolevskis Housekeeping for Beginners

• Special Mention for treatment of issues related to enviroment to Goran Stolevskis Housekeeping for Beginners

• SIGNIS Award Special Mention to Nikolaj Arcels Bastarden

Film i Väst’s co-productions in Venice 2023:

• Nikolaj Arcel, The Promised Land, Venezia 80 Competition

• Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englerts Woman of …, Venezia 80 Competition

• Goran Stolevski, Housekeeping for Beginners, Horizons Competition

• Mika Gustafson, Paradise is Burning, Horizons Competition