Stiftelsen Amandusfestivalen

Stiftelsen Amandusfestivalen is a Norwegian foundation based in Lillehammer that operates Amandusfestivalen, Norway's principal film festival for children and young people, together with its sibling event Amandus BLIKKFANG. The festival itself has been staged since 1987, making it one of the longest-running youth film events in the country, but the foundation that now runs it was only established in 2005. That reorganisation followed a wish by the Norwegian Film Institute (Norsk filminstitutt), which had owned the festival until then, for the event to have a stronger regional footing and to be run as an independent organisation. The original founders of the foundation were the Norwegian Film Institute, Lillehammer University College (Høgskolen i Lillehammer), Oppland County Council and Lillehammer Municipality. In the years since, the Norwegian Film Institute has withdrawn from the board, Lillehammer University College has become part of Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (Høgskolen i Innlandet), and Oppland county has been merged into Innlandet county. The foundation therefore retains a broad public and educational anchoring in the Lillehammer/Innlandet region. Amandusfestivalen is aimed at young filmmakers and audiences, combining a competitive film programme with workshops, school screenings and industry-facing activities. The official website presents the festival under the tagline "40 years of young film", with the 2027 edition scheduled for 17–19 March 2027 and marking the festival's 40th anniversary. The site also documents recent editions, including the 2026 winners of the Amandus Prize (Amandusprisen), and promotes activities such as animation workshops and summer courses for filmmakers aged 13–16. Submissions for the 2027 competition opened with a deadline of 7 February. Alongside the main festival, the foundation runs Amandus BLIKKFANG, a separate festival brand with its own website at amandusblikkfang.no. The foundation's activities span three main audiences — filmmakers, schools and the industry — reflecting its dual role as a cultural event organiser and a talent-development institution for young Norwegian film. As a foundation, it is a non-listed, non-profit entity rather than a commercial company, and its funding and governance rest on a mix of public, educational and municipal partners.

Amandusfestivalen has been arranged since 1987, making it one of Norway's longest-standing film festivals dedicated to young people and young filmmakers. For its first decades the festival was owned by the Norwegian Film Institute (Norsk filminstitutt). In 2005, at the institute's wish, the festival was reorganised so that it would have a stronger regional anchoring and be run as an independent organisation. To that end, Stiftelsen Amandusfestivalen was established as a foundation. The original founders were the Norwegian Film Institute, Lillehammer University College (Høgskolen i Lillehammer), Oppland County Council and Lillehammer Municipality. This mix gave the foundation both national film-sector legitimacy and a strong local base in Lillehammer and the wider Oppland region. Over time the ownership and board composition changed: the Norwegian Film Institute later withdrew from the board, Lillehammer University College was merged into Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (Høgskolen i Innlandet), and Oppland county was merged into the larger Innlandet county. The foundation has continued to operate the festival through these structural changes. Today the foundation runs both Amandusfestivalen and Amandus BLIKKFANG. Amandusfestivalen combines a competitive film programme for young filmmakers with workshops, school activities and industry-facing events, and it presents the annual Amandus Prize (Amandusprisen). The official website frames the event around the theme of "40 years of young film", with the 2027 edition scheduled for 17–19 March 2027 in Lillehammer and marking the festival's 40th anniversary. Recent editions have included animation workshops, summer courses for filmmakers aged 13–16, and guest programmes, and the 2026 Amandus Prize winners were announced in March 2026. Submissions for the 2027 competition were open until 7 February. Amandus BLIKKFANG is run as a distinct festival brand with its own website, amandusblikkfang.no, and the foundation's site directs visitors to switch between the two festivals. The foundation's activities are organised around three audiences — filmmakers, schools and the industry — reflecting its role as both a cultural event organiser and a talent-development institution for young Norwegian film.

• 2026

  Amandus Prize 2026 winners are announced in March.

• 2005

  Stiftelsen Amandusfestivalen is established as an independent foundation after the Norwegian Film Institute seeks stronger regional anchoring.

• 1987

  Amandusfestivalen is first arranged.

• Amandusfestivalen celebrates its 40th anniversary, scheduled for 17–19 March 2027 in Lillehammer.

Norway's leading festival for young film, run as an independent foundation with public and educational partners in the Lillehammer/Innlandet region.

• Amandusfestivalen

  Norway's festival for young film, held annually in Lillehammer with a film competition, workshops and industry events.

• Amandus BLIKKFANG

  A separate festival brand run by the foundation, with its own website at amandusblikkfang.no.

• Amandusprisen

  The festival's annual prize, awarded to young filmmakers.

1. 1Amandusfestivalen official websiteamandusfestivalen.no
2. 2Stiftelsen Amandusfestivalen – Wikipedia (Norwegian)no.wikipedia.org
3. 3Wikidata Q112242708wikidata.org