Since 2011 the film section at Way Out West has been an essential part of the festival. This year, we’re taking the next step by launching the Flamingo Film Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements across six categories.
The Flamingo Film Awards will celebrate excellence in cinema, where the winners will be celebrated during the festival August 13-15 2026. The first award, Rising Flamingo, recognizes actors and directors whose careers are on a remarkable journey and the Way Out West Film team are delighted to award this to the amazing talents Christian Fandango Sundgren and Isac Calmroth.
Both are exceptional talents in their own right, but together they create something truly distinctive. Their adaptation of the Swedish classic Doctor Glas is a bold and innovative work that showcases their unique creative vision and willingness to explore new cinematic territory.
In addition to that, five more Way Out West Flamingo Awards will be presented during the festival. Best Film – awarded to the most outstanding feature film in the program, regardless of genre, Best Music in Film/TV – recognizing exceptional uses of music in film or television, across fiction, documentary and hybrid formats, Best Music Documentary – awarded to the strongest music-focused documentary in the program and Best Short Film – celebrating emerging talent in short-form filmmaking.
The Flamingo Awards will be selected by a jury of leading voices from the worlds of film and music. This year’s jury brings together acclaimed figures from film, television, music and the wider cultural landscape:
Alba August – actor, director, and musician, known for Becoming Astrid and The Rain
Amy Deasismont – screenwriter, director, and actor, currently behind the Cannes-acclaimed TV series Svärtan
Göran Hugo Olsson – director of acclaimed documentaries including The Black Power Mixtape and Concerning Violence
Lisa Nordström – composer and recipient of the 2022 Guldbagge Award for Children of the Enemy
Josef Kullengård – Head of Industry at the Göteborg Film Festival
Last but not least, there will be an Way Out West Audience Award, where festival visitors will be able to cast their vote through the Way Out West app – honoring their favorite feature film or television series in the program.
Since launching its film section in 2011, Way Out West has screened more than 300 titles, including premieres from filmmakers such as Ruben Östlund, Joachim Trier, Levan Akin, Celine Song, and Jim Jarmusch, alongside groundbreaking music documentaries and exciting new Swedish voices.
The Way Out West Film program for 2026 will be announced shortly. Stay tuned.
