Thematic Sessions
Curated conversations around topics such as climate, migration, memory,
education and AI — connecting films with cultural, political and ethical questions.
Lappeenranta, Finland
Lappeenranta
International Film Festival — Beyond Cinema
Where cinema reflects the world
Cinema, thought, dialogue
Hosted by CineNordica Oy, Lappeenranta International Film Festival — Beyond Cinema brings filmmakers, audiences, and scholars together to reflect on cinema’s power to inspire, provoke, and connect communities across the world.
About
On the Path to Grow: A Festival Where Cinema Meets Reflection
Lappeenranta International Film Festival — Beyond Cinema evolves from the Joutseno Art Summer International Film Festival, which held two successful editions in 2023 and 2024. Building on that experience and its artistic foundation, we are now expanding the vision, scale, and international reach of the event. The new festival continues the spirit of thoughtful, humanistic cinema while introducing a broader concept, a new location, and a stronger global profile. Lappeenranta International Film Festival (LIFF) endeavours to bring together filmmakers, audiences and scholars to reflect on cinema’s power to question, heal and inspire.
From feature films and documentaries to shorts and experimental works, the festival focuses on themes of peace, love, the environment, sustainable development, education and humanity. Our aim is simple: to create a space where powerful stories meet thoughtful conversation.
Learn more about LIFF
Explore
Three ways to experience LIFF
LIFF invites audiences to encounter cinema from multiple angles. The Explore section presents the three core pathways through the festival: the official programme of screenings, the Reflections sessions where filmmakers and scholars engage in dialogue, and the contributions of our referees who guide the festival’s artistic direction. Together, these elements offer a rich and dynamic experience—encouraging curiosity, conversation, and new ways of seeing. Whether you come for films, discussions, or the creative community, this is your entry point into the world of Beyond Cinema.
Programme
Discover screenings, Reflections sessions and special events across three days of cinema in Lappeenranta.
Explore the programme →
Reflections
In-depth discussions where filmmakers, critics and audiences talk about cinema, society and the futures we imagine.
See Reflections →
Referees
Meet the professionals who evaluate the films, provide feedback, and support the festival’s artistic direction.
Meet the referees →
Films
Featured works
Each year, LIFF curates a programme of international films that foreground human stories, critical questions, and artistic courage. Our selection process prioritises originality, depth, and the capacity of cinema to illuminate the complexities of contemporary life.
We seek works that challenge assumptions, open new ways of seeing, and reflect the diverse cultural, social, and aesthetic landscapes of our world. From emerging filmmakers to established auteurs, LIFF celebrates creative risk-taking and the transformative power of storytelling on screen.
The 2026 official selection will be announced closer to the festival dates. As always, it will present a carefully crafted spectrum of voices and visions—films that inspire conversation, provoke reflection, and invite audiences to experience cinema beyond entertainment: as a shared space of meaning, imagination, and dialogue.
Referees
Festival Referees
The festival’s referees are filmmakers, scholars, and cultural practitioners who approach cinema with curiosity and depth. Their role is to watch, reflect, and respond — guiding the festival toward films that challenge, heal, inspire, and resonate across borders.
Sahra Karimi
Director/screenwriter/univesity lecturer
Sahraa Karimi is an Afghan-Slovak film director, screenwriter, and Yale University lecturer. Her film Hava, Maryam, Ayesha premiered and competed in the Orizzonti section at the Venice Film Festival in 2019. She was Afghan Film's first female director-general.
Sakari Mäkelä
Cinematographer/storyteller
Sakari Mäkelä (HonENFFF) is an award-winning filmmaker with a background in cinematography. Dedicated to emotional storytelling, his work has been recognized with numerous accolades at international film festivals.
Arvind Appadourai
Filmmaker/poet/novelist
Arvind Appadourai, born in Madras in 1966, is an Indian filmmaker, poet, novelist, and performer who divides his time between Paris and Chennai. Blending Indian traditions with French cultural vibrancy, his novels and films explore memory, migration, identity, exile, hybridity, improvisation, and climate consciousness.
Markku Hakala
Filmmaker/computer science researcher
Markku Hakala is a Finnish artist-filmmaker whose work blends cinema with visual arts. From 2017–2023 he collaborated with Mari Käki on Giant’s Kettle, premiered at PÖFF 2023 and winner of 20+ awards. His interdisciplinary practice draws on computer-science research, tech entrepreneurship, and a deep interest in philosophy.
Maximilian Buskohl
Philosopher/film enthusiast
Maximilian Buskohl studied philosophy in Berlin and lives in Helsinki, where he works in communications. He is interested in cinema as both art and a form of thought that opens new ways of seeing the world.
Carole Equer Hamy
Film director/editor
Carole Equer Hamy is a film editor with over three decades of experience in the French and New York film industries. For ten years, she served as a lead editor for the legendary TV program « Cinéma, cinémas ». She has also directed films that have been broadcast on French television. Early in her career, Carole worked as a photojournalist ans she has since shared her expertise by conducting film editing workshops at Paris 8 University.
Reflections
Conversations beyond the screen
Reflections is the festival’s dedicated space for dialogue and critical engagement. It brings together filmmakers, scholars, students, and audiences to think with cinema — to question, to slow down, and to explore how images shape, challenge, and illuminate the world around us. The programme ranges from panels, lectures, and workshops to guided discussions and open conversations that encourage genuine exchange, intellectual curiosity, and new ways of seeing.
Dialogues & Encounters
In-depth dialogues between filmmakers, critics and researchers focusing on
artistic process, collaboration and the realities of contemporary filmmaking.
Workshops & Labs
Practice-oriented sessions for students and emerging filmmakers, exploring
film analysis, writing, sustainability, pedagogy and creative experimentation.
2026 Edition
Reflections Sessions at LIFF 2026
To be announced
The topic will be announced as the festival gets closer.
Our status as human beings in the Age of AI
In the Age of AI, our status as human beings is suspended between empowerment and uncertainty, as algorithms learn to anticipate our choices and even imitate our voices. This moment invites us to ask what it truly means to think, feel, and act in ways no machine can fully replicate.
To be announced
The topic will be announced as the festival gets closer.
Awards
Celebrating cinematic courage
LIFF honours films that take artistic risks, foreground underrepresented voices, and invite audiences into meaningful reflection. In an era when our status as human beings is continuously reshaped by the rise of AI — where creativity, identity, and storytelling are increasingly entangled with technological forces — the festival celebrates works that reaffirm the depth and complexity of human experience. By championing bold visions and cinematic experimentation, LIFF offers a space where filmmakers and audiences can consider what it means to remain profoundly human in the Age of AI.
Award categories will highlight features, documentaries, shorts, and student works, alongside special recognitions decided by the jury. At the centre of these distinctions is the Golden Norppa Award, LIFF’s signature honour, presented to a film that exemplifies artistic courage, thematic resonance, and a capacity to provoke thoughtful dialogue. Through this award and its wider programme, LIFF seeks to nurture a culture of creative risk-taking and to celebrate films that reflect, interrogate, and expand our shared world.
Submit
Submit your film to LIFF 2026
We welcome fiction, documentary, experimental, and animated works from all over the world, embracing a wide spectrum of cinematic voices, styles, and traditions. Whether crafted by emerging filmmakers or established artists, each submission enriches the festival’s dialogue on storytelling, creativity, and the evolving role of cinema in a rapidly changing world. LIFF values films that push boundaries, explore new aesthetic territories, and invite audiences to engage with fresh perspectives on contemporary life. Full details and rules are available on our FilmFreeway page, where filmmakers can find comprehensive information about categories, eligibility, technical requirements, and deadlines. To access these guidelines and begin the submission process, simply click on the button below. The process is designed to be accessible and transparent, supporting creators at every stage as they bring their visions to Lappeenranta International Film Festival — Beyond Cinema.
Go to FilmFreewayNews
Latest updates
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Last referee confirmed
Acclaimed filmmakers and scholars join the LIFF 2026 jury. More names will be announced in the coming months.
New collaborations
LIFF is building partnerships with regional and international organisations committed to culture, education and sustainability. We are discussing partnership with Lappeenranta City Council and finalising a collaboration agreement with Universidade Lusófona, Portugal.
Partners
Sponsors & partners
LIFF is made possible through the support of partners in culture, education and industry.
Sponsor logos coming soon
Contact
Get in touch
For programme enquiries and media requests, please contact info@cinenordica.fi. For donations, partnerships, and advertising, please contact marketing@cinenordica.fi.
General enquiries: info@cinenordica.fi
Address: Kangaskatu 44, Lappeenranta 53100, Finland
WhatsApp: +358-41-3660304