RIFF To Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary In September

Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) will return September 28 with a captivating 10-day programme. What’s more, this year marks RIFF’s 20th anniversary. RIFF is the biggest film festival in Iceland one of Europe’s most notable film festivals. The 2023 program will feature a diverse selection of films, including the Open Seas, Documentaries, A Different Tomorrow, and the competition category, New Visions. Eight films will compete for the prestigious Golden Puffin Award for Best Film.

The illustrator and artist Hugleikur Dagsson has been tasked with revamping the festivals appearance this year, undertaking a redesigning of the festival’s graphics and visuals. “As much as I love RIFF, the main reason I said yes to this project is simply that I wanted to draw the puffin,” says Hugleikur, referring to the puffin that has served as the festival’s mascot since its inception. “I love how this creature has evolved over the years through the hands of different artists. I’m thrilled to have the chance to doodle on it this year,” he adds.

Musician Hermigervill, aka Sveinbjörn Thorarensen, has composed the festival’s theme.

Throughout its two-decade history, RIFF has showcased over 4,000 films and hosted more than 1,500 industry professionals and 500 journalists. The festival has welcomed renowned filmmakers as special guests, including Jim Jarmusch, Mike Leigh, Aki Kaurismäki, Ruben Östlund, and many more.

Watch the festival trailer below and check out riff.is for the programme updates.