The other nominated films were Valeska Grisebach’s Western and Robin Campillo’s BPM (Beats Per Minute). Western is a coproduction between Germany, Bulgaria and Austria, and it was produced by Komplizen Film Production in coproduction with Chouchkov Brothers, Coop99, KNM, ZDF-Das Kleine Fernsehspiel and Arte.

Sámi Blood, a coproduction between Sweden, Denmark and Norway, is denouncing the Swedish colonialism, built on discrimination and the validation of race on the Sami people (also known as Lapps).

“Receiving this award feels like retribution for the older generations of Sámi people, who have been treated as lesser citizens – and we hope the European Union brings an end to this so that we can all stop thinking in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’,” said Lene Cecilia Sparrok, who plays the main character in the film.

“We try to promote our common values and to tackle the engendering of these values”, said Doris Pack, the LUX Film Prize Coordinator at a press seminar that took place in Strasbourg on 14 November 2017.

The three nominated films were chosen from among ten finalists decided by a jury of 21 European film professionals.