Martin is one of the most promising football talents Sweden has ever seen. At sixteen, his lifelong dream comes true when he is bought by one of Italy’s most prestigious clubs. Yet that dream comes at a very high price in terms of sacrifice, dedication, pressure and - most of all - loneliness. Martin begins to ques- tion whether this is actually the life he yearned for.

“Tigers” is a life and death rollercoaster ride through the modern-day football industry. With a unique perspective on the world of professional sports, Ronnie Sandahl tells the true story of 16-year-old football prodigy Martin Bengtsson. A coming-of-age drama about a young man’s burning obsession in a world where everything, and everyone, has a price tag.

National Jury's motivation: Ronnie Sandahl skilfully depicts the uglier side of sport, a world where young talents are reduced to bodies, competitive psyche and their most recent performance. Photography and sound work capture the details that make the story bigger, conveying both internal and external chaos, and offering an authenticity that few can achieve in terms of the nerve on the football field and the electric atmosphere in a stadium. Erik Enge carries the film on his shoulders and fills every frame he is involved in with his sensitive acting and minute shifts in body and face. This fine combination of personal direction an acting talent is a rare gem.


National Jury: Emma Gray-Munthe, Gunnar Bergdahl, Caroline Cowan