Naima Mohamud’s ‘Halima’ wins Finnish Film Affair fiction project award
Finnish-Somali director Naima Mohamud’s feature project won a €3,000 award at the Finnish Film Affair ceremony on 24 September 2026.
In short
- Finnish-Somali director Naima Mohamud’s feature project won a €3,000 award at the Finnish Film Affair ceremony on 24 September 2026.
Halima, a feature project directed by Finnish-Somali filmmaker Naima Mohamud, won the Best Fiction Project award at Finnish Film Affair on 24 September 2026.
The award carries €3,000 from the Finnish Film Foundation for international marketing and promotion, according to the event’s official announcement. Mohamud presented the project alongside producer Jani Pösö.
The jury praised the director’s distinctive perspective and the project’s portrayal of Finland in the 1990s. The recognition came at the end of the event’s Showcase Day, which brought together film and television projects seeking industry attention.
Variety’s report on 26 September identified Halima as Mohamud’s debut feature. The award recognises a project being presented to the industry; it is not a prize for a completed theatrical release.
Finnish Film Affair is the industry programme of the Helsinki International Film Festival — Love & Anarchy. Its 15th edition presented 38 projects across fiction, documentary, television series and other selections, connecting filmmakers with producers, financiers, distributors and festival representatives.
