Árru is glorious and one of the must-see films for 2026.
Árru screens as part of the Hurtigruten Nordic Film Festival 2026, more information about the festival is available here:
https://www.palacenova.com.au/events/hurtigruten-nordic-film-festival-2026
Read the Glam Adelaide story about the festival here: Glam Adelaide – Hurtigruten Nordic Film Festival 2026
From the opening scenes set in the majestic lands of Sápmi in northern Scandinavia, Árru has a sense of place, culture and traditions. Infused with Sámi songs and movement, Árru is mystic, beautiful, gritty, sad, traumatic, powerful and in the end triumphant – it is not only a highlight of the Hurtigruten Nordic Film Festival 2026 but of the whole of 2026.
Árru begins with Maia (Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska), her daughter Áilin (Ayla Nutti) and her brother Dánel (Simon Issát Marainen) tending to their reindeer herd on a snow covered mountain side. After Maia finds a reindeer that has miscarried she buries the fetus and begins a Sámi song (the indigenous people of Sápmi) about Gáiru who protects them and their reindeer. In addition to being herders they are also joikers (singers of traditional Sámi songs). Maia is a single mother and she and her brother Dánel lost their parents when they were young and with Áilin live on the edge of the community.
The way of life of the community is threatened by a proposed copper mining development and the community has fought to stop the development. In secret desperation, Maia has contacted their long-absent uncle Lemme (Mikkel Gaup) who is a lawyer living in Canada. Lemme has helped organise a fund raising campaign to pay for a firm to handle the legal action to stop the development. Unexpectedly and uninvited Lemme uses this as an excuse to return to the community. Lemme’s return is despised by Dánel. Lemme sets up a protest camp for young community members, including Áilin. However, Lemme’s return opens up deep family wounds.
Árru is directed by Elle Sofe Sara, in her directorial debut, and she is also the co-writer of the script with Johan Fasting. Elle Sofe Sara is Sámi herself, so she therefore has first hand knowledge of the pressures on her culture and she superbly immerses a sense of connection to the lands and Sámi customs into the film.
Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska and Simon Issát Marainen are in real life joikers and in addition to the singing together with the rest of the cast perform sublimely.
Árru is glorious and one of the must-see films for 2026.
Reviewed by Rob McKinnon
Rating 5 out of 5
Distributor: Palace Film
