Anders Thomas Jensen’s comedy drama “Den sidste viking” was named Årets Danske Film at this year’s Svend Prisen. The audience-voted ceremony was held Thursday evening on Svendborg Torv.
As reported by Avisen Danmark, the film took the main prize ahead of titles including “Klassefesten 4: Venner for livet”, “Ternet Ninja 3” and “De forbandede år 3 – Fredens pris”. The awards were handed out in Svendborg on southern Funen.
In the film, Mads Mikkelsen plays Manfred, the only person who knows where the proceeds of a robbery are hidden. The robbery was committed by his brother, played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas. Manfred has lost his memory, and the two brothers travel back to the landscape of their childhood to find the money.
Mikkelsen was named Årets Mandlige Skuespiller for the role. His win and the film’s victory were also reported by Politiken. Lie Kaas received Årets Hæderspris for a career of more than three decades, which began in 1991 with “Drengene fra Sankt Petri”.
Lie Kaas has won six Svend awards over the years, most recently in 2025 for the thriller drama “Vejen hjem”. The recipient of the honorary award is selected by the board behind the Svend Filmdage festival, which culminates in the ceremony. Board chair Klaus Hansen described him as one of the most significant Danish actors of his generation, citing his range from psychological darkness to absurd comedy.
Trine Dyrholm was again named Årets Kvindelige Skuespiller, this time for the love drama “Begyndelser”. In 2025 she won both that category and the honorary award.
Television categories
The DR drama “Uniformen” was named Årets Danske Tv-dramaserie. The prize for Årets Danske Skuespiller i en Tv-dramaserie went to Molly Blixt Egelind for “Sygeplejeskolen”.
According to the organizers, Svend Prisen is an audience award. Films are nominated on the basis of ticket sales over the past year, while series are selected according to viewer figures on flow television and streaming.
All nominees in the acting categories appeared in the nominated films and series. They were chosen by a jury made up of culture journalist Maria Månson, who chairs the panel, Kino.dk chief executive Daniel Bentien, Dorte Wiedemann of Foreningen af Filmudlejere i Danmark and Klaus Hansen of the regional film fund FilmFyn. The public then voted on the nominees in the nine ordinary categories.
