Composers Viktor Orri Árnason and Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir have been nominated for the 2026 HARPA Nordic Film Composers Award for their score to the film Poems: A Journey Through Icelandic Poetry. Released late last year, the film follows the two composers as they travel around Iceland and explores the poetry and poets that inspired their album Poems, which was released on Deutsche Grammophon in 2023.

The HARPA Nordic Film Composers Award, presented by Nordic Film Music Days, highlights outstanding composers from across the Nordic countries. Each year, selection committees from Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden nominate one composer for the award.

Icelandic film music has enjoyed considerable success in this arena. Two years ago, Eðvarð Egilsson won the HARPA Award for his score to the documentary Smoke Sauna Sisterhood. Other Icelandic recipients include Davíð Þór Jónsson and Benedikt Erlingsson (2019, Woman at War), Daníel Bjarnason (2018, Under the Tree), Atli Örvarsson (2016, Rams), and Jóhann Jóhannsson, who received an honorary award in 2016.

The Nordic Music Days festival is held alongside the Berlin International Film Festival, and the award ceremony will take place on 14 February 2026 at Nordische Botschaften in Berlin.

‍

‍

Nominations from the rest of the Nordic region:
‍

Denmark: Jonas Colstrup for Quislings siste dager (dir. Erik Poppe)

‍Finland: Panu Aaltio for Little Siberia (dir. Dome Karukoski)

‍Norway: Anna Berg for Drømmer (Dreams) (dir. Dag Johan Haugerud)

‍Sweden: Rebekka Karijord for Rörelser (Raptures) (dir. Jon Blahed)