Groundbreaking Sámi Artist Elle Sofe Sara Translates a Lifetime of Performance into Her First Feature Film ÁRRU

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10 hours ago
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Berlin, Germany — Internationally celebrated across choreography, performance, and Sámi cultural expression, Elle Sofe Sara has built a career redefining how Indigenous knowledge, movement, and memory live in contemporary art. Her work has been commissioned and presented by global cultural leaders, including Jacob’s Pillow (USA), the Venice Biennale (Italy), and Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre (Canada), positioning her as one of the most vital creative voices emerging from Sápmi today.

With ÁRRU, Sara brings that expansive artistic language to cinema for the first time.

The feature marks her directorial debut and will world premiere at the Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival, representing a natural evolution of Sara’s lifelong exploration of storytelling through body, land, sound, and ancestral memory—now translated into a powerful Yoik drama set in the contested landscapes of Sápmi.

That “Yoik drama” is not a metaphor. Yoik—one of the oldest living vocal traditions in Europe and central to Sámi culture—is woven into the film’s emotional fabric. More than song, Yoik is a form of sonic storytelling that evokes the essence of a person, place, or memory through voice.

Traditionally, Yoikers do not sing about someone; they Yoik them into being. In ÁRRU, this living tradition becomes part of the narrative language itself, grounding the film in lived cultural practice.

The lead role is portrayed by renowned Yoiker and artist Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, whose performance carries both the emotional weight of the story and the cultural continuity of this ancestral form.

About ÁRRU

Amid the breathtaking landscapes of Sápmi, reindeer herder Maia fights to protect her ancestral lands from a looming mining project. As protests intensify, she seeks support from her charismatic uncle Lemme, whose presence reawakens deeply buried trauma. Maia faces an impossible choice: defend the land at the cost of her family, or surrender it to break a painful silence.

Indigenous-Led Support and International Backing

ÁRRU is buoyed by a strong coalition of Indigenous and Nordic partners. The film is financed by The International Sámi Film Institute, The Norwegian Film Institute, The Swedish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Arctic Film Norway, Sámediggi (No), New Dawn, Eurimages, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, NRK, YLE, SVT, and Cadre Bord | With support from imagineNATIVE and Indigenous Cinema Alliance.

The production is a collaboration between Stær A.S (Norway), Garagefilm International (Sweden), It’s Alive (Finland), and Elle Sofe Company AS (Sápmi).

World sales for ÁRRU are handled by The Yellow Affair (yellowaffair.com/arru), introducing the film to buyers and festivals worldwide during the European Film Market.

Sara co-wrote the screenplay with Johan Fasting and leads an accomplished creative team including cinematographer Cecilie Semec, composer John Erik Kaada, editor Michal Leszczylowski, and production designer Otto Lume. Alongside Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, the cast features Áyla Gáren Nutti, Simon Issát Marainen, and Mikkel Gaup.

With ÁRRU, Elle Sofe Sara expands the cinematic language of Indigenous storytelling on one of the world’s most prestigious stages.

Berlinale & Market Screenings

Festival Screenings