The Last Paradise on Earth – Faroe Islands

Kári cherishes the simple life in his small village. Together with his sister Silja, he quietly mourns the loss of their mother. While Kári finds solace in his job at the fish factory, Silja struggles to finish school, and their father returns to the sea on a fishing boat. But when the factory faces the threat of closure, the fragile balance of their world begins to unravel. As the friends dream of escape and seek new lives beyond the island, Kári makes a different choice – to stay and confront life head-on..

The Faroese director Sakaris Stórá explores the push-pull of life on remote islands in his most accomplished feature yet. More than the question of staying or leaving, the film delves into themes of personal loss, emotional paralysis, and ecological crisis. After Kári’s mother dies, his family loses both direction and compassion. As fish stocks dwindle, the film gently hints that all is not well with Mother Earth. Kári must relearn how to express care, just as the male-dominated fishing world must realign with nature. The contrast between women swimming in the sea and the harsh world of the factory offers a poetic metaphor for reconnection.

Sakaris Stórá does not surrender to dramatic plot-twists. Rather, he delicately lays bare frozen grief and the quiet struggle for healing. In Faroese, heim means both “home” and “world”, and the film suggests the way back home is through compassion. With remarkable performances from young actors Sámal H. Hansen, Bjørg B. Egholm, and Bjørn M. Mohr, and strong support from seasoned names, Stórá proves his talent for directing nuanced ensemble work.

With stunning cinematography and a haunting score, this Danish-Faroese co-production is arguably the strongest Faroese feature to date and a powerful contender for the Nordic Council Film Prize.

Sakaris Stórá was born in 1986 and grew up on the small island of Sandoy in the Faroe Islands. After studying film in Norway, he moved back to his home town to make films, believing in the importance of making films in the Faroese language and films that deal with the struggle of individuals in modern society. His films have been commended for his portrayal of characters and his work with actors.

Mads Stegger is a Danish screenwriter who graduated from the Norwegian Film School in 2018. In 2023, Stegger co-wrote Ernst De Geer’s debut feature film The Hypnosis (Hypnosen), which had its world premiere in the main competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it won three awards. The Hypnosis was also nominated for eight Guldbagge Awards, where it won best original screenplay, among others. Mads Stegger has most recently co-written Sakaris Stórá’s feature film The Last Paradise on Earth and Janicke Askevold’s upcoming feature film Solomamma, which will premiere in 2025/2026.

Tommy Oksen was born and raised in south Jutland. He studied at the European Film College and later moved to Copenhagen where he attended Super16 as a screenwriter. He loves writing and the creative collaboration within it, but also has some stories that he wants to direct himself. He lives with his wife and two children in a small town outside Copenhagen.

Jón Hammer is an award-winning film producer with experience in international co-productions, documentary filmmaking, and storytelling. Starting his career at Zentropa in 2012, he honed his production skills before founding the Faroese production company Kykmyndir in 2017.

Main director: Sakaris Storá
Main writers: Tommy Oksen, Mads Stegger, Sakaris Stórá
Main producer: Jón Hammer
Production company: Adomeit Film, Kykmyndir
Distribution company: Øst for Paradis
International sales: Reinvent Studios
Original title: Seinasta paradís á jørð
International title: The Last Paradise on Earth
National premiere: 10.04.25
Total length in minutes: 87