Join Scandinavian House for the Exciting Days of the North Festival – Your Escape from Boredom Awaits!

The Days of the North Festival will occur from October 30 to November 13, 2025. It kicks off on the evening of October 30 in Prague at the Divine Bottle. The festival will feature Vladimír Piskoř, who will discuss his book “The Last Siren – Man, the Destruction of Creation?“, along with Julia Nekola Nováková, an evolutionary biologist and science communicator. They will explore the extinction of large herbivorous marine mammals caused by humans in the 18th century. They will also reflect on how humans—as “masters of creation”—have both positively and negatively impacted the environment and consider how natural science and literature can intersect.

Like every year, this festival will feature Nordic guests, specifically from Estonia and Iceland. One of the invited guests is the acclaimed Estonian writer Indrek Hargla, known for his successful historical mystery series featuring Melchior the Apothecary. He will engage in discussions about crime set in historical contexts alongside Czech detective novelists Michal Sýkora and František Kalenda. Estonian comic artist Joonas Sildre will visit Brno to discuss his graphic novel Between Two Sounds, which highlights the life of composer Arvo Pärt, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday in September. A conversation will occur between Sildre and translator Jan-Mark Šík, publisher Radek Banýr, and writer Pavel Kolmačka, complete with a live performance of Pärt’s music.

The festival’s literary program will have a significant event featuring Icelandic journalist Egill Bjarnason, who wrote the popular book How Iceland Changed the World. This discussion will address topics such as Iceland’s political landscape, the use of renewable energy, climate change, and the surge in tourism. In Prague, Bjarnason will engage in talks with Klára Dvořáková, the Honorary Consul of Iceland in the Czech Republic, and in Brno he will meet with Jana Jakšová, the chairwoman of the Icelandic Fanatics Club.

Nordic Films and Travel Lectures

The film lineup includes three unique Nordic films. Among them is the Czech premiere of the Norwegian drama Leave the River Alone, which draws inspiration from protests against the Alta River dam. Another feature is the historical drama Bastard, starring Mads Mikkelsen, exploring themes of bravery and the costs of innovation in 18th-century Denmark. The festival will conclude in Prague with the Danish documentary Feminist, which offers insights into global politics through the experiences of former Secretary of State Margot Wallström. She discusses the significance of promoting gender equality within established political systems and emphasizes the need for women to engage in politics. Before each screening, a brief introduction will set the context.

Additionally, there will be engaging travel lectures that will take attendees to exciting destinations. The Prague Travel Afternoon, titled Beyond the Wonders North, will transport visitors beyond the Arctic Circle, exploring Finnish artist studios, former industrial towns, coastal trails, and historical technical marvels on the Isle of Man. In Brno, a lecture named Spitsbergen – A Cruise to the End of the World will be conducted by Michal Švec, where he will take listeners aboard an expedition ship to nearly 82 degrees north latitude.

Days of the North: Not Just an Interesting Film

Prague Festival Schedule:
October 30, 19:00: The Last Siren – Man, the Destruction of Creation? (Divine Bottle)
November 1, 16:00: Travel Afternoon: To the Wonders of the North (Prague City Library)
November 4, 19:00: Screening: Let the River Be (Kino Evald)
November 5, 19:00: Crime in Historical Settings: Indrek Hargla and František Kalenda (Café Husovka)
November 6, 19:00: #ReadNordicFilm: Bastard (Edison Filmhub)
November 11, 19:00: Icelandic Transformations: Egill Bjarnason and Klára Dvořáková (Unijazz Reading Room)
November 13, 19:00: Screening: Feminist (Kino Evald)

Brno Festival Schedule:

October 30, 20:00: #ReadNordicFilm: Bastard (Kino Art)

November 4, 17:00: Crime in Historical Settings: Indrek Hargla and Michal Sýkora (Jiří Mahen Library)

November 5, 18:00: Pärt 90: Between Two Sounds (Brno Philharmonic)

November 11, 17:00: Travel Lecture: Svalbard – A Voyage to the End of the World (Jiří Mahen Library)

November 13, 17:30: Icelandic Transformations: Egill Bjarnason and Jana Jakšová (Kavárna Trojka)