The snow. The dark humour. The jumpers. If I'm not holed up with The Killing, I love a bit of Nordic cinema on a dark winter evening. From Troll Hunter and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to Rare Exports and The Hunt, them Northern European sure know how to have a good time. Turns out it mostly involves killing each other, taking drugs and wearing thick, woolen tops.

Which is why I’m rather excited about London’s first ever Nordic Film Festival. Running from this Friday (30th November) to Tuesday 5th December, it’s a short (but no less sweet) whistle-stop tour of past and present Scandinavian success.

Like all good festivals, it starts with Pierce Brosnan. Starring in Love Is All You Need, directed by Susanne Bier, The Bronhomme gets things going with a light rom-com that even adds a sprinkling of Italian to the mix.

From there, it’s full speed through a sea of crime, mythical monsters and gourmet dining until we reach the premiere of Lisa Langseth’s Pure, starring A Royal Affair’s Alicia Vikander.

It also takes in a nice range of London venues, including Hammersmith’s cute Riverside Studios, Leicester Square’s essential Prince Charles Cinema Knitting and South Kensington’s classy Cine Lumiere.

So whether you’re in it to see a different side to cinema or some of London’s lesser-known screens, the Nordic Film Festival is worth checking out.

Knitting will be permitted at all venues.

Read on for the full Nordic Film Festival 2012 line-up. To book tickets for any of the screenings, visit the official festival site - or check out the Nordic Film Festival Facebook.

Fri 30 Nov, 6.15pm - Opening Gala Screening + party, Cine lumiere
LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED I Susanne Bier, Denmark 2012, 112 mins

Sat 1 Dec, 2pm - Riverside Studios
FESTEN I Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark/Sweden 1998, 105 mins, cert 15

Sat 1 Dec, 5.15pm - Riverside Studios
HELSINKI FOREVER I Peter von Bagh, Finland 2008, 74 mins, London Premiere

Sat 1 Dec, 7pm - Riverside Studios
BEYOND I Pernilla August, Sweden/Finland 2010, 99 mins

Sat 1 Dec, 11.30pm - Midnight Screening, Prince Charles Cinema
TROLL HUNTER I Andre Ovredal, Norway 2010, 103 mins, cert 15

Sun 2 Dec, 6.45pm - Riverside Studios
JAR CITY I Baltasar Kormakur, Iceland/Germany/Denmark 2006, 91 mins, cert 15

Sun 2 Dec, 8.45pm - Riverside Studios
OSLO, AUGUST 31ST I Joachim Trier, Norway 2011, 96 mins, cert 15

Mon 3 Dec, 6.45pm - Riverside Studios
OLAFUR ELIASSON: SPACE IS PROCESS I Jacob Jorgensen/Henrik Lundo, Denmark 2010, 76 mins, UK Premiere

Mon 3 Dec, 8pm - Cine lumiere
BABETTE'S FEAST I Gabriel Axel, Denmark 1987, 103 mins, cert U, Special Preview

Mon 3 Dec, 8.30pm - Riverside Studios
THE PUNK SYNDROME I Jukka Karkkainen/Jani-Petteri Passi, Finland 2012, 85 mins, London Premiere

Wed 5 Dec, 7pm - Closing Gala Screening + party, Riverside Studios
PURE I Lisa Langseth, Sweden 2010, 97 mins, UK Premiere