As a seasoned film enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the captivating worlds of cinema from various corners of the globe, I find myself thoroughly intrigued by this impressive Co-Production Market Lineup. The diversity and depth of stories being told here are truly inspiring, showcasing the rich tapestry of talent that exists within the Nordic and Baltic regions.
Over 250 international visitors, including 53 potential buyers from 18 different nations, have registered for the three-day industry gathering known as New Nordic Films at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund. This event marks its 30th anniversary and will begin with the drama “Way Home,” directed by Charlotte Sieling.
A selection of prominent filmmakers from the region and beyond, such as Erik Poppe, Dag Johan Haugerud, Selma Vilhunen, Zaida Bergroth, Rúnar Rúnarsson, will be showcasing or presenting their upcoming projects. This event will also feature numerous emerging talents.
“Line Halvorsen, who’s been with New Nordic Films for four years now and currently acting as the interim director, stated that our genetic makeup remains unaltered.”
“Halvorsen emphasized that our main goal is to bring together filmmakers and professionals from the Nordic region who are passionate about Nordic films. We aim to provide a platform for emerging talents and highlight current industry trends. In partnership with our sister event at the Göteborg Nordic Film Market, we strive to foster growth within our Nordic film industry. The more recognition Nordic productions receive, the better it benefits everyone, particularly in today’s competitive marketplace.”
As a movie reviewer, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing the remarkable growth of New Nordic Films’ Nordic Co-Production Market over the past 19 years. This essential event, one of three key components alongside Works in Progress and Market Screenings, has become the go-to platform for showcasing promising talents and projects. In fact, it’s earned the title of “the most popular” showcase within the industry, as attested by none other than the head of New Nordic Films themselves. It’s a testament to their commitment to nurturing and promoting cinematic excellence from the Nordic region.
Catchy Projects in Development
As someone who has been involved in several film festivals over the years, I have to say that this year’s submissions were truly exceptional. In fact, I was blown away by the sheer number of high-quality projects we received – over 80! It was a real challenge to narrow it down to just 22, but after careful consideration, we managed to select the very best. If I had my way, we could have easily hosted two co-production markets this year given the caliber of the submissions we received. It’s always inspiring to see such creativity and passion in the works of aspiring filmmakers.
Expected elements from experienced directors are seen in the films “She Did Not Show Remorse” by Selma Vilhunen (known for “Stupid Young Heart” and “Four Little Adults”), “The Wednesday Club” by Zaida Bergroth (renowned for “Tove”), and “Love Duet,” a biopic by Suzanne Osten and Janne Widmark. In this last film, the renowned feminist director Osten portrays the image of the cult filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.
A variety of projects from newcomers, supported by well-known Nordic production companies, will also be featured. These include “Two People Who Fall in Love” by Daniel Sawka (creator of HBO’s “Icebox”), a project that Halvorsen particularly admires; “Also a Life” by Anders Emblem (“Human Position”); the yet-to-be-titled work by Aslak Danbolt, a student visionary nominated at Tribeca; and “Halima” by Naima Mohamud (“Fatima”).
I’m thrilled to be part of the second round of U.K. Focus at New Nordic Films. Four unique U.K. projects that seek Nordic collaboration are up for pitching: Za Quirke’s genre-blending “The Fell,” Corinna Faith’s “Unspeakable,” Anna Fredrikke Bjerke’s “Let it Come Down,” and Ashley Horner’s “Nothing Holy.” I can’t wait to see these projects unfold!
Works in Progress
Among the diverse 15 projects in development, Halvorsen specifically emphasizes three titles that were showcased at the Nordic Co-Production Market last year and swiftly moved into production: “The Swedish horror film ‘The Home’ by Mattias J.Skoglund, distributed by LevelK; the Norwegian Christmas family film ‘Stargate’ by Ida Sagmo Tvedte, marketed by REinvent; and the drama ‘Zarsis-Waves of Silence’ by the Iranian-born Norwegian debutant Farzad Samsami.”
Here are some other ways to express that sentence in a more natural and easy-to-read manner:
For a fruitful visit to New Nordic Films during the bustling autumn season, many projects displayed at the Copro Market and works still under production are open for global distribution, as we always strive to offer value.
According to Halvorsen’s analysis, there seems to be a dominant theme of family movies and coming-of-age stories this year, representing a shift from the horrifying and science fiction-heavy releases of last year.
In terms of directors behind the camera, 12 out of 22 co-productions are led by women, while only three in-progress projects have female directors. However, Halvorson points out that numerous in-development projects are being produced by women.]
A considerable number of new participants have joined the co-production market (nine to be exact), and when it comes to the Scandinavian countries, Norway leads the way with 12 projects currently in progress – six are still in development, while another six have already been filmed.
Despite being thrilled about her 2024 plan, Halvorsen mentioned that despite diligently pursuing 30 eye-catching Nordic projects with her team, they couldn’t be secured due to scheduling conflicts in production. She expressed optimism, stating, “With numerous films shooting this summer, we can assure you that the year following 2024, 2025 promises to be another robust year for Nordic cinema.”
If you’ve missed some of this year’s most popular films, Haugesund’s market screenings offer a chance to catch up. Here, you’ll find 18 completed movies scheduled, including “Sebastian,” sold by LevelK (from Sundance), the Venice-bound “Love,” handled by M-Appeal (closed market screening), and Cannes entries such as “Armand,” “The Girl with the Needle,” and “When the Light Breaks,” distributed respectively by Charades, The Match Factory, and The Party Film Sales.
For aspiring filmmakers freshly graduated from film schools, we’ve prepared an exclusive selection of 10 graduation films known as The Next Nordic Generation. These promising talents will personally introduce their work.
At the upcoming seminars, we’ll have two focused discussions centered around this year’s primary topic, ‘The Future is Here.’ These sessions will feature experts like Christopher Frenning from Microsoft, filmmaker Jan Christian Frugård, and production designer Kristine Wilhelmen. They will delve into AI as a tool for movie-making. Halvorsen mentioned that the aim is to make people feel engaged rather than intimidated by AI.
Arnt Christian Scheele, Qvisten’s commercial director, will delve into how virtual reality (VR) technology can benefit storytellers and producers in a talk.
In other locations, Europa Distribution – a frequent partner in New Nordic Films productions – will extend invitations for a detailed analysis session focusing on the critically acclaimed film “Fallen Leaves” by Aki Kaurismäki.
All screenings and industry events are scheduled to take place at the newly refurbished EDDA Film Centre, which boasts a total of seven screening rooms.
Nordic Co-Production Market Lineup
“A Week in Paradise” (Katia Winter, Gimme a Break, Sweden)
“Also a Life” (Anders Emblem, Stær Film, Norway)
“Benedikte & Theo” (Aslak Danbolt, Paradox, Norway)
“The Blindsight” (Ruslan Batutskvi, Brave Productions, Ukraine)
“Burn Oslo Burn” (Gustav Johansson, New Land/Filmlance, Sweden)
“The Fell” (Zu Quirke, Escape Plan, UK)
“Five Days at the Sea” (Ivana Skrabalo, Pet dana na moru, Croatia/Macedonia/Serbia)
“Forza Oslo” (Mats Bjerknes, Storm Films, Norway)
“Halima” (Naima Mohamud, It’s Alive Films, Finland)
“Himalaya My Heart” (Sunil Munshi, Way Creative, Sweden)
“Let it Come Down” (Anna Fredrikke Bjerke, Backscatter Productions, UK)
“Love Duet” (Suzanne Osten, Janne Widmark, Vilda Bomben, Sweden)
“Máttáháráká” (Suvi West, Tekele/Nordisk Film, Finland)
“Nothing Holy” (Ashley Horner, Pinball Films, UK)
“Planet” (Fredrik S. Hana, Chezville, Norway)
“Polaris” (Christian Andersen, produced by Hanna Rosland, Denmark)
“Roach Coach” (Ilze Jacobsen, Bivrost, Norway/Latvia)
“Sanna” (Liv Karin Dahlstrøm, Nordisk Film, Norway)
“She Did Not Show Remorse” (Selma Vilhunen, Dionysos Films, Finland)
“Two People Who Fall in Love” (Daniel Sawka, Anagram Sweden)
“The Wednesday Club” (Zaida Bergroth, Lucy Loves Drama, Finland)
“Unspeakable” (Corinna Faith, The Bureau, UK)
Works in Progress Lineup
“Confessions of a Swedish Man” (Hampus Linder, Nordic Factory Film, Sweden)
“Crossing Lines” (Jahfar Muataz, produced by Misam Avaz, Denmark)
“Defiance” (Visa Koiso-Kanttila, Rabbit Films, Finland)
“Earth Song” (Erol Mintaș, Sons et Lumiere, Finland)
“Everything Must Go (Arild Østin Ommundsen, Chezville, Norway)
“Home Sweet Home” (Frelle Petersen, Zentropa, Denmark)
“Raptures” (Jon Blåhed, Iris Film, Sweden/Finland)
“Stargate” (Ida Sagmo Tvedte, Motlys, Norway)
“Stranger” (Mads Hedegaard, Motor, Denmark)
“Summer is Crazy” (Ulla Heikkilä, Tekele Productions, Finland)
“The Badgers (Paul Magnus Lundø, 73 Eyes Film, Norway)
“The Home” (Mattias J.Skoglund, (sic) Film, Sweden)
“The Polar Bear Prince” (Mikkel B Sandemose, Maipo, Norway)
“Three Men and Vilma” (Charlotte Blom, Maipo, Norway)
“Zarzis, Waves of Silence” (Farzad Samsami, Gorilla Film, Norway)
Market screenings lineup
“Armand”, Norway (Charades)
“Birthday Girl”, Denmark (TrustNordisk)
“Butterflies”, Finland (Picture Tree International)
“Explosions in My Heart”, Norway (sales tbc)
“Flocks”, Finland (Aamu Film Company)
“Kevlar Soul”, Sweden (sales tbc)
“Long Good Thursday”, Finland (sales tbc)
“Loveable”, Norway (TrustNordisk)
“Love”, Norway (M-Appeal)
“The Girl with the Needle”, Denmark/Poland/Sweden (The Match Factory)
“The Mountain”, Iceland, Sweden (Greenlighting Studio)
“My Father’s Daughter”, Norway/Sweden/Finland (Pluto Film)
“Quisling”, Norway (REinvent International Sales)
“Sebastian”, UK/Belgium/Finland (LevelK)
“Silent Trilogy”, Finland (Totem Films)
“Trans Memoria”, Sweden/France (Outplay Films)
“Way Home”, Denmark (LevelK)
“When the Light Breaks” (The Party Film Sales)
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2024-08-09 12:19