France Hosts Inaugural ‘Vision Nordiques’ Festival With a 17-Title Selection

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Dag Johan Haugerud’s film titled “Love” was among the 17 movies that made their debut in France during the first installment of the Visions Nordiques – French Nordic Film Days festival.

The festival is happening from March 5th to the 9th in various spots around Paris, such as the Grand Action theater. Additionally, it features an industry program and co-production workshop at CNC and the Institut Suedois. Tributes were paid to Lars von Trier and Aki Kaurismäki through screenings of “Breaking the Waves” and “Le Havre.” The movie selection included “Love,” which debuted at Venice (and was followed by the Berlinale Golden Bear winner “Dreams [Sex Love]”); Baltasar Kormákur’s “Touch,” Eirik Svensson’s “Safe House,” Lilja Ingolfsdottir’s “Loveable,” and Frida Kempff’s “The Swedish Topedo,” among other films.

The joint organization of this event is handled by The Five Nordic countries, France‘s National Film Board, with backing from the Nordic Council of Ministers and the embassies of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden in France. Mattias Nohrborg, a Swedish art-house producer and distributor, along with TriArt Film, Baptiste Pépin, head of film at Institut suédois, and Amanda Nohrborg, post-production manager, have been responsible for the program’s selection.

Gaëtan Bruel, a previous head of the French Cultural Services in the U.S., recently named as president of France’s CNC, stated that Visions Nordiques is a significant event showcasing longstanding connections with France. This event has seen Scandinavian films receive support through the Cinema du Monde grant program, among other initiatives, resulting in the financing of 17 Nordic movies over the past two years. Two such films, Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” and Tarik Saleh’s “Eagles Of The Republic,” have also received partial funding in France and are anticipated to make their world debut on the festival circuit later this year.

Bruel stated, “We firmly believe that cinema has the power to mold our imagination, as it connects various industries and nations. This collaborative model of financing movies encourages creativity throughout Europe.” He further emphasized, “In today’s global climate, we are all faced with challenges that call for a stronger, unified Europe – not just in military might, but also in cultural influence.

Simultaneously, Gísli Snær Erlingsson, leader of the Icelandic Film Centre who spoke for The Five Nordics (a partnership among Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden’s film institutes), stated that the French Nordic Film Days marked a “valuable advancement in fortifying the historic ties between our movie industries.”

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Gísli Snær Erlingsson, head of the Icelandic Film Centre and representative for The Five Nordics (a collective of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden’s film institutes), expressed that the French Nordic Film Days symbolized a “prominent move in bolstering the historic links between our film industries.”

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Speaking as the head of the Icelandic Film Centre for The Five Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden’s film institutes), Gísli Snær Erlingsson considered the French Nordic Film Days a “noteworthy stride in reinforcing the historical connections between our movie industries.

Erlingsson explained that the panels, case studies, and collaborative workshops during the event are designed to foster relationships between filmmakers from the Nordic and French regions. These discussions will delve into topics such as distribution methods, nurturing filmmakers, and our mutual dedication to eco-friendly filmmaking practices.

Discussions on distribution and international sales featured a variety of speakers from the industry, including Sarah Chazelle (co-founder of Jour2Fête), Kim Foss (executive director of Camera Film), Martin Jérôme (acquisition coordinator at Condor Distribution), and Mattias Nohrborg from TriArt Film. A subsequent panel included Noémie Devide (head of production and acquisition at Goodfellas), Alexandre Moreau (head of international sales at Memento International), and Katrin Pors, a producer at Snowglobe.

For quite some time now, numerous Nordic films have been distributed globally through the agency of French representatives. Specifically, Trier’s works are managed by MK2 Films, Saleh’s upcoming film is being marketed by Playtime, and Memento International has been marketing Emilie Blichfeldt’s horror production “The Ugly Stepsister,” which was screened at Sundance and has secured distribution deals in many significant territories.

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2025-03-07 23:44