‘Loveable’ Producer Thomas Robsahm on His Slate and Norway’s Best Kept Secret Talent Hotbed, Filmskapere (Exclusive)

As a seasoned filmmaker and producer with years of experience under my belt, I find myself deeply impressed by the success story that is Filmskapere. Having navigated through various traditional schemes, I can confidently say that Filmskapere stands out as a breath of fresh air.

Renowned Norwegian filmmaker Thomas Robsahm, who has contributed to over fifty films such as Joachim Trier’s two Oscar-nominated “The Worst Person in the World,” is preparing for the most packed movie schedule of his career.

Following the successful premieres of Lilja Ingolfsdotttir’s “Loveable” and Yenni Lee’s “Explosions in My Heart,” both shown at the New Nordic Films market in Haugesund, Robsahm is now preparing for four film productions.

Initially, we have “Dancing Queen in Hollywood,” which is Aurora Gossé’s follow-up to her 2023 family blockbuster “Dancing Queen.” This film won numerous awards in 2023, including Best Children’s Film in Zurich, Seattle, and distribution contracts across more than 30 territories. Created under his production company Amarcord, this heartwarming children’s movie is now in post-production, slated for release in 2025. LevelK manages its sales.

The newcomer to Nordisk Film Production Norway, who signed up in 2022, has three projects fully funded and ready to roll out at the Scandinavian studio. Filming commenced on July 29 for “My First Love” (“I Call Myself Karla”), a film by first-time director Mari Storstein. The story revolves around Karla, a 19-year-old wheelchair user, who unexpectedly finds love while residing in a home for individuals with disabilities.

Starting in September is “The Murder of Benjamin,” a series that explores the first racially motivated murder in Norway from the viewpoints of two young boys and a mother. This production is being directed by Ingvild Søderlind, who has previously worked on Netflix’s “Battle: Freestyle” (2020) and “Royalteen Princess Margrethe” (2021).

In November-December, I’ll have the pleasure of witnessing the return of the renowned Maria Sødahl to the director’s chair for “Isle” (“Ø”). Collaboratively, Robsahm and Sigurd Mikal Karoliussen will produce this project under Nordisk Film Denmark, in a joint effort with Norway’s Eye Eye Pictures.

‘Filmskapere’ talent hotbed

As Robsahm pointed out, the six aforementioned pics have two common denominators:

All productions feature women as directors, writers, and main performers. These projects were cultivated through his unique talent development program, Filmskapere (Filmmakers in English), which received funding from sources like Talent Norge (supported by Norway’s Ministry of Culture and Equality) and the Tom Wilhelmsen Foundation, a private organization backed by Norwegian shipping magnate, Tom Wilhelmsen.

Filmskapere is actually one of Norway’s hidden gems, attracting over 30 of today’s and future promising Norwegian filmmakers.

Launched in 2018 by Robsahm, this program is a distinctive, long-term talent nurturing initiative, funded jointly by Talent Norge and private investments. It provides an opportunity for select Norwegian writers, directors, and producers to freely cultivate their creative ideas, receiving guidance from experienced professionals in the field.

The achievements of the projects and filmmakers associated with our program are self-explanatory. For instance, Sødahl won the Berlinale Europa Cinema Award in 2020 with “Hope,” Eskil Vogt was recognized at Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2021 with “The Innocents,” Joachim Trier received double Oscar nominations for “The Worst Person in the World” in 2022, Kristoffer Borgli showcased his work “Sick of Myself” at the same event, Aurora Gossé debuted her film “Dancing Queen” at the 2023 Berlinale Generation Kplus, Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel won the Cannes Caméra d’Or in 2024 with “Armand,” and Ingolfsdotttir garnered five victories at Karlovy Vary with her film “Loveable.”

Beginning in 2018, the program has garnered NOK 12 million ($1.12 million) from Talent Norge and an additional NOK 12.5 million ($1.17 million) in matching funds from private sources. During its inaugural phase from 2018 to 2021, the private funding was provided by Oslo Pictures and SF Studios, who had the first rights to review the Filmskapere projects. Starting from 2022, the Tom Wilhelmsen Foundation has been the sole provider of private funds.

In the present system, filmmakers have the liberty to collaborate with producers and distributors they prefer. However, a significant number of Filmskapere productions are being handled by either Robsahm or Eye Eye Pictures, as seen in projects like “Sick of Myself,” “Armand,” and “My Wonderful Stranger.”

Silje Riise Næss, director of Talent Norge which oversees 56 publicly-funded talent initiatives in the cultural sector, expressed that they view the “Filmskapere” program as crucial, irrespective of genre, because its outstanding outcomes are evident.

So what’s the secret behind Filmskapere’s success?

From its very beginning, Robsahm—an individual known for his diverse artistic pursuits spanning from punk music songwriting and acting to filmmaking and production—stated that he had two main objectives. First, he aimed to bridge a gap in the market by providing financial resources for both emerging and established talents. Second, he envisioned elevating his nation’s film industry to an elite international standard by investing in talents over the long term, encouraging them to explore their creativity freely, with the ultimate goal of producing outstanding films or scripts.

Essentially, Filmskapere serves as an alternative avenue for nurturing projects and talents, bypassing the need for a systematic approach through the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI). The producer advocates for a more adaptable public funding system or slate funding, similar to that at Filmskapere, which allows talent to grow steadily with a financial cushion.

“The issue with funding movies in Norway and Europe is that it’s overly focused on applications rather than nurturing talent. I find myself questioning when the European Film Awards will introduce an award for the best showcase of talent, rather than the best application,” he joked. “At Filmskapere, we evaluate based on evidence of skill – a short film, feature, or documentary, or a fresh approach to genre or format. An application might deceive people, but evidence of talent can’t,” he emphasized. “We must place our trust in the talents themselves.”

Filmskapere stands apart from conventional models as it offers flexible support methods. Instead of following a standard path, some creators are granted opportunities to write scripts, produce short films post-film school, or even low-budget features. Others might collaborate with cinematographers and actors. It’s not uncommon for filmmakers to work on projects outside of Filmskapere and then return. Moreover, Filmmakers can choose to remain within the scheme for as long as they deem fit. For example, Invild [Søderlind], who has been with us since the beginning, completed ‘All Foreigners Keep their Curtain Closed’ elsewhere, made two Netflix films, and continues his journey with us on other projects, according to Robsahm.

Regarding her personal perspective, “My Wonderful Stranger” director Pyykkö shared: “At Filmskapere, I have multiple ventures in progress. The program is adaptable and caters to the individual requirements of each participant and their creative journey, all while offering networking opportunities, workshops, and guidance. I believe that the strength of Filmskapere lies in its ability to let projects grow at their own pace. This approach has undeniably accelerated my project development.”

Riise Næss commented, stating that “Talent Norge’s efforts and funding have significantly contributed to Norwegian talents’ global visibility.” She further added, “Filmskapere’s brilliance lies in identifying the most intriguing and promising talents, nurturing them diligently, and not letting go until filmmakers and their projects reach their peak potential.”

Previously, the film commissioner at the Norwegian Film Institute commented: “Examine the recent, notable achievements of first-time directors Lilja Ingolfsdottir and Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel in cinema. Their projects required many years of professional growth and artistic refinement to attain this level of greatness and maturity. In these instances, as well as others, it’s possible that the philosophy behind Talent Norge and Filmskapere significantly boosted their chances, increasing the likelihood of international recognition.”

Moving ahead, Robsahm expressed his aspiration for Filmskapere to foster the growth of more liberated talents and provide consistent delivery of top-tier Norwegian films. Additionally, he hopes that this program will motivate others to place faith in the professionals – producers and distributors – who present these projects to the public, rather than relying excessively on the system itself.

2024-08-22 18:48

‘Loveable’ Producer Thomas Robsahm on His Slate and Norway’s Best Kept Secret Talent Hotbed, Filmskapere (Exclusive)

Read More

Minority Mindset