WRITTEN BY: Annika Pham
Susanne Bier will be Honorary Guest of the virtual TV Drama event set for February 3-4.
In her keynote speech, the internationally-acclaimed Danish writer/director will discuss both her career and how creators can adapt to the changing content world while staying true to their vision.
The Oscar-winning director of In a Better World has received wide praise for her latest HBO limited series The Undoing starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.
The presence of star director Bier will boost TV Drama Vision’s first online edition, set to be “more to the point” yet still comprehensive to attract and engage industry delegates, says head of industry Cia Edström.
“We will offer a programme that is relevant right now, and maybe save other things for next year when we can meet face to face again. You can’t transform an event into the digital space and do exactly the same thing - you have to reinvent yourself,” said Edström, underlining that TV Drama Vision’s special platform will be available a few days before kick-off, February 3rd.
Designed as always thanks to feedback from industry delegates, to reflect the latest trends in the drama sector, Nordic TV Drama Vision will focus this year on ‘virtual production’. “If you need a beach, you bring the beach to the studio,” says Edström, citing a quote from Icelandic producer and CEO of Sagafilm Nordic Kjartan Thor Thordarson.
The latter will sit on the ‘Virtual Production’ panel, together with Patrick Nebout and Henrik Jansson-Schweizer of Dramacorp, alongside moderator and media analyst Johanna Koljonen.
The future of the drama sector and the impact of Covid-19 on the industry will be the focal point of Ampere Analysis’ Guy Bisson, while Koljonen will unveil the content of the anticipated 9th Nostradamus Report on February 4.
‘Nordic Secrets’ and how the Nordic public broadcasters can “make us wiser, give us hope and unite us around a better common future”, will be debated by Danish writer, futurist and philosopher Lene Rachel Anderson.
The inspirational keynote will be presented in collaboration with Sweet Chilli Entertainment, headed by Thomas Gammeltoft.
In terms of high-end series to watch out for, two projects were unveiled today.
- the work in progress A Royal Secret (En kunglig affär-berättelsen om Kurt Haijby) is produced by Stellanova Film for SVT. The drama based on true events stars Staffan Göthe as King Gustav V of Sweden and his forbidden love affair with entrepreneur Kurt Haijby (Sverrir Gudnason). Delivery is set for later this year.
- The project in development The Possibility of an Island is a dystopian sci-fi project produced by Croatia’s Drugi Plan with Iceland’s Glassriver.
The full line up of TV Drama Vision, with a larger slate of top Nordic TV projects in development, production and post-production will be unveiled January 22.
TV Drama Vision will also stage the 5th Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize ceremony on February 3rd, celebrating the Best Screenplay of a Nordic TV drama.
This year’s contenders are Maja Jul Larsen for Cry Wolf (Denmark - see interview), Matti Kinnunen for Cargo (Finland), Jóhann Ævar Grímsson for Sisterhood (Iceland), Kim Fupz Aakeson for Welcome to Utmark (Norway) and Cilla Jackert for Thin Blue Line (Sweden - see interview).
For information on all the nominees and their projects CLICK HERE.
The programme for Göteborg’s Nordic Film Market will be announced on Tuesday.
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