Celebrating past achievements, yet forward­-looking and adaptable – the New Nordic Films film market at Haugesund turns 30 this year, bringing the best of Nordic cinema out across the globe.

There’s one in Bergen, one in Trondheim, one in Tromsø, even Svalbard has one, and Oslo has several. Yet it’s Haugesund that sports the seemingly definitive moniker that reads The Norwegian International Film Festival, one that started out in 1973 as a travelling event, but in 1987 settled in the “Homeland of the Viking Kings” and never looked back.

The 2024 edition, taking place August 17-23, expects 25,000 filmgoers in this west coast town by the North Sea with a population of around 38,000. Circa 75 features and 20 shorts are on the programme, which also offers exhibitions, seminars, panels and special events. In collaboration with Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the unveiling of the nominees for the annual Nordic Council Film Prize is a fine annual Haugesund tradition that started in 2017. Another one is the Amanda ceremony, presenting the national Norwegian film awards for the 40th time this year.

A major fixture on the Norwegian and Nordic “cine-map”, industry-wise, is the festival’s film market, New Nordic Films, NNF, getting ready for its 30th edition, playing out August 20-23. Head of Operations Line Halvorsen and her able team promises a full programme, including the 19th Nordic Co­-Production and Finance Market selection of 22 projects in various stages of development, and Works in Progress, presenting 15 upcoming film projects ready for the international stage. There are 19 upcoming Nordic films in the market screenings, exclusively for accredited film industry professionals, and much more.

“The core part of New Nordic Films has always been to create an intimate and efficient market for filmmakers to connect and promote their work, and to be a place to meet colleagues and new friends and find new collaboration partners,” says Halvorsen, who herself has a decades-long background as a documentary filmmaker, and who ten years ago moved on to work with talent development as project manager at Midtnorsk Filmsenter, Film Lab Norge, and for the Norwegian Film Institute. For the last four years, she’s been a core team member at New Nordic Films, this year temporarily filling in for Gyda Velvin Myklebust as acting director.

New Nordic Films also oversees the Next Nordic Generation programme, showcasing the best from the Nordic Film schools, with delegations of film students attending. “The future of Nordic films depends on nurturing emerging talent to remain vibrant and forward-looking,” says Halvorsen. From HDK­-Valand in Sweden, Aalto ELO Film School in Finland, Westerdals – Kristiania University College, and The Norwegian Film School in Norway, ten graduation films have been selected for 2024. This year also marks the second of the 2023-24 Focus on the UK in partnership with the British Film Institute, aiming to boost co-production possibilities and collaborations between the UK and the Nordic countries.

“While celebrating our past achievements, we remain forward­-looking and adaptable in the ever­changing landscape of film production and distribution,” states the opening foreword in this year’s New Nordic Films catalogue, and Halvorsen and her colleagues are on the ball when it comes to keeping up with current trends, staying relevant and spotlighting the latest industry trends. “This year we have expanded our focus to include talks on AI and VR. We offer seminars and discussions to inspire our participating filmmakers to stay ahead of the curve, and we want them to be practical and relevant, not something that feels scary and out of reach. We will present knowledge and tools that are freely available today to anyone who wants to explore and innovate. Next year, we plan to also include presentations of innovative projects for new platforms. We want to be aware of, and highlight, new trends, but at the same time, we want to ensure that we present topics relevant to our audience.”

Over 250 participants from 28 countries are attending Haugesund and New Nordic Films this year, among them in excess of 50 buyers. The ongoing collaboration with Europa Distribution, which will bring 20 distributors to Haugesund this year, happily continues. “It’s quite amazing that they come all the way from across the globe to this quaint little town on the west coast of Norway. The festival atmosphere and the friendly vibe between the participants is very unique and memorable,” muses Halvorsen, who may well be one of the more hardworking Nordic women in show business at the moment, greatly looking forward to the programme kick-off. “It’s packed from morning to night, and we offer a great variety of projects, films and seminars - hopefully everyone will find something of interest. Also this year, we have sailboat trips around Haugesund and lots of networking opportunities, and we encourage everyone to meet up while they are here.”

With both Haugesund and Halvorsen in this good place, so is the general state of Nordic cinema, she feels. “Nordic films have gained global recognition for their unique storytelling and high production values - a trend to continue as they succeed in international markets, festivals, and streaming platforms. With audiences becoming more diverse and open to various cultural narratives, Nordic cinema is well-positioned to resonate globally. I think initiatives like New Nordic Films have played an important role in placing Nordic films in a strong position globally, cultivating new talents and collaborations for over 30 years.”

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