"We have a clear increase in world buyers attending this year (69 against 56 in 2008), plus many first time representatives from South Korea or Indonesia. These are new territories that we're happy to introduce to Nordic films," said NNF director Gyda Velvin Myklebust. Over 300 participants from 25 different countries will be introduced to 24 completed Nordic films (of which 18 market premieres) and 14 works in progress.
For Myklebust , Sweden is strongly represented this year, reflecting the quality and diversity of its current film output. Teresa Fabik's new teenage film Prinsessa (Starring Maja) for instance has been chosen as the opening film of NNF.
Almost half of the Works In Progress are supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond, such as Daniel Espinosa's Snabba Cash, and Fridrik Thor Fridriksson's Mamma Gógó (photo).
The veteran Icelandic filmmaker will take part in a Nordic Directors Seminar, alongside his Nordic counterparts Annette K. Olesen (Denmark), Arild Østin Ommundsen (Norway), Saara Cantell (Finland) and Danish editor Anders Refn (Antichrist).
For the first time, two heavy players from the US film industry - Michael Barker (Sony Pictures Classics) and Christian Vesper (SVP of acquisitions for IFC TV and Sundance Channel) will be on stage at Haugesund's Edda 2 cinema to discuss how to better penetrate the US market and their vision on Nordic cinema.
Another US heavyweight, Torene Svitil from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will monitor an ‘Oscar Workshop'.
The fourth Nordic Co-production and Film Financing Forum (August 21-22) will again focus on co-production with Germany and Canada.
New Nordic Films is supported, among others, by Nordisk Film & TV Fond.