New Norwegian Film Institute Is Born

The new Institute replaces the former Norwegian Film Institute (previously responsible for the promotion and preservation of Norwegian films), the Norwegian Film Fund and the Norwegian Film Development Agency. The NFI has around 100 staff members. Its budget for operating costs is NOK 100 million and NOK 300m in film subsidies.

Ivar Køhn, (photo) former feature film consultant for the Norwegian Film Fund is now head of the NFI Production and Development department. Jan Graff is the new head of administration; Mia Lindrup who was responsible for Film and Audience at the old Norwegian Film Institute, is now head of audience, and Mette Tharaldsen will join the Institute in May to head the information department.

The name of the new person heading the Marketing and Promotion department (overseeing domestic and international promotion as well as film commissions) will be announced within a few days. Jan Erik Holst, previous Director International Relations will retain a role as ‘sub director' of promotion, coordinating international events in Norway as well as specific foreign film missions. "I see the need for changes within the organisation and understand that the Culture Ministry wants to let new, younger people in," said Holst who will report directly to Refseth.

The NFI will be overseen by a Board appointed by the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs. The Board's chairman Kristenn Einarsson plus four out of  the eight appointed board members were part of a Film Committee which in 2006 wrote a crucial report, then used by the government to write its White Paper on Norwegian cinema. Those four board members are Nina Grünfeld, filmmaker and director of the Westerdal School of Communication, Henning Camre, former head of the Danish Film Institute, now president of the Think Tank on European Film, producer Aage Aaberge, head of Neo Film, and Solvår Amdahl, director of Midnorst Film Centre. Other NFI board members include filmmaker Lisa Marie Gamlem, novelist Eirik Ildahl, previous State Secretary Randi Øverland, and manager Morten Andreassen.

At the press conference, Giske spoke of "the biggest organisational change ever in the history of Norwegian cinema". "The Institute will make it easier for filmmakers, the industry and the audience to have their voices heard. We have big and ambitious goals: to have Norwegian films conquer 25% of the theatrical market and 15% of the DVD market. What's nice is that we are on the right track. In 2007, seven of the 25 biggest selling films on DVD were Norwegian," he noted.

Many commentators stressed the good timing to launch the NFI. "This is the right time because Norwegian films have shown better quality over the last couple of years and have been able to reach an audience both nationally and internationally," stressed Lene Løken, head of  Film & Kino, the organisation overseeing the Norwegian exhibition and video sectors, which retained its independence.

Henning Camre also said: The conditions have now been created to establish one coherent film policy. Norwegian cinema can now embark on a new era. Things look very encouraging today as films have improved in quality and domestic market share."

Local producer Eric Vogel (Tordenfilm) said he hoped the new NFI would have a stronger focus on Norwegian interaction with foreign territories than in the past, through co-productions, incentives for foreign projects, and greater support for exports. "Hopefully the Institute will have enough time and resources to make the transition from the old to the new as smooth as possible, so the audiovisual industry, and ultimately our audiences, will benefit from it all," he concluded.