“2015 marks the 25th anniversary of Nordisk Film & TV Fond. We are proud to be associated with the opening of Nordic Film Market in Göteborg on January 29 and to celebrate Nordic films, TV productions and talents.
Set up in 1990 by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the five Nordic film institutes and selected local broadcasters to promote film and TV productions in the five Nordic countries, the Fund has evolved over the years and what started as a political initiative has become a content hub. A total of 1,400 features, creative documentaries and TV dramas have received cumulative funds of more than NOK 1.6 billion during the past 25 years and the number of projects supported annually has grown from 22 the first year to 57 in 2014.
The Fund’s previous CEOs have all put their mark on the pan- Nordic funding body. It was during the management of first director Bengt Forslund (CEO 1990-1994) that Susanne Bier (Freud Leaving Home) and Aki Kaurismäki (La vie de Bohème) received their first supports, that Lars von Trier made The Kingdom, Jan Troell received a Silver Bear for Il Capitano and Sven Nyqvist was Oscar-nominated for The Ox.
The late Dag Alveberg (CEO from 1995-1999) moved Nordisk Film & TV Fond’s head office from Stockholm to Oslo, introduced a more formal approach to the Fund’s support system and initiated one of the first promotion events, New Nordic Films of Haugesund.
Alveberg’s successor Svend Abrahamsen (CEO from 2000-2007) kick started one of the Fund’s most popular annual rendez-vous, Nordic Talents, in collaboration with the National Film School of Denmark, and established our other annual star event, the Nordic Council Film Prize.
Hanne Palmquist´s time (2007-2013) saw stronger support for documentaries, a handful of international initiatives, specific project for Kids Content and more emphasis on distribution than before. Hanne also foresaw the new rise of Nordic TV Drama.
A mix of production support to high quality films and TV projects and new industry initiatives such as Nordic Film Market have contributed to a greater cross-border collaboration in the Nordic region that in turn have helped expand the Nordic brand worldwide.
To sustain this momentum, we will continue to support Nordic flagship productions that clearly build the global image and benefit the entire region, while fostering the new voices of tomorrow. And as Nordisk Film & TV Fond is entering its new five-year Agreement, the Fund is tuning up for the digital age, adapting to new distribution models and targeting designated audience groups, for instance with our new ‘Nordic Genre Boost’ initiative.
Stay tuned and join us in the celebration of our 25th anniversary throughout 2015!!”
Petri Kemppinen, CEO Nordisk Film & TV Fond (pictured)