Over 70 Nordic productions received top up financing and 50 films distribution and dubbing support, in a year where the Fund launched Nordic Script and focused on young talents.

To read the full Annual Report 2022, CLICK HERE

In 2022, against the tense geo-political situation and micro-economic pressures due to war in Ukraine that followed the challenging Covid-years, the Fund was more determined than ever to build bridges between talents and nations, and to fulfil its key mandate, which is to promote the Nordic audiovisual industry via its key support schemes and industry initiatives.

Through its five-year agreement 2020-2024 signed by the Fund’s 22 partners comprising the Nordic Council of Ministers, the five Nordic film institutes and 16 Nordic media companies, Nordisk Film & TV Fond had an annual budget of NOK 128,780,322.

As part of its mandate to strengthen Nordic talents and bridge-building between new and established professionals across the Nordic region, the Fund launched the new initiative Nordic Script and named 2022 the ‘20-something year’, to focus on the next creative generation. Young filmmakers took part in various panels and some of those discussions are available on the Fund’s new homepage Industry Insights section, which complements our news-driven website www.nordiskfilmogtvfond.com/news.

Production Funding highlights
In 2022 the Fund had a budget of NOK 125,839,000 towards its four main areas of support. As always, the bulk of that sum - 82% was earmarked towards the production of feature films and drama series, with 8% going to documentary production, 7% towards distribution & dubbing and 3% towards Industry Initiatives.

Sweden was the biggest beneficiary of Nordisk Film & TV Fond overall grants, with 28% of the allocated sums, followed by Denmark and Norway (27% each), Finland (10%) and Iceland (8%).

A total of 30 films, 23 series and 19 documentaries received support in 2022, slightly down from the record year of 2021 (35 films, 28 series, 22 docs), but a slight increase from 2020 (24 films, 21 series, 20 docs).

Among ambitious Nordic feature films, the largest single grant of NOK 3,750,000 went to Nikolaj Arcel’s The Bastard produced by Zentropa, with Mads Mikkelsen in the title role.

Another five projects were allocated NOK 3 million each: Mikael Håfström’s Stockholm Bloodbath (Viaplay Studios, Sweden), Magnus Martens’ There’s Something in the Barn (74 Entertainment, Norway), Erik Poppe’s Quisling (Paradox, Norway), Joshua Oppenheimer’s The End (Final Cut for Real, Denmark), and the animated film Valemon: The Polar Bear King by Mikkel B. Sandemose (Maipo Film, Norway).

Among event drama series, the anticipated adaptation of Astrid Lindgren’s classic Ronja the Robber’s Daughter produced by Filmlance International, received the largest grant of NOK 4 million, while the Finnish suspense drama Estonia from Fisher King received NOK 3.6 million and Thomas Vinterberg’s series debut Families Like Ours produced by Zentropa, NOK 3.5 million.

Within documentary, Norway’s youth series Spark co-directed by Silje Evensmo and Kristin Nybø for A5 Film, received the largest grant of NOK 1 million. Other major grant recipients were Max Kestner’s Beast (Bullitt Film, Denmark) and Fredrik Gertten’s Breaking Social (WG Film, Sweden), awarded NOK 800,000 and NOK 700,000 respectively.

Regarding gender balance, female producers continued to dominate across film, series and documentaries supported by the Fund, while men had the upper hand among writers and directors.

As part of the Fund’s strategic focus on Children and Youth, 15 projects targeting that younger audience received support, including the high-profile animated feature Valemon: the Polar Bear King and Ronja the Robber’s Daughter book-to screen adaptation.

Distribution & Dubbing
In a year where audiences gradually flocked back to the cinemas post-Covid, and streaming services continue to challenge cinema-going, Nordisk Film & TV Fond’s financial help to promote cross border distribution was all the more important.

A total of 50 films received support, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’or winning film Triangle of Sadness for its release in Denmark and in Norway (SF Studios), Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World for its distribution in Denmark (Camera Film) and Finland (Cinemanse), Jens Sjögren’s I am Zlatan for its release in Denmark and Finland (Nordisk Film), and Rasmus A. Sivertsen’s animated feature Three Robbers and a Lion for its release in Denmark (Nordisk Film) and Iceland (Myndform).

As usual, dubbing support was granted mostly to children’s films-and in particular animated films such as Checkered Ninja 2, Three Robbers and a Lion and Titina.

International awards
2022 was another outstanding year for Nordic talents, films and series, that brought home major international recognitions.

Among the most celebrated fiction films backed by the Fund were the Cannes’ 2022 awarded Triangle of Sadness by Ruben Östlund, Holy Spider by Ali Abbasi, the Berlinale winners Comedy Queen by Sanna Lenken and Beautiful Beings by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson.

The Finnish chiller Hatching by debut director Hanna Bergholm had a buzzy launch at Sundance and won two awards at Gérardmer Int’l Fantasy Festival.

Among documentaries, top distinctions went to A House Made of Splinters by Simon Lereng Wilmont (Sundance Best Director, Oscar nomination), Apolonia, Apolonia by Lea Glob (IDFA Best Feature), The Most Beautiful Boy in the World by Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri (Prix Europa-Best European TV Documentary).

Nordic series that conquered audiences and jury members include Blackport from Iceland (Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize-9 Eddas), Carmen Curlers from Denmark (3 Robert awards), Countrymen from Norway (Aarhus Best Nordic series, Rockie Award Best Comedy, Non-English language) and Enemy of the People from Finland, selected for La Rochelle TV Fiction Festival.

Fund annual events
The 2022 winners of the annual events organised by Nordisk Film & TV Fond were the following:

  • Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize to Iceland’s Blackport (Vesturport/RÚV), co-written by Gísli Örn Gardarsson, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson and Mikael Torfason.
  • Nordic Talents Best Pitch Prize to Finland’s Jesse Jalonen for Return & Exchange, and Special Mention Prize to the Norwegian director Håkon Anton Olavsen and writer Sunniva Kviteberg for the feature project Titanic Club.
  • Nordic Council Film Prize to Iceland’s Lamb, directed and co-written by Valdimar Jóhannsson.