Iceland’s The Vasulka Effect set to world premiere in Malmö, is among six films backed by Nordisk Film & TV Fond vying for Best Nordic Documentary.

Fifty-five films selected from 532 submissions, have been selected for the five competition sections of Nordisk Panorama, unspooling September 19-24.

At yesterday’s official launch, Anita Reher, executive director at Nordisk Panorama said: “This year we will celebrate our 30th anniversary with exceptional Nordic storytelling touching on diverse topics, from Icelandic video art to Syrian refugees to the MeToo movement. Our guest programmers have selected a wide range of films about people and subjects made by talented voices, from equal numbers of female and male filmmakers. In addition, we will showcase the best film gems from Nordisk Panorama’s 30-year library through a dedicated online anniversary campaign.”

Among the 14 films competing for Best Nordic Documentary, six have received support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond, including The Vasulka Effect by Iceland’s Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, making its world premiere.  The film produced by Margret Jonasdóttir of Sagafilm, focuses on video art pioneers Steina and Woody Vasulka, grandparents of the “YouTube” generation, struggling in their retirement years as they are archiving their work. But renewed interest in their work puts them back on the map.  Jonasdóttir told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “Steina and Woody have collaborated with people such as Andy Warhol and his superstar Jackie Curtis, with Philip Glass, Laurie Andersson, Jimi Hendrix, David Byrne and many other world renowned artists, and having kept their archives from their early days, we have a lot of unseen material to play in this film.”

The other five films backed by the Fund vying for the €11,000 cash award provided by DR, Yle, RÚV, NRK AND SVT are Sweden’s Mating by Lina Mannheimer, Reconstructing Utøya by Carl Javér, Norway’s Once Aurora by Stian Servoss & Benjamin Langeland, War of Art by Tommy Gulliksen and Denmark’s The Reformist-A Female Imam by Marie Skivgaard. 

Two other Danish standout titles are also running in the main section: Boris Benjamin Bertram’s Photographer of War, about war photographer Jan Grarup, set for its world premiere in Malmö. The film produced by Good Company Pictures, is sold by LevelK. 

Q’s Barbershop by Emil Langballe (Beach Boy), about a funky hairdresser who brings inspiration and dignity in his community will open the festival on September 19. 

 Commenting on the main Nordic documentary competition line-up, guest programmer Hussain Currimbhoy (former Sundance programmer) who shares his duties with Nadia Abraham said: “There are some very talented filmmakers in the Nordic countries - and they are looking at the world, either journalistically or artistically, in different ways when it comes to their filmmaking. There is dedication to craft, real curiosity in the storytelling and humanism at the heart of so many films we saw this year. This is a programme of big questions and deep conversations. We hope the audience feels the same.”

The other competition sections include Best Nordic Short Film, with 20 titles vying for the €6,000 award, Best New Nordic Voice introducing 12 promising directors, the Young Nordic-Children’s Choice Award with nine selected films, and the City of Malmö Award.

The industry event Nordisk Panorama Forum will take place September 22-24, 2019. 

For the full Nordisk Panorama competition programme, check: www.nordiskpanorama.com.