Packed programme of Nordic series and talks at Aarhus Series

In its second year, Aarhus’ Series (October 29-November 1^st) has turned into a must event in the Nordic TV drama calendar with a packed programme of screenings, premieres, panels and talks from creators, talents and industry people.

The event is part of the overall ‘this.’ umbrella dedicated to the future of storytelling and audience engagement, comprising as well ‘this.conference’ and ‘this.game’.

The unique TV series platform which brings together industry people and the local Danish crowd of TV drama fans, will be held both physically in 10 venues across the city of Aarhus (with strict Covid-19 rules in place, including 200 max hall capacity) and partly online. Sessions will be held mostly in Danish language, due to the larger on-site Danish audience, counterbalancing the absence of international guests, restricted or banned from travelling due to the pandemic.

Some of the Nordic region’s top talents and industry people will take centre stage to discuss the running theme ‘social relevance and cultural impact’, as well as creative and distribution trends across the Nordics. 

Nordic Heads of Drama invited on Friday to present their drama slate, relevant and engaging Nordic storytelling at the session ‘Meet the Nordic Drama Bosses’ include Ivar Køhn (NRK), Piodor Gustafsson (TV4 Media), Katrine Vogelsang (TV2 Denmark), Christian Rank (DR), Jarmo Lampela (Yle), Linda Etgar (Xee) and Anna Croneman (SVT).

Media expert and Aarhus Series host Keld Reinicke will discuss ‘Streaming Wars, What Does it Mean for the Industry’, Viacom Networks International’s Jesper Dahl will focus on ‘New Markets, New Players’, NENT Group’s senior exec producer Nanna Mailand-Mercado will detail Viaplay’s International strategy, REInvent Studios’ Rikke Ennis and Helen Aurø will discuss ‘What’s Trending in Nordic Series’, from a sales agent’s viewpoint.

Meanwhile academics Eva Novrup Redvall (Copenhagen University) will discuss ‘Co-creating Content with Kids and YA’, Thea Mikkelsen, business psychologist will tackle ‘Working with Long Format - from Film to TV series’, and Vilde Schancke Sundet (Oslo University) ‘Young Streamers and Key Industry Lessons’.

Norway - and in particular ‘the Norwegian courage’ in storytelling will be the focus of attention with four NRK series dealing with urgent social issues and cultural impact: 22 July, Immigrant-ish, Magnus and Rådebank.

The upcoming Danish series White Sands produced by Aarhus-based Deluca Film for TV2 Denmark among others, will serve as starting point for a discussion about ‘Developing TV series from Regional Cultural DNA’ with producer/anthropologist Jakob Høgel and Per Høgh Sørensen, Head of Culture, Ringkøbing Skjern Municipality.

New Nordic Storytellers set to present their works include: 

• Swedish writer/director/actor Johanna Runevad who received wide critical and audience recognition with her SVT series Falkenberg Forever, about identity, expectations and growing up in a small town. 
• Norwegian writer Linn-Jeanette Kyed (Magnus, Børning) and director Daniel Fahre (Marcus & Martinus) behind NRK’s streaming hit show Rådebank, which deals with male representation and ability to show emotions in a macho environment. 
• Danish director/photographer Jonas Risvig, creator of the topical covid-19 web youth series Centrum, which set a new benchmark as a no-budget show created for teenagers by teenagers all over Denmark, who could express their angst and stories during the pandemic lockdown and provide live creative input online, much like the Norwegian hit series Skam. The 22-part series premiered on the director’s own YouTube channel on April 21. 

Other Danish series for younger viewers to be screened or sneak-previewed include: 

• Coming of age Over Græsen (STV Production/RD Ultra) from showrunner Maria Hee, set to premiere on November 6, 
• Dramedy Limboland Season 2 (Drive Studios/Xee) premiering on Xee in the spring 2021, 
• NOIA (Motor/DR), raw series about youngsters living on the edge of society created by Camilla Ramonn from her own experience as a raver in London, 
• Pulse (Toolbox Films/TV2 Denmark), intense youth drama about sexuality and masculinity, from writer/director Mette Føns and co-writer Christian Gamst Miller-Harris, 
• 33 (Drive Studios/Xee) from comedy duo Julie Rudbæk and Jesper Zuschlag about complicated friendship and parenting, 
• 2 Days (Drive Studios/Xee), action drama for YA created by actor/scriptwriter Oscar Dyekjær Giese and director Nicolai Achton, written by Giese and Simon Weil (The Rain, Norskov). The TV show about two cousins who, on a fun night out, suddenly encounter a notorious gangster stars both new talents and seasoned actors including Dejan Cukic (Borgia, Before We Die) and Clara Rosager (The Rain, Face to Face). The series will premiere on the pay TV channel Xee in 2021. 

New high-end Danish dramas to be presented include: 

• Cry Wolf (DR Drama) from creator Maja Jul Larsen 
• Grow (Alfa in Danish), first TV series from the Avaz brothers, produced by Rocket Road Pictures and SF Studios for TV2 Denmark. The suspenseful drama was recently picked up by ZDF Enterprises.
• Those Who Kill Season 2 (Miso Film/Viaplay) from writer/showrunner Ina Bruhn set to premiere in 2021.
• Pros & Cons Season 2 (SAM Productions/Viaplay) from creator/writer Thor Bjørn Krebs due to premiere end of 2020.

Among the event Nordic and international series are:

• the Finnish political drama Peacemaker (Matila Röhr Productions/Yle), 
• Filmlance produced Swedish series Caliphate (SVT/Netflix) and Beartown, launched on HBO Nordics October 18, 
• HBO US shows The Plot Against America introduced by creator David Simon, and Ridley Scott’s Raised by Wolves presented by actress Amanda Collin. 

Aarhus Series is backed by 25 partners including Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the Danish Film Institute, City of Aarhus, Den Vestdanske Filmpulje, the Danish Ministry of Culture, Øst for Paradis among others.

For further information, CLICK HERE.

Four questions to Festival director Felicia Elisabeth Jackson

You have an impressive list of guest speakers and TV series in your programme. Is this a sign that the second edition of ‘this.’ and Aarhus Series is definitely on the Nordic TV drama industry’s calendar?
FEJ: I think it is definitely a testament to the fact that this. brings relevant insights and experiences to its audience and therefore has become a ‘must attend’ on the calendar for many in the industry. Additionally, we have garnered a lot of buzz and attention by adding our newest initiative Aarhus Series Festival. This shows us that there is a market, support and a need for establishing a festival which focuses solely on series, where we gather both industry and public around series premieres, the same way that has been done with film premieres for decades. Simultaneously, it gives the broadcasters a platform where they can screen their content in front of their peers and audiences, creating a unique opportunity to get feedback as well as exposure. I actually think we are one of the only festivals that have series premieres for both industry and a public audience.

What makes this. and Aarhus Series a unique Nordic TV drama venue?
FEJ: this.2020 is a leading festival in the newest trends, in relation to digital media, branding, communication, gaming, series, TV, film, and innovative business. Furthermore, the visual industry in Aarhus and the entire Central Jutland Region is in rapid development, and therefore it is the perfect city to host a festival. The city of Aarhus is also a perfect venue with its infrastructure of the cultural institutions and restaurants.

Besides engaging themes around current affairs, you also dedicate a large space to youth drama and new voices. Is this one aspect of your strengths?
FEJ: Yes. Our running theme is “Social Relevance and Cultural Impact’. To get insight into current trends, and which direction society is taking, it is very important to look at youth drama. This is how we picked the series for the festival that mirror society, and inspire conversations and debates.

How did you select for instance the New Nordic Storytellers?
FEJ: There are some great examples of series created by young people from the Nordics that demonstrate a new way of creating content, or getting a project made without doing it the “usual way”. We wanted to create a platform for sharing these experiences and inspiring others. We asked around in the industry, who were the upcoming talents that we had to watch out for. Among those are Jonas Risvig who captured the feel and emotion of a young generation in historical times during the corona lockdown with his web series Centrum.

What trends have you noticed in Nordic TV drama?
FEJ: Nordic TV-series are generally known for their high quality and high viewer ratings, and they often receive an incredible amount of international attention. Nordic TV-series are very good at telling stories with social relevance and cultural impact. This is part of our culture. A story has to have meaning. We have also dedicated one session to “The Norwegian Courage” celebrating Norway’s courage to tell important stories, big or small, to create deeply nuanced and recognisable characters, and to show the nerve and intensity of the many facets of life.”