Pirjo Honkasalo, Nahid Persson Sarvestani, Jesper W. Nielsen among Fund recipients

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

Feature Films

• Orenda
  Grant: NOK 1,500,000
  Recipient: Bufo, Finland
  Producers: Misha Jaari, Mark Lwoff
  Writer: Pirkko Saisio
  Director: Pirjo Honkasalo
  Cast: Alma Pöysti, Pirjo Saisio, Hannu-Pekka Björkman
  Domestic distribution: B-Plan
  Logline: Orenda tells a captivating and passionate story about guilt and mercy.
  
  Finland’s celebrated cinematographer/director makes her long-awaited return to directing, ten years after the multi-awarded Concrete Night. The project which is currently filming is co-produced by Ruben Östlund’s company Plattform Production in Sweden and Allfilm in Estonia, with support from the Finnish Film Foundation, Yle, the Swedish Film Institute, the Estonian Film Institute, and the Estonian Cultural Endowment. The premiere via Bufo’s distribution arm B-Plan is scheduled for 2025.
• The Quiet Ones (De Lydløse)
  Grant: NOK 2,200,000
  Recipient: Zentropa Entertainment
  Producer: Kasper Dissing
  Director: Frederik Louis Hviid
  Details to be announced at a later date.

Drama series

• Off the Record (Graverne)
  Format: 6x40’
  Grant: NOK 2,000,000
  Recipient: Nordisk Film Production, Denmark
  Producers: Trin Hjortkjær Thomsen, Camilla Hammerich
  Head-writer: Jenny Lund Madsen
  Concept Director: Jesper W. Nielsen
  Commissioner: TV2 Denmark
  Cast: Mille Dinesen, Afshin Firouzi, Søren Malling, Lila Nobel Mehabil
  Logline: Crime drama series about a team of investigative journalists dealing with personal and professional dilemmas. In hunt for the truth, the team unravels a story of injustice and power abuse.
  
  Filming is underway on location in Copenhagen and at Nordisk Film’s studios in Valby. The series produced by Nordisk Film for TV2 has received co-financing from TV2 Norway, RÚV in Iceland, TV4 in Sweden, MTV in Finland, support from the Danish Film Institute’s Public Service Fund.
• Ormhildur the Brave
  Format: 26x22’
  Grant: NOK 1,500,000
  Recipient: Compass Films, Iceland
  Producer: Heather Millard
  Writer: Thorey Mjallhvit H.Omarsdottir, based on her graphic novel ‘Ormhildarsaga’.
  Director: Thorey Mjallhvit H. Omarsdottir
  Commissioner: RÚV
  Logline: A girl named Ormhildur tries to find her place in a post-apocalyptic world ridden with mythical creatures, whilst on an adventure to solve the worsening climate crisis by creating peace between the creatures and human kind.
  
  This animated series targeting pre-teens and their parents, is deeply rooted in Nordic culture and mythology and carries an environmental message, which questions human dominion over nature.
  
  The project in pre-production is being produced by Compass Films, in co-production with Projects and letko Studio, in association with NDR Germany, RÚV, NRK, YLE, SVT, DR TV, support from the Icelandic Film Centre and the climate fund Loftlagssjóður.
  
  One Gate Media handles world sales excluding the Nordics. Delivery is scheduled for the fall 2025.

Documentary

• Son of the Mullah
  Grant: NOK 400,000
  Recipient: Real Reel Doc, Sweden
  Producers: Mónica Hernández Rejón, Setareh Lundgren
  Director: Nahid Persson Sarvestani
  Domestic distribution: SVT
  Logline: In 2019, the multi-awarded filmmaker Nahid Persson Sarvestani (My Stolen Revolution, Prostitution Behind the Veil) filmed the Iranian journalist based in France Roholla Zam, who exposed the Iranian regime money laundering. Months later, Rohollah was lured by moles to Iraq and kidnapped to Iran. After 14 months in prison, he was executed.
  
  The project is co-produced by SVT, ARTE G.E.I.E, in association with DR, RTS, with support from the Swedish Film Institute. Delivery is slated for the fall 2023.

DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT

• NOK 310,000 in slate distribution support to Bíó Paradís, Iceland for the release of the Finnish films The Grump, Girl Picture and Swedish film Boy from Heaven.
• NOK 210,000 in slate distribution to Smarabio, Iceland.
• NOK 160,000 to B-Plan Distribution, Finland for the release of the Norwegian film Let the River Flow.
• NOK 200,000 to Arthaus, Norway for the release of the Swedish film Boy from Heaven.
• NOK 200,000 to Nordisk Film Distribution, Norway for the release of the Finnish film Sisu.
• NOK 160,000 to Folkets Bio, Sweden for the release of the Norwegian film Let the River Flow.
• NOK 150,000 to Nordisk Film Distribution, Norway for the release of the Swedish filmSecond Act.
• NOK 150,000 to Nordisk Film Distribution Sweden for the release of the Finnish film Sisu.
• NOK 65,000 to Another World, Denmark for the release of the Finnish film Sisu.
• NOK 60,000 to Scandinavian Film Distribution for the release of the Norwegian film Sick of Myself.