Producers on the Move in Cannes 2025 – prolific Nordic trio sets course for the great Riviera rendezvous

Initiated and overseen by the European Film Promotion organisation (EFP), and taking place during the Cannes film festival, the Producers on the Move programme presents its 26th edition, running May 16-20.

20 producers, each with experience of at least one international co-production, a feature at a major film festival, and at least one project suitable for international co-production in tow, will participate in a tailor-made five-day variety of sessions, incorporating case studies, networking and other social events, and an extensive promotional campaign. Historically, it’s been an often career-boosting rendezvous, as repeatedly reported by the now over 500 participants through the years, many of whom have certainly “moved”, at times towards degrees of greatness.

Carefully selected via the national film institutes, the 2025 edition will include representatives from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, soon to set course for the French Riviera.

Janne Hjeltnes, Norway, launched Empathitude Pictures with her Danish producer partner Anne Borggaard Sørensenin early 2025, operating from Oslo and Copenhagen. Her latest film, Hiding Saddam Hussein (Han gjemte Saddam Hussein - Jakten på verdens mest etterlyste mann, 2023) by Halkawt Mustafa, premiered at IDFA and became the most successful feature-length documentary ever at the Arab box office. 2025 sees the premiere of a debut feature film, Donʼt Call Me Mama (Ikke kall meg mamma) by Nina Knag. Janne Hjeltnes is a member of the ACE Producers Network.

What does it mean to you and your company to represent Norway at the Producers on the Move event in Cannes, and why does 2025 feel like a good time for your participation?

It means a lot, both personally and for Empathitude Pictures. 2025 feels like the perfect timing because I am right at the start of an exciting new chapter. After many years of working across high-end drama, feature films, and documentaries, launching Empathitude Pictures feels like a natural step forward. Our ambition is to create original, artist-driven, bold stories that can travel, and being part of Producers on the Move gives us a chance to connect with other producers, find new partners, and build the kind of creative collaborations that are more important than ever. We want to work across borders, and Cannes is the ideal place to start those conversations.

What projects will you bring to Cannes, and what will be your priorities there?

It feels especially exciting to bring a new project by Bobbie Peers to Cannes, given his history with the festival, having won the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film with Sniffer (2006). First Aid for Killers (Førstehjelp for drapsmenn), a dark, satirical comedy feature set in the Canary Islands, is one of the highlights of our development slate at Empathitude Pictures.

My priorities will be to connect with potential co-producers, sales agents, and financiers who share our passion for bold storytelling with both artistic ambition and audience reach. I’m also looking to initiate conversations around upcoming co-productions and to expand our network of creative and strategic partners in Europe and beyond.

What drives you as a producer, and what do you feel are the essential skills needed for a producer to make a project stand out on the market?

What drives me is the ability to create space for original voices — to help bring stories to life that not only entertain, but challenge, move, and connect people across cultures. I believe a great producer needs to combine clear creative instincts with strategic foresight: the ability to recognise a story’s emotional core, to build the right team around it, and to navigate the shifting market with agility and persistence. In today’s landscape, I think producers must not only understand financing and production logistics, but also be advocates for the projects they believe in — pushing for artistic integrity while remaining audience-aware. Balancing vision with pragmatism is key to making a project both stand out and travel.

Eliza Jones, Sweden, co-founded Grand Slam Film with producer partner Markus Waltå in 2015, and has since focused on producing fiction. After several short films that competed in Cannes, Sundance, Berlinale, Tribeca and Toronto, they moved into feature films with Ninja Thybergʼs Pleasure (2020), which was selected for Cannes 2020 and Sundance 2021. Their latest premieres of Locals (Stammisar, 2022) by Måns Nyman and One Day All This Will Be Yours (En dag kommer allt det här bli ditt, 2023) by Andreas Öhman will soon be followed by The Patron (Mecenaten) by Julia Thelin and Öhmanʼs upcoming feature 7 Steps (7 steg). Eliza Jones is an alumna of EAVE.

What does it mean for you and your company to represent Sweden at the Producers on the Move event in Cannes, and why does 2025 feel like a good time for your participation?

I started Grand Slam Film together with my business partner Markus Waltå just as we were graduating from film school. The company turned ten this year, and without getting too existential, it’s a great time for some self-reflection and strategising for the coming ten years. Being a “producer on the move” begs the questions: Are we moving? In what direction? To what purpose? I’m honoured to be representing Sweden in this group of inspiring European producers, all making the continuous effort of getting films made – often a painstakingly slow process which does not feel like being on the move at all.

What projects will you bring to Cannes, and what will be your priorities there?

We are in post-production with two feature films – Julia Thelin’s The Patron and Andreas Öhman’s 7 Steps, both soon ready to meet their audiences. We are also finalising the financing of Sophie Vuković’s feature debut My Best Friend’s Baby (Min bästa väns bebis), with shooting set for the first half of 2026. It’s a heartfelt Swedish-Croatian story about the greatest love of all – friendship. We have another debut lined up after that – Sebastian Johansson Micci’s absurd drama The Earwig (Tvestjärten), as well as deepening our previous collaborations with new projects.

And we are also scouting exciting projects to join as Swedish co-producers. Bolder, bigger, better – I’d love it if the next project we board is something that shakes me, and the audience, up entirely. Casting our net here, as the Swedish expression goes…

What drives you as a producer, and what do you feel are the essential skills needed for a producer to make a project stand out on the market?

I’m ultimately driven by the relationships we forge in this business, that spring from a kind of need to share stories. It’s not always explicable. I’m constantly in awe of my producer colleagues in the industry, and I am driven by being able to be a part of that collective. I wish there was one answer to the second part of the question, which I am certain there is not. But I think it starts with real honest intent and a fair amount of self-criticism and questioning to find answers unique to each project.

Daniel Mühlendorph is the founder and co-owner of Hyæne Film, based in Copenhagen. He has produced eight feature films, including Persona non Grata (Hvor kragerne vender, 2021) and Eternal (For evigt, 2023). His films have premiered at festivals such as Rotterdam, Karlovy Vary, and Tribeca. He currently has two new films in production and five films in development, three of which are international co-productions looking for partners.

What does it mean for you and your company to represent Denmark at the Producers on the Move event in Cannes, and why does 2025 feel like a good time for your participation?

I’m truly happy and proud that the Danish Film Institute and EFP have selected me to represent our company and Denmark this year. It shines a light on the work we’ve been doing for quite some time — carefully selecting the most exciting new Danish directorial voices and collaborating to create unique debut films, which now pave the way for their second and third features. We currently have four exciting projects in development, all of which are either major or minor co-productions that require collaboration across Europe, so the timing couldn’t be better. I’m also at a point in my career where it feels natural to further expand my international network, and Producers on the Move is an outstanding opportunity to do exactly that.

What projects will you bring to Cannes, and what will be your priorities there?

I’m participating with a slate of three very different projects. Two of them are second features from their respective directors, while the third is a debut. The intention is to find co-producers and financial partners who can help make the realisation of our slate possible. First, there’s Medicated by Las Dyhrcrone, which won a special mention at Nordic Talents in 2023, and Best Project at the m:brane financing forum in 2024, a story of a ruthless young opioid addict driven by power who must confront his own humanity when a stranger challenges everything he believes. Then, there’s Polarisby Christian Andersen, about a young net mender on a prawn trawler in the 1990s, who must choose between his dreams of prosperity and losing his family at home, while he battles nature’s fury in pursuit of the red gold. Finally, there’s Kirsten’s Vengeance (Kirstens hævn) by Lisa Jespersen, a film about 16 year old Kirsten and her rebellious friends, whose carefree world is shattered when Kirsten’s misogynistic stepfather, Steen, moves in. As the power struggle between them intensifies, Kirsten is pushed to the edge, and takes matters into her own hands – Steen must die!

What drives you as a producer, and what do you feel are the essential skills needed for a producer to make a project stand out on the market?

I always wanted to tell important stories that make a difference. To have the opportunity to realise so many unique stories of different voices is what drives me. I believe it’s important to focus on the perspectives from which the directors want to tell their stories. We often ask the question: Why does this story need to be told, and why is this the right director to tell it with us? It’s crucial that the projects are driven by a core sense of necessity. Our films need to have something meaningful to say — more than just entertainment. We also need to dare to tell stories in new ways, constantly challenging ourselves to ensure that our films stand out in the market.

The selection procedure for the Producers on the Move programme builds on a point system where the experience with at least one international co-production but not yet majority production on more than three international co-productions are among the main criteria. These and other specific conditions, as agreed on by the EFP member countries – currently 37 in number – aims for the national film institutes to give all countries a fair chance having a candidate each year. The annual limit of participants is topped with 20 to have an effective and sustainable programme. Depending on availability and/or suitability, not all member countries will submit a candidate every year.

For extensive information on the 2025 Producers on the Move programme and other prolific EFP activities: CLICK HERE.