Looking at this year’s pitching line up, Creative Director Annette Brejner says that TV series are dominating at this year's Financing Forum for Kids, as well as projects targeting older teenagers. “NRK was a forerunner with Skam in 2015 and at the time we had almost no project for the 13+ age group, but now there is a real craze for that content.”

Among the TV projects is the Swedish 12X15’ series Verdisia directed Daniel di Grado (Farang, Jordskott) for Brain Academy. The TV show in the spirit of Hunger Games tells of a young boy’s quest to free his universe Verdisia from the occupying forces who have enslaved the local population. 

Other series to be pitched include Jenny’s Time, a Norwegian time travel show from Los Bando director Christian Lo, and the Danish animated action comedy The Knomes from Help, I’m a Fish’s seasoned director Karsten Kiilerich. Among the feature projects is the Finnish/French co-production A Girl’s Room by newcomer Aino Suni which won the Eurimages Co-production Development Award in Tallinn 2018, and Sweden’s Mini Zlatan and Uncle Darling by the established Ella Lemhagen (The Crown Jewels, Patrik Age 1.5).

For Brejner, Finland, which brings each year some of the most innovative kids and youth projects, has inspired her to expand her programme to immersive and digital factual content and is this year’s Country in Focus. Among the immersive experiences from Finland is teamLab:Massless, an exhibition curated by Amos Rex Helsinki’s Itha O’Neill, and a presentation of the Finnish doc immersive platform for schools Lyfta.

Brejner says: “We have gathered various professionals working in VR and new technologies to inspire our producers and get them to connect with museums and public institutions who are looking for content. Great new financial opportunities are opening up in that field,” she adds.

The Opening Industry Day will focus on ‘Audience thinking, Co-Creation’, about engagement of the younger target group, with three opening lectures and a workshop facilitated by Germany’s Inga Von Staden. The RealYoung documentary initiative will celebrate its 5th year with six projects looking for distribution and fine-tuning with experts.

Full list of Nordic projects to be pitched:

  • A Girl’s Room, drama feature by Aino Suni, produced by MADE (FI), Adastra Film (FR)
  • Apple Hills, comedy TV series by Lowe Haak, produced by Nice Ninja (DK) 
  • Between Saajve and the Sky, animated TV series by Oskar Njajta Östergren, produced by Bauta Film (SE) 
  • Contained, horror feature by Spaak Olof, produced by Mint AB (SE) 
  • Grimsby, horror feature by Alexander Somma and Øysteinn Moe, produced by Helmet Films (NO) 
  • Jenny’s Time, action feature by Christian Lo, produced by Filmbin (NO) 
  • Joy Eternal, a Divine Consultants Story, transmedia by Juha Filin, produced by Filmimaa (FI) 
  • Mini-Zlatan and Uncle Darling, feature drama by Ella Lemhagen, produced by Snowcloud Films (SE) 
  • Mouse & Crane, family multiplatform project by Trine Laier, produced by Those Eyes (DK)
  • Nerdpark, tv series produced by Five Corners productions (FI) -Pikkuli and the Starlight Reindeer, multiplatform comedy by Antti Aittokoski and Metsämarja Aittokoski, produced by Sun in Eye productions (FI)
  • Table Manners! Timmy, animated TV series by Tor Fruergaard, produced by Made in Copenhagen (DK)
  • The Knomes, multiplatform action comedy by Karsten Kiilerich produced by The Knomes International ApS (DK) 
  • Truth Hunter #2, interactive drama-doc by Aida Riberholt-Rischel produced by Porta Play (DK) 
  • Verdisia, live action series+game+film by Daniel di Grado, produced by Brain Academy (SE)

Real Young Projects:

  •  Kids Cup, docu series (Medieoperatørene,orway) -Mysteries Art Fart, docu series (Cerutti Film, Netherlands) 
  • The Divas, feature film (Elf Productions, Hungary)

Real Young Development

  • -Land of Šar, docu feature (Petra Pan Film, Macedonia)
  • My Cousin Marilyn, docu series (Story AB, Sweden) To the North, docu feature (Pråmfilm, Sweden) 

For the full programme, check: www.thefinancingforum.com