From more than a hundred applicants, eleven Nordic talents were chosen for a masterclass hosted by actor Alma Pöysti.

The Söderlångvik masterclass brought together eleven Nordic actors and directors on Kimito Island in southern Finland from May 3-5.

The event, held for the first time, was hosted by Finnish actor and Golden Globe nominee Alma Pöysti, and moderated by film journalist Marta Balaga. The aim was to foster new Nordic collaborations in the industry.

For Elisa Kujala, a Finnish filmmaker living in Sweden, discussing directors' experiences was essential.

“The greatest take away from the masterclass was the importance of having an open and honest communication. Almost every issue we might have, boils down to communication, so I feel that we must talk openly, and not hide things on set, which can make people feel uncomfortable.”

Elfar Adalsteins, director from Iceland, says he saw the weekend as a chance to meet fellow Nordic colleagues.

“Being tucked away in the beautiful Finnish countryside for a weekend, Alma and the organizers managed to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, that enabled us to discuss the artistic and technical processes of filmmaking from both sides of the camera. Our shared aim of creating stories of emotional truth were also very rewarding discussions.’’

How can the Nordic filmmakers cooperate more in the future?

“More masterclasses and collaborative pushes like these would be great to keep on nourishing what is already fertile ground. If we do that, poignant human stories will keep on being born.”

Linnea Leino, an actor from Finland, described the weekend as a great opportunity to talk about work without having to pressure to finish a project or a pitch, which provided the discussions with more freedom, and director Samuel Boateng, also from Finland, described the weekend as a safe place to share any kind of experiences.

Nitesh Anjaan, director and screenwriter from Denmark, saw the masterclass as a chance to develop the understanding between actors and filmmakers.

“Where I think other masterclasses are very much focused on the result, on a film that is made, an analysis of some kind or a concrete tool, this was meant as a place for meeting each other, before the tools.”

“And I think that made a difference in terms of what kind of experiences people shared, as they were more personal. I really took something away from this course, in terms of how we can create frameworks in our work that allows people to express themselves authentically in their art.”

Nitesh Anjaan, who is finishing his first fiction film, is looking for ways to “walk the walk” in terms of Nordic collaboration.

“My producer and I are discussing how we can do test screenings in Oslo, so we can make sure that in developing the film, we don’t limit us to a specific Danish reaction to the story. The story is set in suburban Copenhagen, but I hope it will resonate with a Scandinavian as well as a universal experience.”

The Söderlångvik masterclass was organised for the first time, as a cooperation between the association Föreningen Konstsamfundet, established in 1940 by patron Amos Anderson, and Helsinki International Film Festival.

The weekend ended with a separate masterclass, open for the general audience. Alma Pöysti discussed her work on the film Tove (2020) with cinematographer Linda Wassberg.

The next Söderlångvik masterclass will be held in autumn 2024.
This year's participants:

Actors

Edvin Endre (Sweden)

Josefin Neldén (Sweden)

Kingsford Siayor (Norway, absent)

Linnea Leino (Finland)

Ragga Ragnars (Iceland)

Roderick Kabanga (Finland)

Directors

Elisa Kujala (Sweden)

Elfar Adalsteins (Iceland)

Kaya Pakaslahti (Finland)

Nitesh Anjaan (Denmark)

Marja Pyykkö (Finland)

Samuel Boateng (Finland)