23/08/2011

The audiovisual industry in the Nordic countries will be in focus at this year’s Holland Film Meeting, which takes place between September 22-26 in Utrecht, as part of the Netherlands Film Festival.

Co-production market chief Signe Zeilich-Jensen checked in at the New Nordic Films market in Haugesund to contact Scandinavian producers and to set up an exchange of projects with the Norwegian International Film Festival.

”We have recognised a growing interest among Dutch producers to get in closer contact with potential partners in the Scandinavian countries – there are many similarities between the problems they face on both sides,” explained Zeilich-Jensen, who is responsible for the market for the first time.

”In the past there have been several examples of Dutch co-productions with Danish partners, but now Dutch companies are also looking for connections in the other Nordic countries, and we hope this year’s initiative will support their efforts to find Scandinavian collaboration for their films.”

”Last year we centered on Wallonia – the French-speaking part of Belgium – and already this year we are presenting the first Dutch-Wallonian co-production project. We usually have 120 to 130 participants in the market, so we will expect 30 to 40 from Scandinavia, and four to five projects out of the 18 which are on the schedule.”

Organised for the 24th time very much like New Nordic Films, Holland Film Meeting will begin with an introduction to Scandinavian cinema, emphasising new talent, before the traditional three-day co-production market and Benelux Screenings.

Unspooling its 31st edition between 21-30 September, the Netherlands Film Festival last year screened 382 films – which included mostly domestic productions - to a total audience of around 154,000. The programme includes the national Dutch film prizes, the Golden Calf Awards.