Swedish Film Institute's Denward is new production chief at Svensk

by Jorn Rossing Jensen

01/09/2012 - Swedish major Svensk Filmindustri AB has appointed head of production funding and promotion Charlotte Denward, of the Swedish Film Institute, new chief of production. Denward will start in the job on November 1, taking over from Börje Hansson, who is leaving by the end of this month to make films for his own independent company.

Denward, who holds a masters in literature, philosophy and French, began her film career as a projectionist in Lund. Between 1996-2000 she was a film commissioner at the institute, whee she supported – among others – Swedish directors Ella Lemhagen's Tsatsiki, Mum and the Policeman and Lukas Moodyssons Fucking Åmål (aka Show Me Love).

For seven years she was producer at Sweden's FilmLance International AB, with seven titles to her credit – European Film Promotion named her Producer on the Move in Cannes 2004 – till she returned to the institute for her present position in 2006. "She will be difficult to replace – she is one of the smartest persons I have met," said the institute's Managing Director Anna Serner.

Svensk Filmindustri is about (September 28) to launch the first film in the series of eight from Swedish author Lars Kepler's thrillers, Swedish Hollywood-director Lasse Hallström's The Hypnotist. It will be followed by The Paganini Contract, which will go into production this autumn under the direction of Kjell Sundvall.

Besides the LasseMaja's Detective Agency franchise – three films from Swedish author Martin Widmark's children's books – the company is currently involved in Danish director Per Fly's Monica Z – A Lingonberry in a Cocktail, Swedish directors Lukas Moodysson's We Are The Best! and Agneta Fagerström-Olsson's Wallander - The Troubled Man.