11/06/2014 - The Norwegian cinema association will no longer be an organisation for Norway’s municipalities, but for both public and private theatre owners and the video industry

Norwegian Film Institute editor Jan Erik Holst

At its annual two-day meeting in Oslo last week (2-3 June), Norwegian cinema association Film & Kino – a cornerstone of Norwegian film culture – decided to change regulations so that its owners are no longer the Norwegian municipalities, which used to control 90% of the country’s cinemas. In the future, Film & Kino will be a trade and member organisation for municipal and privately owned theatres and the video industry.

The assembly also confirmed the board’s recommendation to cut festival backing by €1.3 million, support of cinémathèques by €0.5 million and school activities by €0.4 million. It recommended that the financing body, the Norwegian Cinema and Film Foundation, which is managed by the association – and which claims levies on cinema tickets and DVD sales/rentals – be changed into an independent institution with a board appointed by the Culture Ministry. This is shortly to be discussed in the Norwegian Parliament.

Now with a new managing director, former SF Norge CEO Guttorm Petterson – who takes over the job in the autumn (see news) – Film & Kino will continue its the efforts to strengthen Norwegian cinema, film and video culture, backing initiatives to stimulate interest in and knowledge of quality films, and ensure they are accessible to the public. Its mission is also to increase and improve the general information about film and video, and to assist movie theatres in matters of technical equipment and administration.

At the meeting, Norwegian Film Institute editor Jan Erik Holst received the Aamot Statuette, Film & Kino’s honorary prize for “an outstanding contribution to Norwegian film or film production”. Holst, who will shortly retire from his job, has worked in film since 1970 and has always been “a source of inspiration for young and old film enthusiasts”, the Aamot committee said. He has been with the institute since 1988, most recently as head of the international department.