18/01/2023 - The leading Scandinavian market is gearing up for its 24th edition, and will welcome new projects by Mikael Håfström, Ole Bornedal, Erik Poppe and Hisham Zaman, among others

Director Erik Poppe, who is taking part in Works in Progress with Quisling – The Final Days (© Paradox/SF Studios)

The upcoming 24^th edition of the Nordic Film Market is inviting along a total of 36 new feature-film projects – 15 in post-production, 11 in development presented within the market’s Discovery co-financing platform, and another ten features in development from up-and-coming Swedish creators in Talent to Watch – and will present them to 500 market delegates hailing from 32 countries. Furthermore, 17 completed feature films will be screened as part of the industry section.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

The leading business and meeting place for the Scandinavian and international film industry is due to run from 2-5 February, during the 46^th Göteborg Film Festival (27 January-5 February). The Nordic Film Market will comprise a full, on-site event in Gothenburg alongside the Industry Platform, a digital window to the market programme.

Starting with the Works in Progress selection, Sweden is bringing along four projects: Mikael Håfström (The Perfect Patient [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) presents his period film Stockholm Bloodbath, which follows a trial that led to a series of nearly 100 executions of nobles and civilians in 1520. The other three projects are by debuting Swedish filmmakers: Mika Gustafson (Silvana [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) is coming along with her first solo effort, Paradise Is Burning [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mika Gustafson
film profile], which follows three sisters aged between seven and 15, who live alone as their mother vanishes for whole swathes of time, and when social services demand a family meeting, the eldest sister, Laura, plans to find a stand-in for their mother; the suspense drama Hunters on a White Field by Sarah Gyllenstierna focuses on three men who go hunting in the woods, and even after all the animals vanish, they are determined to continue the hunt; and Glaspest by Elina Sahlin is about drug abuse among youths in a rural community.

Denmark will be rocking up with four projects. Nightwatch – Demons Are Forever is the highly anticipated sequel to the 1994 psycho-thriller Nightwatch by Ole Bornedal (Deliver Us from Evil [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) (see the news). Birgitte Stærmose (Darling [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) is presenting her hybrid film Children of the Lowest Heaven, which focuses on a group of kids and their transition to adulthood in post-war Kosovo as they try to forge a life for themselves. Eternal [+see also:
film review
interview: Ulaa Salim
film profile] is the sophomore feature by Ulaa Salim (Sons of Denmark [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elliott Crosset Hove
interview: Ulaa Salim
film profile]), an existential sci-fi drama and love story, while producer Søren Green is presenting his debut feature, B.O.Y.

Three projects hail from Norway. Among them are A Happy Day [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], the latest feature by Hisham Zaman (Before Snowfall [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), which centres on three friends stuck at an asylum centre for unaccompanied minors, who plan to escape; Quisling – The Final Days, a psychological drama by Erik Poppe (U - July 22 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Erik Poppe
film profile]) that follows the titular infamous man responsible for one of the greatest betrayals during World War II (see the news); and Sex [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dag Johan Haugerud
film profile], the first part of a trilogy that explores sexuality, longing and transgression in modern Nordic society, by Dag Johan Haugerud (Beware of Children [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dag Johan Haugerud
film profile]) (see the news).

There are two projects from Iceland: the crime-drama Cold by Erlingur Thoroddsen (Rift [+see also:
trailer
interview: Erlingur Thoroddsen
film profile]), whose story starts when Ódinn begins investigating some decades-old deaths at a juvenile treatment centre; and Solitude [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ninna Pálmadóttir
film profile] by debutante Ninna Pálmadóttir, whose plot revolves around Jón, an elderly farmer who is forced to leave his farm behind (see the news). The selection is rounded off by two projects from Finland: Comeback by Petri Kotwica (Absolution [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), which follows the comeback attempts of a band called No Love Lost; and Tiina Lymi’s eagerly awaited period film Stormskerry Maja, based on a series of beloved novels.

In the Discovery section, 11 film projects that are currently in development and are mainly by first-time filmmakers will be presented. Among others, we find the sophomore works by Fanni Metelius (The Heart [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Gabriel Bier Gislason (Attachment [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Tea Lindeburg (As In Heaven [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tea Lindeburg
film profile]) and Isabella Carbonell (Dogborn [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabella Carbonell
film profile]).

Finally, ten Swedish feature films in development have been selected to be presented at the Nordic Film Market, as part of the aforementioned Talent to Watch initiative. You can read about them here.

Here is the selection of projects taking part in the 2023 Nordic Film Market:

Works in Progress

A Happy Day [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Hisham Zaman (Norway)
Producer: Hisham Zaman (Snowfall Cinema)

B.O.Y. - Søren Green (Denmark)
Producers: Pelle Folmer, Morten Holst (Asta Film)

Children of the Lowest Heaven - Birgitte Stærmose (Denmark)
Producer: Lise Lense-Møller (Magic Hour Films)

Cold - Erlingur Thoroddsen (Iceland)
Producers: Heather Millard, Sigurjón Sighvatsson (Compass Films, Eyjafjallajökull Entertainment)

Comeback - Petri Kotwica (Finland)
Producer: Aleksi Bardy (Helsinki Filmi)

Eternal [+see also:
film review
interview: Ulaa Salim
film profile] - Ulaa Salim (Denmark)
Producer: Daniel Mühlendorph (Hyæne Film)

Glaspest - Elina Sahlin (Sweden)
Producer: Christian Kielberg (Makeriet)

Hunters on a White Field - Sarah Gyllenstierna (Sweden)
Producers: Maria Guerpillon, Charlotte Most (Most Alice Films)

Nightwatch - Demons Are Forever - Ole Bornedal (Denmark)
Producer: Thomas Heinesen (Nordisk Film)

Sex [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dag Johan Haugerud
film profile] - Dag Johan Haugerud (Norway)
Producers: Yngve Sæther, Hege Hauff Hvattum (Motlys)

Solitude [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ninna Pálmadóttir
film profile] - Ninna Pálmadottir (Iceland)
Producer: Lilja Ósk Snorradóttir (Pegasus Pictures)

Stockholm Bloodbath - Mikael Håfström (Sweden)
Producer: Helena Danielsson (Viaplay Studios)

Stormskerry Maja - Tiina Lymi (Finland)
Producers: Jukka Helle, Hanna Virolainena, Markus Selin (Solar Films)

Paradise Is Burning [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mika Gustafson
film profile] - Mika Gustafson (Sweden)
Producer: Nima Yousefi (HOBAB)

Quisling – The Final Days - Erik Poppe (Norway)
Producers: Finn Gjerdrum, Stein B Kvae (Paradox)

Discovery

2001 - Fanni Metelius (Sweden)
Producer: Joel Rostmark (Pine)

Act of God - Alicia Hansen (Sweden)
Producer: Stina Eriksson (Prolaps Produktion)

Abdu - Ibrahim Mursal (Norway)
Producer: Geir Bergersen (Feber Film)

Almeíra - Liv Joelle Barbosa Blad (Norway)
Producer: Louise Beyer (Barbosa Film)

Mothership (Finland)
Producers: Inka Hietala, Helen Vinogradov (Aurora Studios)

No, wait - Gabriel Bier Gislason (Denmark)
Producer: Thomas Heinesen (Nordisk Film)

Paradise - Emma Pål Brunzell (Sweden)
Producer: Agnes Parkrud (BR*F)

The Patron - Julia Thelin (Sweden)
Producers: Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå (Grand Slam Film)

The Seal Woman - Tea Lindeburg (Denmark)
Producer: Jesper Morthorst (Motor Productions)

Utopia - Isabella Carbonell (Sweden)
Producer: TBA

Death of a Saint - Patricia Bbaale Bandak (Denmark)
Producer: Victor Cunha (Monolit Film)