At a moment when much of the industry discourse is dominated by crisis narratives, the “Wonderful Things That Work” panel, held at the Göteborg Film Festival’s TV Drama Vision and the Nordic Film Market, offered a more grounded and reflective conversation about how films and series continue to find audiences against all odds. Moderated by Johanna Koljonen, the discussion brought together Anna Croneman, CEO of the Swedish Film Institute; Henning Kamm, producer and managing director at REAL FILM, known for the series Unorthodox [+lee también:
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Rather than searching for formulas, the panel focused on lived experience, examining how projects are actually developed, protected and sustained in a volatile ecosystem. Koljonen framed the conversation around a paradox: while industry conditions are widely perceived as bleak, enthusiasm for film and television remains high among creators and audiences alike. The challenge, she suggested, is moving beyond circular explanations of success and identifying what tangibly enables work to resonate.

Fear and trust quickly emerged as central themes. Carlton described fear as an unavoidable condition of the present moment, but also as a potential threat to creativity if left unchecked. When fear enters the creative process, he argued, it leads to self-censorship and conservatism. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s notion of “pessimism of the intelligence, optimism of the will”, Carlton called for boldness rooted in conviction and mutual trust. Success, he noted, should not be measured solely by scale. Reaching 100,000 viewers can be meaningful, or even transformative, if the work genuinely connects.

From an institutional perspective, Croneman acknowledged the pressures created by declining cinema attendance in Sweden, which has yet to recover from a dramatic post-pandemic drop. Yet she emphasised that focusing exclusively on structural problems risks draining creative energy. For her, watching new films and engaging closely with emerging talent remain vital sources of optimism. She also reflected on moments in her own career when she took editorial risks, such as moving away from Nordic noir during her time at SVT, which initially provoked anxiety, but ultimately expanded both audiences and creative possibilities.

Kamm approached the question from a production and organisational standpoint. Drawing on his experiences in Germany and Scandinavia, he stressed the importance of collaboration from the very earliest stages of development. Too often, he argued, collaboration is treated as something that begins once a project is already defined. Building trusted creative teams from the outset, and investing time in how people work together, can make projects more resilient when external conditions shift. He cited the production of Berlin ER, where a broadcaster withdrew shortly before shooting, as a case where strong internal dynamics helped the project survive a major instance of disruption.

Team-building also resonated strongly with Garbis, who highlighted the human dimension of production. Hiring the right people, creating shared experiences and allowing space for vulnerability were, in his view, just as important as creative decisions. Whether through workshops or shared moments outside the set, these experiences foster trust and cohesion, which later translate into smoother collaboration and stronger work overall. Garbis also cautioned against overthinking trends or attempting to engineer success. The “X factor”, he suggested, remains elusive, and accepting that uncertainty can be liberating.

When the discussion turned to audience connection, the panellists resisted simplistic distinctions between cinema and streaming. Croneman argued that the difference is no longer self-evident, and that future works may increasingly blur boundaries between formats and viewing contexts. Carlton echoed this, rejecting narrow ideas of “local” relevance. For him, genre and storytelling fundamentals travel precisely because they tap into shared emotional frameworks. What matters is not geography, but resonance.

Koljonen proposed “wonderfulness” as a working concept, not as a marketing term, but as a quality that compels viewers to talk about a work and share it with others. This, she suggested, is what ultimately creates an “event”, whether for a blockbuster or for a more modest release. The panellists agreed that such moments cannot be manufactured, but they can be nurtured by clarity of vision and commitment.

In the closing section, the advice remained deliberately pragmatic. Carlton urged creators not to panic and to stay engaged with the world, rather than chasing trends or algorithms. Croneman encouraged industry professionals to watch films, listen closely to filmmakers and draw courage from strong voices. Garbis framed inspiration as a responsibility, asking leaders to consider how their passion motivates collaborators. Finally, Kamm emphasised sharing – of knowledge, fears and experiences – as a way of strengthening the ecosystem as a whole.

The panel ultimately suggested that what “works” today is not a single strategy or model, but rather a set of attitudes: trust over fear, collaboration over isolation and conviction over caution. In a fragmented market, these qualities may not guarantee success, but they remain essential conditions for creating work that endures.