A note of lingering summer, a touch of approaching autumn and oodles of anticipation – it’s all in the air as the New Nordic Films market kicks off today in parallel with the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund. Four full-on days of market screenings, work-in-progress presentations, pitching forums, panels and networking await attendees as programmers, sales agents, producers, directors and a wide variety of international industry members gather around the very latest fare when it comes to high-quality Northern European cinema.

The market screenings – 19 in all – open with Iceland’s Hlynur Pálmason and his recent Cannes Critics’ Week favourite A White, White Day [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Hlynur Pálmason
scheda film]. Two upcoming Venice titles, Denmark’s Psychosia [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Marie Grahtø
scheda film] by Marie Grathø and Norway’s Beware of Children [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Dag Johan Haugerud
scheda film] by Dag Johan Haugerud, are among the programme’s 13 world market premieres. Sweden’s 438 Days [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Jesper Ganslandt and The Spy [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jannicke Systad Jacobsen
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Several work-in-progress entries – 20 in total, all in post-production – already have a good buzz surrounding them. Jessica, the highly anticipated debut feature by Sweden’s Ninja Thyberg, deals, like her Cannes-awarded short Pleasure [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ninja Thyberg
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intervista: Maria Sødahl
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scheda film] by Denmark’s Daniel Dencik is a dark tale of altered identity and Japanese nightlife. Other hot WiP entries include The Day We Died [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ulla Heikkilä
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intervista: Thomas Robsahm
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Six of the work-in-progress projects are nominated for the Eurimages Lab Project Award, given out to a work of a cutting-edge nature “to encourage a film that is experimental in form or content, made on the side of the traditional filmmaking framework and showing international collaboration”. The entries are Jessica, Miss Osaka, Inland [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jon Blåhed
scheda film] by Jon Blåhed (Sweden), Nimby [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Teemu Nikki (Finland), Sisters by Silje Salomonsen and Arild Østin Ommundsen, and HIM [+leggi anche:
intervista: Guro Bruusgaard
scheda film] by Guro Bruusgaard (both from Norway). An expert four-headed jury will present its top choice on Thursday.

Other highlights in the packed schedule include the Nordic Co-production Market, with 17 films in development; the Scandinavian Debut pitch; the Next Nordic Generation programme; and the unveiling of the Nordic Council Film Prize nominees. A total of 300 participants are expected for this 25^th New Nordic Films event, co-managed by the Nordisk Film & TV Fond and running from 20-23 August.

For the full schedule and project lists, please click here.