Uplifted by six months of mentorship, NOK 200,000 development money, two workshops, and a Best Pitch award in Haugesund to Teenage Jesus by Marie Grahtø, (pictured left) the first round of Nordic Genre Boost participants are now flying alone. Some of the seven producers backed by Nordisk Film & TV Fond reflect on the initiative.
Amalie Lyngbo Hjort (pictured right, Beofilm, Denmark) producer of the English language sci-fi pop noir project Teenage Jesus said: “As first timers in feature film production, it was essential for Marie [Grahtø] and I to be part of Nordic Genre Boost. It gave us a head-start in the development phase.” The self-inspired story of a teenage girl committed to a psychiatric hospital and discovers she can cure other patients’ mental disorders with her supernatural powers, is in early stage of development.
John Einar Hagen (Nordisk Film Norway), producer of the other sci-fi project Bright Skies by Andre Øvredal (Troll Hunter), felt that pointing at genre film in general was ‘a cool thing to do’, and the response from the industry showed that it was needed. The €4m English language project about UFO phenomena is based on true events that unfolded in Norway in 1982. Øvredal is polishing the script and filming is scheduled for late 2016.
Leila Lyytikäinen (Fisher King, Finland) producer of the horror comedy Bloodsuckers by first timer Elin Grönblom, stressed that Nordic genre content in general is highly regarded internationally. “Nordic Genre Boost gives it the recognition it deserves,” she said. The € 2.5m English language project about killer mosquitoes in Finnish Lapland is in early financing stage.
Aleksi Hyvärinen (Don Films, Finland), producer of the chiller/survival film Bodom by third time director Taneli Mustonen, welcomed the seed money for the development phase, “something many international producers do not have”. Based on the true story of a campsite murder, the €1m project has secured co-financing from the Finnish Film Foundation, Nelonen, Future Film and filming will start in September.
Bendix Heggen Strønstad (Yesbox Productions, Norway), producer of Thale-Conflux, sequel to the 2012 fantasy film Thale by Alexander Nordaas, said Nordic Genre Boost helped them clear crucial parts in the script and might lead to co-productions with other participants. The plan for the €2.8m supernatural film is to start shooting in the summer 2016.
Thor Sigurjonsson (Zik Zak Filmworks, Iceland), producer of The Highlands by the established Ragnar Bragason, enjoyed the creative input from tutors and the networking with other genre creators. The €2m English language project – in early development - is a story of survival with a twist. Two American couples on a road trip in Iceland have a car crash and find shelter at an isolated farm house owned by an elderly couple. Strange things start to happen.
The seventh project Border by Iranian/Danish filmmaker Ali Abbasi produced by Nina Bisgaard (Meta Film) is based on a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist (Let the Right One In). The story of a customs officer who finds out she is actually a troll is about ‘being different and not fitting in’, said the director. The €1.5m project will start filming in the spring 2016.
The call for projects for the second round of Nordic Genre Boost support will go out in October/November 2015.