Norway’s refugee comedy Welcome to Norway by Runar Denstad Langlo and the Finnish environmental thriller The Mine by Aleksi Salmenperä are among the five Nordic titles backed by the Fund that will compete for a Dragon Award-Best Nordic Film at the Göteborg International Film Festival (January 29-February 8) alongside the Danish films Land of Mine, A War and Iceland’s Sparrows.

Welcome to Norway produced by Motlys Film was among the most talked about Works in Progress at Haugesund’s New Nordic Films 2015 and was just picked up for world sales by Beta Cinema. The Mine produced by Helsinki filmi is represented by The Yellow Affair, together with the Swedish Film and festival opener The Yard by Måns Månson produced by Anagram Film & TV.

Other titles vying for the SEK 1 million Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film are the Danish entry The Model by Mads Matthiesen (sold by TrustNordisk) and the Swedish drama Granny’s Dancing on the Table by Hanna Sköld (sold by Film Republic).

The jury of the Dragon award consisting of US director Laurie Anderson, Swedish actress Saga Becker, Danish director Christian Braad Thomsen, Icelandic producer/writer Sigurjón Kjartansson, Norwegian cinematographer Anna Myking and Helsinki Film Festival Executive Director Sara Norberg will hand out the awards on February 6.

Eight titles are competing for Best Nordic Documentary including Doing Good by Margreth Olin, the IDFA winner Don Juan by Jerzy Sladkowski, Motley’s Law by Nicole N. Horanyi and Return of the Atom by Mika Taanila and Jussi Eerola, all supported by the Fund.

A total of 450 films from 84 countries will screen in Göteborg including the closing film Satisfaction 1720 by Henrik Ruben Genz.

This year’s Honorary Dragon Award will be handed out to Susanne Bier and a new section dedicated to TV drama will introduce seven premium Nordic TV series including the world premiere of the Swedish shows The Most Forbidden, the crime series Spring Tide and comedy 30 Degrees in February.

The festival’s industry events TV Drama Vision unspools February 3-4 and New Nordic Market February 4-7.  For more information, check: www.giff.se