Among the actors selected are Espen Kloumman Høiner (Reprise, Mammon), Laura Bach (Those Who Kill) and the Finn Elmer Bäck, cast as Sergei Eisenstein in Paul Greenaway’s Eisenstein in Guantanamo running for a Golden Bear. All talents have received guidance on how to network and profile themselves, and will attend special events such as closed meetings at the Nordic embassies in Berlin, a speed-dating session with A-list international casters, the Scandinavian Locations brunch and an evening gala/red carpet session on February 9.
Project leader Linda Steinhoff – a former Norwegian actress turned casting agent in Berlin - explains how she had the idea for Northern Lights. “There is a noticeable trend and interest amongst the international industry to cast Nordic actors, but these often do not follow the international guidelines on how to be visible on the market and lack in professionalism. Also, although more agents are handling Nordic actors, many are still struggling on their own. Our main goal is therefore to promote Nordic talents and help them widen their network and job opportunities.”
For Steinhoff, ‘Northern Lights’ complements the more selective European Film Promotion’s Shooting Stars event in Berlin. She hopes that in the future, the pilot programme funded mostly by the state funded Norwegian Actors’ Centre – hence representing a majority of Norwegian actors - will become an annual event, truly Nordic, backed by other Nordic industry bodies.
For further information check: http://www.skuespillersenter.no/northern-lights/