The debut films of A Royal Affair screenwriter Rasmus Heisterberg Oscar nominated Selma Vilhunen and the second film by Nicolo Donato (Brotherhood) are among the 20 works in progress to be pitched at the Nordic Film Market in Göteborg unspooling February 4-7, 2016.

Around 500 international guests including more than 20 international sales agents, 55 distributors and a handful of top US/UK casting agents are expected in Göteborg, the only large Nordic industry gathering focusing both on Nordic films and TV dramas. This is new for us to have top agents from CAA, UTA and ICM,says Cecilia Edström who heads the event. We have from the outset put the focus on emerging talents be it at the Works in Progress or at the Nordic Film Lab Discovery, and the attention from world professionals shows that our strategy pays off. “

Ten out of 20 Works in Progress to be pitched on February 5-6 are first feature films. Among the other names to watch out for are Kim Hiorth
øy from Norway, a graphic designer/illustrator/photographer/musician who makes his directorial debut with The Rules for Everything starring UK actress Natalie Press in the main role. The film produced by Yngve Sæther for Motlys is a satirical look at life and its peculiarities. Arthaus will release it in the fall 2016.

Two former Cannes Cinefondation residents: Juho Kuosmanen from Finland and Shahrbanoo Sadat, an Afghan director working with Denmark are going to present their respective works The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli M
äki, based on a true story of a Finnish boxer, and Wolf and Sheep (pictured) focusing on the everyday life of a small community from Afghanistan.

Wolf and Sheep and the Norwegian debut Valley of Shadows by Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen, a moody thriller with supernatural elements were recently pitched at Les Arcs
 Co-production Village and collected great responses from participants. Valley of Shadows was picked up by Celluloid Dreams.

Other anticipated titles include Across the Road by Danish director Nicolo Donato about a Danish Jewish family fleeing Nazi Germany in 1943. Daniel Dencik and Danica Curcic star in the SF Film production sold by TrustNordisk. Iceland is represented by the thriller I Remember You by Óskar Thór Axelsson (Black’s Game) based on the eponymous novel by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. Zik Zak Filmworks is producing.

Nordic Film Market’s Nordic Film Lab Discovery will present eight titles in development looking for co-financing Such as The Distant Barking of Dogs by documentary filmmaker Simon Lereng Wilmont (The Fencing Champion) produced by Final Cut for Real, Psychosis in Stockholm by former Nordic Talents winner Maria Bäck produced by Garagefilm, and The Whaleed Ahmed Story by Emil Trier, produced by Motlys.

Seventeen finished Nordic films will be offered to world distributors and programmers such as Dragon Award nominees The Model by Mads Matthiesen (sold by TrustNordisk), The Mine by Aleksi Salmenperä, 
The Yard by Måns Månsson (The Yellow Affair), and Welcome to Norway by Rune Denstad Langlo (Beta Cinema).