Organisers of New Nordic Films in Haugesund have prepared a special injection of adrenaline for their 300 participants with the pitching of seven projects part of Nordisk Film & TV Fond’s ‘Nordic Genre Boost’ scheme and a seminar dedicated to the genre, moderated by specialist Annick Mahnert.

Mahnert, managing director at Screen Division and acquisition executive at Raven Banner Entertainment said: “There has always been a fascination for Scandinavian genre films from the international market. Films like Adam's Apple or Let the Right One In have paved the road. Recently, titles like Thale, Iron Sky, When Animals Dream or this year's What We Become attracted a lot of interest from the international market. The fact that some of these titles were selected to play at A-Festivals also shows how serious and qualitative they are. The international audiences react to them and so does the market.”

The seminar Nordic Genre Boost scheduled for Wednesday August 19 at 15.00 at Haugesund’s Scandic Maritim Hotel is organised in collaboration with Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Confirmed panellists include Rikke Ennis, TrustNordisk CEO, Patrick Ewald, CEO at the US Epic Pictures Group, Kjetil Omberg, producer and distributor (Norsk Superfilm), Mikko Aromaa, managing director, Night Vision Film Festival, and Jongsuk Thomas Nam, managing director, Network of Asian Fantastic Films.

The seven Nordic Gene Boost projects to be pitched to potential partners include:
-Bloodsuckers, (pictured) first film by Elin Grönblom, produced by Fisher King Productions, Finland.
-Bodom by Taneli Mustonen (Reunion) produced by Don Films, Finland.
-Border by Ali Abbasi (Shelley) produced by Metafilm, Denmark.
-Bright Skies by André Øvredal (Troll Hunter) produced by Nordisk Film, Norway.
-The Highlands by Ragnar Bragason (Metalhead) produced by Zik Zak Filmworks, Iceland.
-Teenage Jesus by Marie Grathø Nordaas (Teenland) produced by Beofilm, Denmark.
-Thale-Conflux by Aleksander Nordaas, produced by Yesbox Productions, Norway.

The seven projects have each received NOK200.000 in development support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond and attended a first workshop at Night Visions Festival in Helsinki. 

For further details, check Nordic Genre Boost.