Emil Trier’s Trust Me-the Story of Waleed Ahmed and Kids on the Silk Road by Jens Pedersen, Simon Lereng Wilmont, Kaspar Astrup Schröder were granted support.


Nordisk Film & TV Fond December support:

Documentaries

  • Trust Me-The Story of Waleed Ahmed (Stol på meg-historien om Waleed Ahmed)
    Grant: NOK450,000
    Recipient Motlys AS
    Producers: Thomas Robsahm, Nicolai Moland
    Director: Emil Trier

    Story: The film explored how the young entrepreneur and media darling known as “Norway’s Mark Zuckerberg” ends up being arrested by the FBI and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Emil Trier (The Other Munch) says the film will be both a coming of age film and a biopic focusing on Waleed Ahmed’s youth and high school years, through interviews with the protagonist, his family and friends. “The creative documentary will blend interviews with archive material to underscore the elaborate storytelling” says the director.

    The film in pre-production is produced by Motlys, with Zentropa Sweden, Snake Oil, co-financing from Fritt Ord, DR, Yle, SVT, support from the Norwegian Film Institute and the Swedish Film Institute. Arthaus will handle the release in Norway and TriArt in Sweden.
  • Kids on the Silk Road (Børnene på silkevejen)
    Grant: NOK450,000
    Recipient: Toolbox
    Producer: Maria Stevnbak Westergren
    Directors: Jens Pedersen, Kaspar Astrup Schröder, Simon Lereng Wilmont, Camilla Magid
    Sales agent: Autlook Film Sales

    Story: The series of ten short documentaries follows ten children who grow up in ten different countries along the ancient silk route. Each story is told through the child’s perspective and each child has something in life to overcome. Jens Pedersen and Astrup Schröder will direct three films each, Lereng Wilmont two films, Camilla Magid one film and a -yet-unnamed fifth director will handle the last film.

    So far two stories have been selected. One will focus on 12-year old boy Reshat from Azerbaijan who has lost his father. He finds new hope in life by learning how to be a pigeon trainer. The second story features Yan (12) who has the lead role as the Monkey King at the famous Chinese Opera, but struggles to make friends at school. When he invites three classmates to the premiere, he hopes they will accept him as a friend. The documentary series received support from the Danish Film Institute, the Norwegian Film Institute, Danida, the Danish Ministry of Education, DR, NRK, Arte, UR, ETV, RTV, TVC, North Norwegian Film Centre and Fritt Ord. The first five films will be delivered in the fall 2019 and the remaining five in the spring 2010.



Distribution Support:

  • NOK 200,000 to Nordisk Film Distribution, Denmark for the Swedish film Becoming Astrid
  • NOK 200,000 to Storytelling Media, Norway for the Icelandic animated film Ploey-You Never Fly Alone.


Dubbing Support

  • NOK 200,000 to Storyville Media, Norway for Ploey-You Never Fly Alone
  • NOK 90,000 to SF Studios Sweden for Halvdan: Almost Viking


Film Cultural Initiatives

  • NOK 530,000 to Nordic Film Market in Göteborg
  • NOK 300,000 to CPH: Industry 2019
  • NOK 265,000 to The Financing Forum for Kids Content
  • NOK 65,000 to Harpa Nordic Film Music Days-Nordic Composers Awards 2019, Berlin