With an annual budget of DKK 1 million provided for by the local Ministry of Trade to attract foreign productions and market the Faroe Islands internationally, and an extra DKK 2 million from the Ministry of Culture towards film production support, the new Faroese Film Institute is now open for business. 

TO APPLY FOR THE JOB AS MANAGER OF THE FAROESE FILM INSTITUTE CLICK HERE  Filmshúsið En

The increased interest from foreign shoots combined with a new wave of young filmmakers have triggered the Faroese government’s decision to create a film institute. The archipelago with nearly 50,000 inhabitants has only one established production company [Fish & Film], one film training centre [Klippfisk], one TV station [Kringvarp Føroya], probably making it the smallest film and TV industry in the world. However, Jan Berg Jørgensen, Chairman of the board of the Faroese Film Institute feels now is the time to create ‘a proper infrastructure and more sustainable filmmaking environment’.

Last year Jan Berg Jørgensen was the local film production service manager for Wim Wenders and his film team (including Alicia Vikander) who stayed in the Faroe Islands to shoot a few scenes of the €15m English language film Submergence, with the support from local crew members.

In terms of filmmaking talents, the pioneer Katrin Ottarsdóttir who was the first to attend the National Film School of Denmark and the first to direct a Faroese feature length film (Atlantic Rhapsody, 1989) has inspired a handful of new local voices.

Sakaris Stórá for instance, who won an Award at Berlin’s Generation 14+ for his short film Winter Morning, has just released his feature length debut Dreams by the Sea, the first feature film where the majority of the crew is from the Faroe Islands. The coming of age film was produced by Fish & Film and Adomeit Film in Denmark.

Other talents include Anton Petersen who directed the feature-length film Ballada, as part of his education at Sarajevo Film Academy with Béla Tarr. “We have five directors on the verge of making their first feature film. We want them to get access to funding and basic support to get ahead with their works without starting from scratch every time,” noted Jørgensen.

He added: “As soon as we will have a new Manager for the Film Institute, we ‘ll start servicing the Faroe Islands, establish a contact base for relevant funds and frameworks – including Creative Europe - provide information on tax incentives, shooting facilities, structure skills development and strengthen our partnerships with our Nordic neighbours.”

Candidates interested in the role of Managing Director of the Faroese Film Institute have until DECEMBER 1ST, 2017 to submit their applications to vinnuframi@vinnuframi.fo

For further information, contact Jan Berg Jørgensen, Chairman of the Board (jbj@glasir.fo, (+298) 218822).