Forced to redesign the 48th edition of the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund due to the Covid-19 pandemic, festival director Tonje Hardersen and her team were still able to put together a strong line-up.

In total 84 films will screen across the main programme, Nordic Focus, French Touch, Cinemagi, Human Nature, special screenings, on top of Nordic Council Film Prize nominees and Amanda Awards contenders.

“It’s been hard to work in a vacuum, with delays from US blockbusters having ripple effects on film release schedules in Norway,” commented Hardersen who worked hand-in-hand with local distributors. “At the end, we will have less Norwegian film premieres, less Cannes titles, no Norwegian TV drama sidebar, but more Berlin film selections for instance. Considering the extraordinary circumstances, we’re extremely proud of our programme that is still eclectic and rich, and only 10% slimmer than last year,” said Hardersen, who stresses that due to the social distancing rules, screenings will be reduced both in capacity and daily runs.

Among anticipated films in the main programme are the Swedish/Norwegian survival drama Breaking Surface, shot in the breath-taking sceneries of Narvik and the Lofoten archipelago.

“It’s particularly fun that the film is a true-born child of the festival, one that we have been following for years, and we finally have the honour of showing it to the audience", said Hardersen. The film’s national release via Fidalgo Distribution is set for September 4.

Other high-profile titles include Wildland by Denmark’s Jeanette Nordahl (Mer Film, September 11), the Sundance winning documentary The Painter and the Thief by Norway’s Benjamin Ree (Euforia, September 18), the Polish/Swedish official Cannes 2020 selected film Sweat (Mer Film), Xavier Dolan’s Matthias & Maxime (Another World), Matteo Garrone’s Pinocchio (Fidalgo) and the documentary Billie about the legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday (Arthaus), set to close the festival on August 20.

Twelve titles will screen at the Nordic Focus, such as the Nordisk Film & TV Fond supported Charter, Echo, The Day We Died, The Exception, The Good Traitor and Call Mom!

Ten up-and-coming Nordic filmmakers will compete with their graduation films for the ‘Next Nordic Generation’ Award, and its NOK 10.000 cash prize sponsored by SF Studios Norway. Jury members this year are producers Gary Cranner, Elisa Pirir, and the former Norwegian Film Festival head of programming Håkon Skogrand.

For the fourth consecutive year, five films nominated for the prestigious Nordic Council Film Prize will screen in Haugesund, following the live announcement of the nominees on Tuesday August 18. The event is co-organised by Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

This year’s major Norwegian film policy conference on Sunday August 16 - to be streamed live on Youtube-will focus on Covid-19, with the appropriate title ‘Nobody Knows Anything’.

Following an introduction - via video-from Culture Minister Abid Raja and a brainstorming session from InFuture’s Camilla Tapfers who will define challenges and possible opportunities under Covid-19, nearly 20 top local industry people will take centre stage to discuss the pandemic’s impact on film production, distribution, marketing and media coverage.

Those include Kjersti Mo (Norwegian Film Institute), Guttorm Petterson (Film & Kino), Jannicke Haugen (Nordisk Film Kino), Atle Ellingsen (SF Studios), Arne Helsingen (NRK), director Erik Skjoldbjærg and producer Synnøve Hørsdal (Maipo Film) among others.

In terms of overall industry attendance, Hardersen said she anticipates a drastic drop in numbers, especially for the mini-market New Nordic Films (August 18-21), set to unfold exceptionally both online and on-sight. “Many companies and countries are impacted by travel restrictions, but the Norwegian film industry will be in Haugesund in force. We’re just grateful that we do have festival this year," noted Hardersen.

For more information on the Norwegian Film Festival, check: www.filmfestivalen.no