Announced today are the projects selected for the new Nordic Genre Boost initiative, a Nordisk Film & TV Fond project which will grant NOK 200.000 in development funds for seven gestating genre movies from the likes of André Øvredal (Troll Hunter), Aleksander Nordaas (Thale), Ragnar Bragason (Metalhead) and Let the Right One In author John Ajvide Lindqvist.
In addition to the grants, filmmakers will have access to two workshops, The of which will be held as part of the celebrated Night Visions International Film Festival in Helsinki (April 15 – 19, 2015) and the second in Haugesund during New Nordic Films Co-Production and Finance Market (August 19 – 20, 2015) where the projects will be pitched to buyers, distributors and funders.
Shock readers are likely familiar with the work of Øvredal and Nordaas, whose Troll Hunter and Thale, respectively, were energized, imaginative creature features. Nordaas’ Thale 2 is one of the prospective films. Bragason meanwhile seems to be tearing up the fest circuit with coming-of-age metal drama, Metalhead, and his building acclaim makes a turn to horror a welcome and exciting one. Also included are new Nordic filmmakers making second and first features and hopefully of which to be excited about, especially Border, which would see director Ali Abbasi bring to life another work from Lindqvist.
Find the full slate, below. Hopefully more on these soon.
– Bloodsuckers
Finland. Horror Comedy. First feature film by Elin Grönblom, produced by Leila Lyytikäinen of Fisher King Production. A new breed of mosquitoes is spreading across Finnish Lapland.– Bodom
Finland. Horror/Slasher/Survival. Third feature film by Taneli Mustonen, produced by Aleksi Hyvärinen of Don Films. A group of teenagers decide to reconstruct an unsolved murder and every camper´s worst nightmare comes true.– Border
Denmark/Sweden. Nordic Horror/Supernatural. Second feature film by Ali Abbasi, produced by Nina Bisgaard of Meta Film. Troll mythology meets a dark romantic, horror story – based on a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist (Let the Right One In).– Bright Skies
Norway. Fantasy /Science Fiction. Second feature film by André Øvredal (Troll Hunter), produced by John Einar Hagen of Eldorado Films. UFO-events of an international scale inspire secrecy in a tiny Norwegian valley.– Teenland
Denmark. Science Fiction. First feature film by Marie Grathø Sørensen, produced by Amalie Lyngbo Hjort and Peter Hyldahl of Beofilm. Sci–fi pop noir about girls with endangering talents, who are locked away in an institution.– Thale 2
Norway. Fantasy. Third feature film by Aleksander Nordaas, produced by Bendik Heggen Strønstrand of Yesbox Productions. Spellbinders and lurking creatures from Norwegian folklore come alive.– The Highlands
Iceland. Psychological Horror Thriller by Ragnar Bragason (Metalhead) produced by Skúli Malmquist and Thor Sigurjonsson of Zik Zak Filmworks. Modern saga set in the volcanic hinterlands – based on a novel by Steinar Bragi.
