08/12/2005

The Swedish regional film centre Filmpool Nord based in Luleå -the regional’s largest city- has organised a two-days film convention (7-8 december) where over 30 Scandinavian film professionals have been invited.
Among the special guests are Åse Kleveland, Head of the Swedish Film Institute who in a keynote speech yesterday explained the new film policy of the Swedish government, Gunnar Carlsson, Head of Film and TV Drama for Swedish public broadcaster SVT who today will discuss his company’s production strategy –in particular the increasing co-productions with Swedish regional film centres- as film production in Sweden, under the new Film Law, will be co-financed partly thanks to TV rights acquisition worth SEK58m (€ 6.16m).
Perhaps the most eagerly-awaited speak will come from the provocative Danish producer and partner to Lars Von Trier, Peter Aalbeck Jensen, Head of Zentropa Entertainment, who will tell the audience "Fuck Hollywood!".

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For Filmpool Nord, the second largest regional film production centre in Sweden after Film i Väst, the convention is the opportunity to reiterate its involvement in Swedish film production and present its strategy for the upcoming years. With its annual budget of €3.3m, Filmpool currently co-produces three to four feature films or TV productions as well as 30 short films and documentary films. But its goal for 2007 is to double that volume. One of the steps to make it a reality has been to create a ‘filmby’ or film centre -like Trollhättan- where production companies have established offices. Those include Zoula Pitsiava and Jerk Schuitema from Sonet Film, Jan Blomgren and Serina Björnborn from Bob Film and Peter Krópenin’s Omega Film. Among the feature films in post-production that were supported by Filmpool Nord this year are Säg att du äslkar mig (Tell me you love me) by the director of Beneath The Surface Daniel Fridell, and the action comedy Babas bilar (Baba’s cars) by Rafael Edholm produced by Nordisk Film which will be released by Sony Pictures on Christmas day.