08/08/2025 - The Norwegian festival's market will showcase pitches for a total of 21 new projects currently in development, with six of them coming from the Baltic countries in focus

Director Benjamin Ree, who has been selected with The Greatest Illusion (© Kristoffer Kumar)

The 31st edition of New Nordic Films will take place from 19-22 August as part of the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund. The well-established industry market has already announced its Work in Progress line-up (see the news). Meanwhile, on 20 August, during the 20th Nordic Co-Production Market, a curated selection of 21 projects will be presented to accredited industry professionals, in search of funding, co-production partnerships, sales representation and other opportunities.

Among the highlighted projects is Abyss by Finnish director Aino Suni (Heartbeast [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), a gripping drama about Aamu, who, after meeting Melissa – newly sober and planning a future for them together – finds herself drawn into a passionate affair with Sacha. Sweden’s Måns Månsson (The Real Estate [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Axel Petersén and Måns Måns…
film profile]) presents The Cannibal, a psychological thriller set on Ingmar Bergman’s estate on the island of Fårö. David, a screenwriter in crisis seeking inspiration for a film about Bergman, encounters a demonic presence and realises that the only way to escape is to face Bergman’s ghost.

From Iceland, Baldvin Z (Let Me Fall [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Baldvin Z
interview: Kristin Thora Haraldsdóttir
film profile]) offers up Dark Ocean, a visceral survival drama following 19-year-old Hákon aboard a fishing vessel. After a crewmate’s suicide and the captain’s refusal to return to shore, the crew is plunged into psychological torment. Norway’s Torfinn Iversen (Oskar's America [+see also:
trailer
interview: Torfinn Iversen
film profile]) returns with Kicksled Choir, a moving drama about 12-year-old Gabriel, who lives on a remote farm and dreams of singing in the local choir.

Icelandic filmmaker Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (Blackport [+see also:
interview: Olivier Wotling
series profile]) presents Klara, a supernatural thriller where a police detective in Reykjavík, grieving the death of his wife, is approached by a medium promising communication from the afterlife, offering an escape from a criminal racket. Ninna Pálmadóttir’s (Solitude [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ninna Pálmadóttir
film profile]) On a Scale of One to Ten tells the story of 17-year-old Tamar, admitted to a psychiatric unit as she wrestles with guilt over the death of a school friend. Finnish-based Bulgarian director Tonislav Hristov (The Good Driver [+see also:
film review
film profile]) brings Quiet Lake, a tense thriller set in Kilpisjärvi, Finnish Lapland, where middle-aged boat driver Virpi must clear her name and confront her past by searching for a missing Japanese tourist she is accused of robbing.

Several notable documentaries are also part of the selection. God Is Tango by Swedish-born Finnish director Annika Grof (There Will Be Spring [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) explores the Argentine tango as a source of solace and connection for tangueros living in crisis areas worldwide. Benjamin Ree (The Painter and the Thief [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benjamin Ree
film profile], The Remarkable Life of Ibelin [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benjamin Ree
film profile]) presents The Greatest Illusion, a documentary that uses magic as a metaphor to unravel the story of Alexx, a popular magician haunted by childhood trauma.

As previously announced (see the news), New Nordic Films will also spotlight co-productions with the Baltic countries to enhance collaboration, presenting six projects, two from each country. Estonian director Vallo Toomla (Pretenders [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) presents Beatrice, a deeply human drama about identity, grief and enduring love, where Kristi’s consciousness is implanted into a new body after a tragic accident. Martti Helde (In the Crosswind [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Martti Helde
interview: Martti Helde
film profile]) presents Silverwhite, a mythic, multi-layered tale inspired by the Kaali meteorite impact 7,500 years ago.

Lithuanian filmmaker Jorūnė Greičiūtė directs Flood, a tense relationship drama set on a secluded island. Inesa Kurklietytė (A Butterfly’s Heart) returns with I’m Going to Change the World, following 11-year-old Luka, who escapes loneliness in the city for a subterranean world filled with imagination.

Norwegian-Latvian director Ilze Burkovska-Jacobsen (My Favorite War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen
film profile]) debuts her fiction feature Legato, a coming-of-age story about Sophie, who journeys to Latvia to meet her estranged father and confront family secrets. Finally, Aik Karapetian (The Brazen [+see also:
film review
film profile]) comes clutching Sorcerer’s Eye, a supernatural thriller in which two twins confront ancient magic that has been unleashed from a painting.

Here is the complete selection of the 20th Nordic Co-Production Market:

Wannabe – Patricia Bbaale Bandak (Denmark)
Producers: Victor Rocha Da Cunha, Pernille Tornøe (Monolit Film)

Into the Ice – Nicolai Cleve Broch (Norway)
Producer: Kristin Emblem (Einar Film)

Legato – Ilze Burkovska-Jacobsen (Latvia)
Producer: Matīss Kaža (Trickster Pictures)

How to Steal a Bike – Johan Fasting (Norway)
Producers: Vilje Kathrine Hagen, Yngve Sæther (Motlys)

Flood – Jorūnė Greičiūtė (Lithuania/Sweden)
Producers: Rūta Petronytė, Justinas Pocius (Smart Casual)
Co-producer: Peter Krupenin

God Is Tango – Annika Grof (Finland/Estonia)
Producer: Joon Tervakari (Tarasow Films)
Co-producer: Marianna Kaat (Baltic Film Production)

Klara – Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (Iceland/UK)
Producers: Rakel Garðarsdóttir, Ágústa M Ólafsdóttir, Sjón (Vesturport)
Co-producer: Stella Harnström (Boom Films)

Silverwhite – Martti Helde (Estonia/Latvia/Finland)
Producer: Elina Litvinova (Three Brothers)
Co-producers: Antra Gaile (Air Productions), Klaus Heydemann (Inland Film Company)

Quiet Lake – Tonislav Hristov (Finland/Bulgaria/Sweden)
Producers: Kaarle Aho, Kai Nordberg (Making Movies Oy)
Co-producers: Andrea Stanoeva (Soul Food), Erika Malmgren, Annika Hellström (Cinenic)

Blood – The Devil in Helsinki – Viivi Huuska (Finland)
Producers: Mika Pajunen, Aleksi Hyvärinen (61°North)

Kicksled Choir – Torfinn Iversen (Norway)
Producer: Julia Andersen (Fjordic Film)

Sorcerer’s Eye – Aik Karapetian (Latvia)
Producers: Inese Boka-Grūbe, Gints Grūbe (Mistrus Media)

I’m Going to Change the World – Inesa Kurklietytė (Lithuania)
Producer: Živilė Gallego (Fralita Films)

Lisa & Lilly – Julia Lindström (Sweden)
Producer: Josefine Tengblad (Nordic Drama Queens)

The Cannibal – Måns Månsson (Sweden/Norway)
Producer: Martin Persson (Anagram Sweden)
Co-producer: Ole Marius Araldsen (Anagram Norway)

On a Scale of One to Ten – Ninna Pálmadóttir (UK)
Producer: Alice Lusher (Lushkin Films)

The Greatest Illusion – Benjamin Ree (Norway)
Producer: Ingvil Giske (Medieoperatørene AS)

Save Our Souls – Jonas Steinacker (Germany/France)
Producer: Simon Pilarski (Lichtschloss Filmproduktion)
Co-producer: Ghislain Vidal-Giraud (Orphée Films)

Abyss – Aino Suni (Finland)
Producers: Emilia Haukka, Jussi Rantamäki (Aamu Film Company)

Beatrice – Vallo Toomla (Estonia/Lithuania/Italy/Finland)
Producer: Evelin Penttilä (Stellar Film)
Co-producers: Giovanni Pompili (Kino Produzioni), Dagne Vildziunaite (Just a Moment), Aleksi Bardy (Oxymoron Imagination)

Dark Ocean – Baldvin Z (Iceland)
Producer: Gudgeir “Gucci” Arngrimsson (Glassriver)
Co-producer: Christine Haebler (Terminal City Pictures)