21/05/2006

During a press lunch yesterday at the Scandinavian stand, Trond Giske, the first Norwegian Minister of Cultural Minister to set foot on the Croisette during the Cannes Film Festival, took advantage of a gathering organised by the Norwegian Film Institute to reiterate the Norwegian government’s support to the local film industry.

“As Norway’s Minister of Cultural, I’m proud to have the opportunity to be at Cannes this year when Norway has the best representation ever at the festival. It is a good compliment to our film industry and tells us we’re moving in the right direction. Our plan for the future is to continue to strengthen our film industry by looking at introducing tax incentives and developing our support mechanisms so that we’re as good as our neighbouring countries, Denmark and Sweden”, said Giske.

All cheered up by a very warm response from the audience and the press following the first screening of his film in the Critics’ Week, Jens Lien, the director of The Bothersome Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jens Lien
interview: Jørgen Storm Rosenberg
film profile], presented the entire cast and crew of his film. Today, it will be Stefan Faldbakken’s turn to conquer Un Certain Regards audiences, with his debut film Uro [+see also:
trailer
film profile], followed by the CGI animated film Free Jimmy [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Christopher Nielsen, which will close the Critics’ Week on May 25, and Bobbie Peer’s short film Sniffer, screening in official competition on May 27.