As the Nordic Council of Ministers decides to eliminate all support for Nordisk Panorama in 2022, which translates to a 60% cut in its operating budget, director Anita Reher talked to Cineuropa about the organisation’s future. She underlined the fact that the upcoming edition in September is nevertheless expected to run as planned, if the pandemic allows it.

“What we know is that the cultural department of the council is facing cuts of 20% too, to be implemented over the next four years. But it still came as a big surprise that we wouldn’t be getting any support at all,” says Reher. She added that the decision will be felt the most by the independent filmmakers themselves, who are already struggling due to COVID-19.

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“The documentaries and short films that are coming from the Nordic countries, which is what I know best, are actually doing very well internationally, winning awards at all the big festivals. And yet, more often than not, they don’t get all the attention they deserve,” she observes.

Which is where Nordisk Panorama steps in, promoting said films both during its flagship event, the Nordisk Panorama Film Festival – held annually for over 30 years – as well as the Nordisk Panorama Pitching Forum. Designed to support them every step of the way, from enabling matchmaking and co-financing at the forum, to helping finished films find their audience during the festival and introducing the filmmakers to distributors and buyers from all over the world.

“In the Nordic countries, we have this long tradition of collaborations and co-productions. It’s very hard to find the funding just in your country alone,” notes Reher. “We are that stepping stone and have been for many, many years now. I think the filmmakers appreciate it. This is where they find their initial funding: we are both a festival and an industry platform. International industry players come here every year, knowing they can find quality films from five countries in one go.”

With the upcoming edition already scheduled to take place from 16 to 21 September, 2021, the next step will pose a much greater challenge. “We are going to be working on that from now on, as you can imagine. But there will have to be some cuts – that much is clear.”